Tag Archives: lotteries
Some People Have All the Luck !
Some People Have All the Luck !
Some people have all the luck! Dan Polla who runs a gas station along US 90 in Mullan Idaho hit another Idaho lottery jackpot. He bought a $10 Idaho Lottery Wild 10’s scratch ticket and was astounded when he realized he had won $100,000. While collecting the $67,200 prize after taxes Polla said the prize “didn’t seem real until today.”
This is not the first time Polla has hit the jackpot by any means. Earlier this year in July he won a $50,000 jackpot and as if that wasn’t enough, he won $1,500 in 2004 and then scored $15,000 during that years Lottery sponsored live game show at the State Fair in Coeur d’ Alene. The grand total is a whopping $167.000! Not bad for a guy who runs a gas station!
Polla does have a lucky charm, a 1998 quarter, the same year his son was born. Polla also stated he will be cutting back on buying lottery tickets as he thinks it will be quite some time before he wins again. Polla plans to pay off some bills and take his son to Disneyland. There have been a few isolated cases of multiple lottery winners such as the central Ohio auto dealer who won the Ohio Lottery twice or the 81 year old Iowa man who won $81,000 in three lottery wins.
There have been many stories about multiple lottery wins. In Canada a 7 time lottery winner just won $17 million dollars. The lucky winner had recently traded the tropical climate of Madagascar for the frozen Canadian north. The Canadian Lottery is investigating the win and so far everything looks on the up and up. In the early days of the Ohio lottery a millionaire won the lottery not once but twice!
In rural areas like Idaho and much of the Pacific Northwest lottery players must drive considerable distances to buy lotto tickets. If lotteries in these states would allow the sale of online lottery tickets players could purchase lottery tickets from their home computers or cell phones. The idea is gaining in popularity throughout the US and lottery experts say it is only a matter of time before most state lotteries join the 21st century.
As any lottery player will tell you “you can’t win unless you’re in.” We at LuckyLotto congratulate Mr. Polla on his lottery wins and wish him and his family a great trip to Disneyland!
Maine Lottery Considering Privatization
Maine Lottery Considering Privatization
Many states are now facing serious budget shortfalls and are looking for ways to fill empty state coffers. Raising taxes would be politically unpopular and most politicians are reluctant to raise taxes. Some states are trying to raise additional revenue by boosting the sale of lottery tickets. Some states have installed lottery vending machines and have had some success. Other states are considering the sale of online lottery tickets once federal regulations are clarified. At present many credit card companies will not process lottery related transactions for fear of running afoul of the Justice department and ambitious prosecutors. Illinois and Iowa are both looking into the possibility of online ticket sales.
Some states are considering privatizing their lotteries. Several states already have outside companies operating their lotteries and in most cases the results have been positive. Usually states retain ownership of the lotteries and lottery management firms are responsible for marketing, providing lottery machines, developing new games and selling tickets through lottery retailers. This arrangement can be very lucrative for government and the private operators. Illinois is now talking to several gaming giants about privatizing their lottery.
Maine is another state with serious budget problems and legislators are discussing the privatization of Maine’s state lottery. Maine Governor Baldacci has instructed all state agencies to explore more efficient and cost effective ways to provide services and this includes the state’s lottery. Maine has considered privatizing the lottery in the past but the idea was rejected but serious budget problems is making Maine take another look at privatizing the state’s lottery. Some lawmakers are concerned that while the sale of the lottery may bring a huge onetime payment the state would lose money in the long run. Another concern is that a private lottery operator may decide to change agreements with lottery retailers. Currently the Maine lottery pays more than $16 million dollars annually to lottery retailers providing much needed income for small businesses. Maine Representative Linda Valentino, D-Saco stated, “The lottery is huge for helping small businesses stay in business. I would rather be spreading this money out to small businesses than giving it all to some company that is running the lottery.”
Federal regulations also complicate plans for lottery privatization. Under federal law state lotteries must have government employees in charge of day to day lottery operations. Maine Lottery Director Dan Gwadosky stated, “Many states have looked to find ways to further privatize their operations, but they all have run up against the Justice Department rulings. But they are still looking, and we are still looking.” Some lottery experts believe that if the political climate in Washington shifts after the 2010 elections it could open the door for lottery privatization.