Friday, October 31, 2014

EuroMillions Numbers Drawn on Friday, October 31, 2014

No tickets matched the five main numbers and two Lucky stars required to bag Friday's €15 million (£11.7 million) EuroMillions jackpot,  but five players won second tier prizes of €355,794 for matching five main numbers and one Lucky Star.

Ten players were awarded third tier prizes of €59,299 for matching five main numbers, and 88 players won €3,369 for matching four main numbers and two Lucky Stars. A further 3,142,774 EuroMillions players were awarded smaller prizes from the lower tiers.

The EuroMillions numbers drawn on Friday, October 31, 2014, were 10, 13, 20, 33, and 41. The two Lucky Stars were 3 and 9.

The next EuroMillions drawing is on Tuesday, November 4, 2014. The estimated jackpot is €21 million (£17 million).

Wedding Bells for EuroMillions Winner

A EuroMillions player from England is busy planning a no-expense-spared wedding after scooping a £241,508.90 prize.

Essex man, Billy Bradley 23, and his partner Sarah have spent years saving for their wedding, but have never had enough money to finally set the date. All that changed on Tuesday, October 21, 2014, when Billy's Lucky Dip ticket matched all five main numbers and one Lucky Star.

He discovered he'd won when he visited Sarah at her mother's house the day after he draw and went online to check the numbers.

"As soon as I saw the size of the win on the screen I let out the biggest yell and then couldn't stop leaping about the room and whooping with joy," he said.

Unfortunately the uncharacteristic display scared his two little boys and they both burst into tears.

"I told Sarah what had happened but she didn’t believe me and calmly took the boys upstairs for their bedtime bath," Billy recalled. "In fact, she wouldn't believe it really was true until the winner's advisor visited us and finally confirmed we were £241,508.90 richer."

Billy and Sarah got engaged when they discovered Sarah was pregnant with their first son, but finding the money pay for the wedding proved to be an impossible task.

"Although I work full time money has often been tight and there hasn't always been enough to cover the monthly expenses let alone a wedding," Billy explained.

With money no longer a problem, he can finally give Sarah the kind of wedding she has always dreamed of having. He will also be able to stop working "silly hours" and spend a little more time with her and their two boys.

Where is County Leitrim's Mystery Lotto Winner?

Someone in Carrick-on-Shannon, County Leitrim, spent €8 on an ordinary play Irish Lotto ticket on Friday, October 24, 2014. The following day the ticket, which bears the numbers 3, 5, 8, 15, 16, and 23, bagged the largest prize ever to be won on a County Leitrim ticket, but the identity of the lucky winner remains a mystery because they have not come forward to claim their €7.1 million prize.

The winning ticket was purchased from the local Tesco supermarket, and store manager Liam Melody states there has been plenty of local "banter" about who the winner may be.

Liam also speculated that the ticket may have been bought by a tourist, but local residents are still hoping to discover the prize has been scooped by a person from the town.

The winner has 90 days from the date of the draw to claim their prize.

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Pennsylvanian Syndicate Bags a $2 million Win

A lottery syndicate from York, Pennsylvania, were in top form on Thursday when they were presented with a large ceremonial check for $2 million.

After nearly a decade of placing their numbers, the syndicate, which is made up of 10 workers from Industrial Distribution Group, finally got lucky when their ticket matched the five main numbers, but not the Powerball, in the October 22, 2014, US Powerball drawing.

The group purchased their lucky ticket from Sunoco A-Plus Market, which is situated across the street from their place of work. The store will get a $10,000 retailer's bonus for selling a winning ticket.

The US Powerball is a multi-state draw that offers a minimum jackpot of $40 million. Numbers are drawn on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 22:59 (EST). The next drawing is on Friday, October 31, 2014, and it’s a big one. The estimated jackpot is $159 million.

Florida Lotto Winner Tries to Auction Comic-Book Collection to Pay his Back Taxes

In 2001, Robert Sage bagged a $13 million prize from the Florida Lotto. At the time his biggest wish was to build a mansion big enough to store his collection of 14,000 comic books and 300 superhero statues.

Unfortunately he failed to keep on top of his taxes and was forced to try and auction his beloved comic books on Tuesday in an effort to pay his $123,432.06 tax debt.

Sage hoped his comics would fetch him a tidy sum and claims two independent appraisers estimated its value to be around $200,000. Comic book collectors did not agree, and many commented on the poor condition of the items, stating Sage was more or a comic-book reader than a comic-book collector.

The best bid was $5,100. Sage rejected it and the IRS closed the auction.

The IRS is now searching for another way to settle the debt.

When sage won the Florida Lotto jackpot he opted not to take the offered $7 million one-off, lump-sum payment and chose to receive 30 annual payments of $345,000 instead.  Explaining his inability to pay the tax bill, which accrued when he failed to pay his taxes for two years, Sage said he used a lot of the money as collateral and no longer gets as much as he used to.

Florida Lotto drawings take place on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 23:15 (Eastern Time). Jackpots start at $2 million and there is not cap placed on the top prize. The next Florida Lotto drawing is on Saturday, November 1, 2014. The estimated jackpot is $42 million.

Last Week's €190 million EuroMillions Jackpot Still Not Claimed

The Portuguese ticket-holder who won last Friday's incredible €190 million EuroMillions Jackpot still hasn't come forward to claim their prize.

The Portuguese lottery organizer (Gambling Department of Santa Casa da Misericordia) says the winning ticket was purchased from a newsagent in the Castelo Branco area, 220 km northeast of Lisbon.  When the winner comes forward they will receive €158 million, after taxes.

The EuroMillions numbers drawn on Friday, October 24, 2014, were 3, 9, 20, 30, and 42. The Lucky Stars were 1 and 6.

The holder of the ticket bearing the above numbers must claim their prize before January 15, 2015. If they fail to do so they will lose it forever and the money will be donated to charities.

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

UK Lotto Results for Wednesday, October 29, 2014

No tickets matched the six main numbers necessary to win Wednesday's £7 million UK National Lottery Lotto jackpot, so a rollover has created a bigger pot to play for on Saturday.

The UK Lotto numbers drawn on Wednesday, October 29, 2014, were 13, 14, 17, 25, 31, and 49. The bonus number was 18.

Four players matched five winning numbers and the bonus ball, to win second tier prize of £46,913, and 122 players won £1,305 for matching five numbers. A further £ 4,948,622 was distributed in smaller prizes to lower tier winners.

UK National Lottery Lotto drawings are held on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The next drawing is on Saturday, November 1, 2014. The estimated jackpot is £9.9 million.

School Syndicate Chalk up a £1 Million Win

A lottery syndicate made up of teachers and staff from the Brooklands Primary School in Brantham, Suffolk, bagged a £1 million prize last week when their ticket won the UK EuroMillions Millionaire Raffle selection on Tuesday, October 21.

There are 23 people in the syndicate so each member will receive a £43,478.26 share of the prize.

Recalling the moment she realized they had won, syndicate leader Helju Cross, 52, said: "I popped into the newsagent to have the tickets checked and was delighted that we’d won £6, then another £2; so imagine my surprise when I was told that our third winning ticket was too much to pay out there and then. I must have been in shock because when the shopkeeper asked if I'd like to check the numbers I said no and hurriedly left the shop planning on checking the numbers online."

Actually getting around to checking the numbers took her some time though. Work kept getting in the way, so Cross never go around to inspecting the numbers more closely until she was inside her mother's car and about to go for lunch. Then when she did go online, using her tablet computer, she initially failed to see how the prize had been won.

"I was mortified when I saw the numbers didn’t match," Cross said, "until I moved to the Millionaire Raffle selection and saw that the very first ticket had exactly the same combination."

Many of the syndicate members are now busy planning exotic vacations, but sixty-three-year-old Ken Dodd is the exception.

"I've no plans to spend the money but it’s definitely a very welcome addition to my pension pot and gives me greater peace of mind," he said.

North Carolina Woman Bags a $1 million Powerball Win

A retiree from Elizabeth City, North Carolina, will be paying off her mortgage and buying a couple of cars thanks to a $1 million US Powerball win.

Diana Forbes matched all five winning numbers, but not the Powerball, on Wednesday, October 22, 2014. Getting the Powerball as well would have scooped the $110 million jackpot.

Forbes discovered her Quick Pick ticket had done her proud on Thursday morning when she rang the North Carolina Education Lottery's hotline and checked her numbers. Moments later she was rushing back to her bedroom to give her husband a million dollar wake-up call.

"It was really surreal," Forbes said. "I woke up my husband and said 'Honey, I think we won a nice prize.' I'm definitely going to live a little easier."

The US Powerball is a multi-state draw that offers a minimum jackpot of $40 million. Numbers are drawn on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 22:59 (EST). The next drawing is on Wednesday, October 29, 2014. The estimated jackpot is $142 million.

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

EuroMillions Draw Results for Tuesday, October 28, 2014

One ticket matched the five main numbers and two Luck Stars in the Tuesday night EuroMillions drawing, so the €15 million (£11.8 million) jackpot has been won.

The EuroMillions numbers drawn on Tuesday, October 28, 2014, were 10, 15, 17, 40, and 45. The two Lucky Stars were 1 and 2.

Two tickets secured second tier prizes of €556,193 for matching five main numbers and one Lucky Star.

Seven tickets secured third tier prizes of €52,970 for matching five main numbers, 37 tickets won fourth tier prizes of €5,010 for matching four main numbers and two Lucky Stars, and a further 1,776,274 EuroMillions players were awarded smaller prizes from the lower tiers.

The next EuroMillions drawing is on Friday, October 31, 2014. The estimated jackpot is €15 million (£11 million).

Proposed Tax increase on New Jersey Lottery Winnings Not Wholly Supported

New Jersey lottery players who were worried about the proposed extra taxes on lottery winnings can breathe a little easier—for a while at least—because the bill did not have enough votes to get it approved by the state Senate panel.

If it was approved, Bill S1767 would impose and extra 0.5% tax on all New Jersey lottery prizes over $600.

According to data collected from the Tax Foundation in 2012, New Jersey's top rate (10.8%) for lottery winners is already higher than that of any other state. This is in addition to the federal taxes which treat the prize as if it were regular income. In the case of a single person, the federal rate for income over $406,750 is 39.6%.

If the bill is pushed through at a later date the extra money gathered from the increased tax has been earmarked to fund after-school activities run by non-profit groups based in municipalities where 40% or more of the students are considered to be "at risk".

Bill S1767 was approved by the Senate's state government committee in May this year. The next step was to get bill endorsed by the budget committee, but the votes were not there.

Senate Budget Committee Chairman Paul Sarlo declined to comment on whether he was for or against the bill, but confirmed it had not been fully supported.

"It didn’t have the votes," he said.

New Jersey State Senator Ronald Rice, who sponsored the bill, believes he will be able to persuade the other members to back the new bill.

"I'm confident it will pass. With this bill, it makes good sense," he said.

It's an Especially Exciting Week for UK EuroMillions Players

The Tuesday night EuroMillions drawing has an estimated jackpot of €15 million (£11 million). That's big prize but, with or without a rollover later tonight, next Friday's EuroMillions drawing beats it for excitement because there will be 25 extra £1 million prizes up for grabs. There's just one catch—only players living in the UK or the Isle of Man will be eligible for a chance at the extra lotto loot.

Organized by the UK National Lottery, the new "Mega Friday" promotion will take place on the final Friday of every month. As well as winning a cool £1 million prize the 25 Mega Friday winners will be whisked off on a two-week holiday to Makepeace Island on Australia's Sunshine Coast. Each lucky winner will be able to take up to seven guests.

Monday, October 27, 2014

British Pensioners Enjoy their "Big" Outing

A group of British pensioners managed to fulfil their ambition, and visit the birthplace of William Shakespeare, thanks to a little help from UK National Lottery's Big Lottery Fund.

The Maltby Residents Association made its bid to the Big Lottery Fund in February, but had to wait six months before they found out if the planned trip from Great Lever to Stratford-upon-Avon was going to be possible. The long wait was made worthwhile when Big awarded the group a £3,500 grant.

The group recently returned from their trip to see the British bard's birthplace and Maltby Residents Association chairman Olwyn Cunliffe acknowledged the fact that the group's time away would not have been possible without Big's help.

"It was a fantastic weekend, something we've wanted to do for a while," Cunliffe said, "and there was no way we could have managed it without this funding."

The Big Lottery's intervention enabled the group to spend a pleasant afternoon in Leamington Spa, and fit in an overnight stay in Warwick, before the sightseeing tour of Stratford-upon-Avon the following day.

"Everyone thought it was just brilliant," Cunliffe said. "The travel agents gave us a really good itinerary and the coach driver was wonderful."

Each year the Big Lottery distributes 40% of the money the UK National Lottery set aside for good causes. The money is used to provide assistance to community groups and projects that are believed to have a positive impact on health, education, and the environment.

Edinburgh Man Wins Hoosier Lottery Anniversary Prize

A man from Johnson County, Indiana, has become $1 million richer by winning the 25th Anniversary Hoosier Millionaire prize.

The one-off drawing was arranged to celebrate the lottery's 25th year and gave lottery losers an extra chance to become a winner by registering with the Hoosier Lottery website and entering the numbers from their losing tickets into the draw.

The prize was won by, Edinburgh man, Ron Ritter, who became the 192nd Hoosier Lottery millionaire.

Ritter picked up his check on Friday. He was accompanied by his wife Penny and their 18-year-old daughter and had little hesitation over sharing his plans for the prize.

"I'm going to buy a house. That's first priority," he said. "We've been renting all our lives."

New Zealand Powerball Drawing Hindered by Faulty Machine

Saturday's New Zealand Powerball drawing had an estimated top prize of NZD$ 9 million, but the drawing had to be continued off-air when the Powerball machine failed to eject one of the balls during the televised drawing.

The second drawing of the Powerball number was conducted under the supervision of Audit New Zealand and televised at 21:00, during the results update.

New Zealand Lotteries Commission Spokeswoman Emilia Mazur said: "There was a technical issue with that machine because the number didn't get drawn. The Lotto numbers are still absolutely valid. There was no Powerball drawn on air. It has since been drawn off air and that number is valid as it stands."

No tickets matched the six numbers and the Powerball so the draw ended in a rollover. The next New Zealand Powerball drawing is on Saturday, November 1, 2014. The estimated jackpot is NZD$ 11 million.

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Lottery Winners Give CAD$ 125,0000 to the Royal Canadian Legion

Canadian Lottery winners, Peter and Rhonda Lockhart, have donated CAD$ 125,0000 to the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 6 in Moncton.

Peter said: "We're over here a fair amount. We know what the building is like. If it wasn't for the veterans we wouldn’t be where we are today."

The Lockharts won a Canada Lotto 649 jackpot of almost CAD$ 10 million in May this year and declared their intention to use some of the money to benefit the local community and their latest charitable act has certainly helped their local branch of the Royal Canadian Legion.

Legion president Robert Dupuis said: "The biggest thing it’s going to mean is this legion can stay open. This is the biggest thing that was worrying me. If we don’t pay our bills we can’t stay open."

Like so many other legion branches, Branch 6 had been finding it difficult to cope with the day to day running costs such as heating the building. The Lockhart's donation will remove a lot of the pressure and allow the legion to keep its doors open. It will also enable the legion to afford the CAD$ 100,000 cost of better insulation.

On learning of the donation, legion member Reg Surette said: "I think that’s very generous and I thank them with all my heart."

After they won the Lotto the Lockharts cleared all their own debts, along with the debts of family members, but Peter said helping out the legion is the best thing he has done so far.

"Best Birthday Present Ever" for Lottery Winner

A Chicago woman got her birthday celebrations off to a good start earlier this week when one of lottery tickets her father gave her made her a millionaire.

To mark her 19th birthday, Deisi Ocampo's father gave her two Illinois Lottery "$100 Million Money Mania" scratch-off tickets. One of the tickets turned out to be worth $4 million.

"It turned out to be the best birthday present ever," Ocampo said.

She claimed her prize on Friday and told lottery officials she intends to use some of the money to buy a new house for her family and pursue her dream of completing her degree and becoming a nurse.

Double the Luck for Massachusetts Man

A Massachusetts Lottery player claimed not one but two Lucky for Life prizes on Thursday.

Norwood resident, Kenneth J. Stokes was overjoyed earlier this week when he received a phone call from the Massachusetts Lottery informing him he'd won$25,000 a year for life on a season ticket he'd received as a gift. After he put down the phone, Stokes remembered he had a second ticket for the same Lucky for Life drawing. It bore the same set of numbers as his season ticket—the numbers were based on the birthdays of family members.

The double winner opted to take his prizes as two one-off lump-sum payments of $390,000, less taxes.

A lottery spokesman said it is rare for people to win twice in one drawing because players seldom use the same numbers on more than one ticket.

Saturday, October 25, 2014

UK Lotto Results for Saturday, October 25, 2014

No tickets matched the six main numbers necessary to win the £5.7 million jackpot in the UK National Lottery's Saturday night Lotto drawing so the draw ended in a rollover.

The UK Lotto numbers drawn on Saturday, October 25, 2014, were 11, 15, 17, 30, 43, and 49. The bonus number was 3.

Five players matched five winning numbers and the bonus ball, to win second tier prizes of £5,708,496, and 219 ticket-holders won £304,410 for matching five numbers. A further £8,110,333 was distributed in smaller prizes to lower tier winners.

UK National Lottery Lotto drawings are held on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The next UK Lotto drawing is on Wednesday, October 29, 2014. The estimated jackpot is £7.3 million.

Dairy Worker Wins the Lottery and Hangs up his Boots

A dairy worker from Stanley, Wisconsin, has been able to say goodbye to all those early morning starts thanks to a $1 million US Powerball win.

Robert Bogard, 57, won his big-money prize when his Quick Pick ticket successfully matched all five of the Powerball numbers drawn on Saturday, October 18, 2014. If he'd matched the Powerball number as well he would have scooped the $100 million jackpot.

Bogard didn't realize he'd won until Tuesday morning. He hadn't paid much attention to the numbers when he purchased his ticket. He became more interested in his ticket on Tuesday morning. First he heard news bulletins about a missing winner, then when he topped up his truck's gas tank the clerk jokingly asked him if he'd won. Bogard said "no", but in less than two hours, he had to return and change his answer. He'd checked the ticket by then and realized his answer should have been "yes".

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Bogard recalled how it felt to discover he'd won a $1 million prize.

"I yelled, 'Hallelujah, I can retire now'," he said.  "I went in to work, got my rubber boots, and told them I was retiring."

After taxes, Bogard will receive $673,490, but he has no definite plans for the money.

"I paid off my truck, am going to buy me an enclosed trailer for my four-wheeler, and the rest I'm undecided," Bogard said. "Eventually I may buy some property, but I'm not going to rush into much right away. I'll take it one day at a time."

Hoosier Lotto Winner Yet to Come Forward

The Hoosier Lottery reports Lebanon, Indiana, has a new millionaire, but the lottery does not know whose name should go on the $2 million check because the winner has not come forward to claim their prize.

The winning ticket was purchased from The Barn, on West South Street in Lebanon, and scooped the Hoosier Lotto jackpot on Wednesday, October 22, 2014. The ticket bears the winning numbers 8, 9, 11, 35, 42, and 44.

The Barn will receive a $100,000 retailer's bonus for selling the winning ticket.

Hoosier Lotto drawings are held on Wednesday and Saturday at 22:30 CST local time. The next drawing is on Saturday, October 25, 2014. The estimated jackpot is $1 million.

Friday, October 24, 2014

EuroMillions Results for Friday, October 25, 2014

Friday's incredible €190 million (£149.7 million) EuroMillions jackpot was scooped by one lucky ticket-holder.

The EuroMillions numbers drawn on Friday, October 24, 2014, were 3, 9, 20, 30, and 42. The two Lucky Stars were 1 and 6.

There was also cause for celebration down in the second tier because nine tickets secured €2.1 million prizes for matching five main numbers and one Lucky Star.

Down in the third tier, 24 tickets-holders won €50,349 for matching five main numbers, and there were 147 fourth tier wins of €4,110 for matching four main numbers and two Lucky Stars. A further 6,026,240 EuroMillions players were awarded smaller prizes from the lower tiers.

The next EuroMillions drawing is on Tuesday, October 28, 2014. The estimated jackpot is €15 million (£11 million).

"Quick Pick" Results in Fast Cash for Canadian Lotto Winner

A spontaneous lottery ticket purchase turned out to a life-changing decision for 62-year-old real estate agent, Velauthan Vamadevan, when his Quick Pick ticket bagged him a CAD$ 20 million prize.

The Mississauga resident stopped at a gas station on Saturday, October 18, 2014, to top-up his tank and, realizing the Canada Lotto 649 drawing would be held in a few hours, decided to buy a ticket.

"It was my son's birthday and I decided to give it a shot," Vamadevan said. "I was at the gas station filling up, so I purchased one Quick Pick."

Vamadevan's Quick Pick turned out to be the only ticket that matched all the winning numbers drawn later that evening. He claimed his prize on Wednesday and told lottery officials he'd never expected to win so forgot to check his ticket.

"Then I heard the winner was from Mississauga so I checked a couple of tickets I had in my wallet," Vamadevan explained. "But they weren’t the winning tickets. I thought maybe someone else I know from Mississauga was the winner."

At the time his lucky Quick Pick was lying forgotten on a shelf. He found it on Tuesday night and went online to check if it was the winner.

"I was speechless," he said.

The hardest thing of all was convincing his wife and children, who wouldn't believe him until they'd seen the ticket for themselves.

When asked about his plans for the money, Vamadevan said he hadn’t decided and admitted he was still trying to come to terms with winning such a big prize.

"I'm still shocked," he said. "I knew since Sunday there was a winner and I kept thinking, 'What a lucky guy!' I guess you never know."

Norwegian Woman Wins the Viking Lotto

A drawing editor from Kristiansund, Norway, matched the six winning numbers drawn in the Viking Lotto drawing on Wednesday and scooped a kr127 million prize—the second largest prize in the history of the Norwegian Lottery (Norsk Tipping).

It took lottery representatives less than half-an-hour to track down the lucky winner, but when the lottery rang fifty-year-old Ingrid Roterud Mathisen to give her the good news her words betrayed her shock at winning such a large prize.

"You fuck! You're lying!" she exclaimed. "It's completely unbelievable! I almost don't know what to say. I'm almost a bit afraid that I will wake up tomorrow to discover it was all just a dream."

Viking Lotto Drawings take place on Wednesdays. The first drawing was held in 1993 and play was restricted to the Scandinavian countries of Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden. Estonia joined the draw later on and the Viking Lotto unified Europe’s northern countries with a shared transnational lottery.

Thursday, October 23, 2014

US Powerball Winner Arrested for Shooting

A US Powerball winner from Virginia was arrested on Saturday and charged with malicious wounding.

During a heated argument, Victoria Lynn Jenkins, 52, pulled a gun from her purse and Sherry Ann Bayne, 43, sustained gunshot wounds to the chest and leg.

Police attended the scene and arrested the gun-toting lottery winner and Bayne was rushed to University of Virginia Medical Center.

Malicious shooting is a Class 3 felony in the state of Virginia and carries a prison term of five to 20 years and a fine of up to $100,000.

Jenkins won her $1 million second tier Powerball prize in November 2012, and stated:  "It was just a stroke of luck. I was in the right place at the right time."

California SuperLotto Plus Winner Steps Forward

In an announcement made on Tuesday, the California Lottery said the SuperLotto Plus jackpot winner from the Wednesday, September 24, 2014, drawing has stepped forward and claimed her $11 million prize.

California's latest lotto millionaire, Kara Brummett, purchased her winning ticket from Parkwood Gas and Food on West Hammer Lane in Stockton. It was the only ticket to match all five numbers and the Powerball.

Parkwood Gas and Food will receive a $55,000 retailer's bonus for selling the winning ticket.

When lottery officials asked about her plans for the money, Brummett said: "I'm going to Disneyland."

Camelot Team with Drawn Your Tweet to Promote Instant Win Games for Mobiles

The UK National Lottery organizer, Camelot, has teamed up with Drawn Your Tweet to offer players a unique new games promotion.

The new promotion was launched on Wednesday, October 22, 2014, to promote the launch of mobile the National Lottery’s Instant Win Games (mIWG).  This is a landmark occasion for the lottery because it's the first time Instant Win Games have been made available on mobile devices.

The National Lottery's Twitter followers and Facebook fans were asked the question—where’s the most interesting place they’d like to play?" and told to send their answers using the hashtag #DrawMyWin. Camelot and its marketing partner Kindred will judge the entries and the most creative ones will be illustrated and shared via the lottery's social feeds.

Martyn Baxter, head of instants at Camelot, said: "People can now play National Lottery Instant Win Games out and about—on their PC, mobile or tablet. And what better way to celebrate the fact that people can win up to £1 million anytime, anywhere than by asking them where they’d most like to win—and then instantly illustrating their suggestions?"

The promotion was an instant hit with players and quickly shot up the UK trends charts. A few of the suggestions made include riding the winning horse in the Grand National, orbiting the earth in a spaceship, and on the delivery ward whilst in labor.

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

UK Lotto Results for Wednesday, October 22, 2014

No tickets matched the six main numbers necessary to win Wednesday's £2.2 million UK National Lottery Lotto jackpot, so a midweek rollover has pumped up the pot for Saturday's drawing.

The winning UK Lotto numbers drawn on Wednesday, October 22, 2014, were 5, 24, 28, 36, 42, and 47. The bonus number was 8.

One player matched five winning numbers and the bonus ball, to win second tier prize of £176,790, and 127 ticket-holders won £1,181 for matching five numbers. A further £3,926,702 was distributed in smaller prizes to lower tier winners.

UK National Lottery Lotto drawings are held on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The next drawing is on Saturday, October 25, 2014. The estimated jackpot is £5.5 million.

Daughter's Good Deed Results in Filipino Man Losing Lotto Cash

A lotto winner from the Philippines has lost out on a ₱12,391,600 (USD$ 276,277) because his daughter tried to help smooth his claim by ironing out the wrinkles in the ticket, burning it in the process.

Antonio Failon Mendoza from Calaca town in Batangas Province won the substantial prize in the lotto drawing held on Thursday, October 2, 2014, but by the time he tried to present his ticket it was nothing more than a half-burned piece of paper pressed between the pages of a thick bible.

Despite his best efforts to preserve the remains of his ticket, Mendoza did not have a prayer when it came to claiming the prize because according to lottery rules  it's a case of no ticket, no prize and the Mendoza's ticket was too defaced to be readable.

Presenting the charred remains of his ticket to legislators at the House Committee on Games and Amusement, on Tuesday, Mendoza said: "I just want to say that I am one of the millions of bettors of lotto who use their hard-earned money with hopes of winning. But now that I have won, I cannot claim my money, I hope you can help me."

The committee contacted lottery organizers, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), to see if there was a way the unfortunate player might be able to still claim his prize, but  the PCSO said there is not and pointed out their tickets bear a warning stating they must be kept away from  heat, hot objects, oil, water and solvents.

California Woman Claims September Powerball Prize

It's taken her nearly a month to do so, but a US Powerball winner from Fresno, California, has stepped forward and claimed the $1.26 million second tier prize from the drawing held on Wednesday, September 24, 2014.

According to California Lottery officials, Maria Padilla claimed her prize last Friday.

Padilla, a retired machine operator, purchased her winning ticket at her local Qik-n-EZ convenience store. She gets all her tickets the Qik-n-EZ way, but told lottery officials Powerball is not usually her game, stating she only purchased the ticket because there was a $228.5 million jackpot up for grabs.

"I had a feeling the store was a winner," Padilla said.

The store will get a $6,321 retailer's bonus for selling the winning ticket.

The lucky winner's plans for her lotto cash are quite simple. She intends to invest it.

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

EuroMillions Results for Tuesday, October 21, 2014

There was a sixth EuroMillions rollover on Tuesday, so the draw failed to produce any new millionaires. The biggest winners were the eight players, who won second tier prizes of €333,090 for matching five main numbers and one Lucky Star, and were just one Lucky Start short of bagging the €181.7 million (£143.6 million) jackpot.

The EuroMillions numbers drawn on Tuesday, October 21, 2014, were 20, 21, 27, 33, and 40. The two Lucky Stars were 3 and 10.

Twenty players were awarded third tier prizes of €44,412 for matching five main numbers.

Ninety-two players won €4,827 for matching four main numbers and two Lucky Stars, and a further 4,328,339 EuroMillions players were awarded smaller prizes from the lower tiers.

The next EuroMillions drawing is on Friday, October 24, 2014. The estimated jackpot is €190 million (£150 million).

Walmart Worker's Chance in a Million Win

A Walmart supermarket worker from West Covina, California, claimed a $1 million lottery prize last week and admitted his $20 scratcher-off ticket purchase was a chance in a million.

Holding onto an oversize ceremonial check, Nick Aguayo said: "It’s not really in my budget to spend $20 on scratchers, but I just took a chance."

Aguayo's "chance" buy beat odds of 1 in 3,000,000 so it was certainly a chance worth taking. He bought the ticket from a gas station while he was on his lunch break, scratched away its top coating while sitting in his car, and was astounded at what he saw.

Unable to fully accept what his eyes were showing him, Aguayo asked a workmate to double check the ticket when he returned to work.

"I told him I never wanted to run so much in my life," Chris his co-worker recalled. "I had the ticket in my hand."

With Chris' confirmation, the lucky 28-year-old  could no longer doubt the fact that he'd beaten the odds and bagged a big win, but he stayed on the job and completed the last three hours of his shift anyway and has no plans to ditch Walmart for a life of ease.

After the necessary deductions for taxes, Aguayo's $20 ticket purchase netted him $750,000—more than enough to clear both his and his mother's debts. Praising her worker's character, Walmart store manager Crystal Garcia said: "The first thing out of his mouth was how he was going to take care of his mother. To see him still humble is great. He is here, working still and giving it his all. He is still earning every pay check."

Where is Western Australia's Powerball Winner?

Western Australian Lottery organizer Lotterywest is still waiting for last Thursday's Australia Powerball winner to come forward and claim their incredible AUD$ 16,666,666 prize.

The winning numbers drawn on Thursday, October 16, 2014, were 4, 9, 13, 18, 26, 34, and 3. The Powerball was 3.

The winning ticket was purchased from Padbury News and Post Office.

The lucky ticket-holder is one of three players who won a share of Thursday's AUD$ 50 million Division 1 prize.  The other two tickets were purchased in Victoria.

A Lotterywest spokeswoman said: "We generally find that Division 1 Lotto winners are quite prompt in claiming their prize, however it's very early days and the winner could still be unaware of their win or waiting for the right time to contact us."

Monday, October 20, 2014

Lottery Funding Will Help Preserve Historic Scottish Caves

The UK National Lottery's Big Lottery Fund has awarded a £4,094 grant to a Scottish charity that works to preserve some historic caves and the unique drawing on their walls.

Save Wemyss Ancient Caves Society (SWACS) was formed in 1986 after vandals drove a stolen car into the cave and set fire to it, destroying an irreplaceable drawing in the process.

SWACS volunteers have been working hard to preserve the caves ever since. The charity also provides guided tours and organizes educational talks. The new funding, awarded via Big's Awards for All Scotland program, will be used to purchase new equipment necessary for recording the many unique carvings on the cave walls.

Once obtained the new recordings will be used as part of new presentations SWACS will share with schools and colleges.

On hearing that SWACS big for lottery funding had been successful, Glenrothes and Central Fife MP Lindsay Roy, said: "I congratulate the Save Wemyss Ancient Caves Society on their successful applications to the Big Lottery fund. I would encourage others to see if they too might qualify for some financial aid."

Each year the Big Lottery distributes 40% of the money the UK National Lottery set aside for good causes. The money is used to provide assistance to community groups and projects that are believed to have a positive impact on health education and the environment.

Big's Awards for All Scotland program provides grants between £500 and £10,000 for projects designed to improve local communities as well as the lives of people who have the most need.

Lottery Win Brings a Little Cheer to Cancer Patient

A man who was recently diagnosed with cancer got a more pleasant surprise earlier this month when he won $1 million on a Missouri Lottery "50X the Cash" scratch-off ticket.

In an announcement made on Friday, the Missouri Lottery said Ronald Taylor had just left his doctor's office when he decided to pop into a Price Shopper supermarket in Raytown and buy a scratcher.

"I decided to buy a $5 ticket," Taylor said. "I won $5, so I bought another $5 ticket and it was a $10 winner. So, I thought, 'I’ll just buy a $10 ticket then.'—that’s when I hit it."

Taylor claimed his prize on October 1, 2014, and opted for a lump-sum payment of $700,000, before taxes. He initially intended to use some of the money to pay for hospice care for his ailing wife, but she passed away just after he'd claimed the prize. He now plans to use the money to help his daughter and grandchildren.

New Yorker is Set for Life after Gas Station Win

A New York Lottery player from New Windsor stopped at a Citgo gas station last month and pumped up his bank balance by $5 million when he decided to purchase a "Set for Life" scratch-off ticket while he was there.

In a recent news release the New York Lottery said 59-year-old Gary Gawricki's visit to the station on September 20, 2014, resulted in a winning streak that culminated in the big win.

Gawricki purchased a few scratchers, won $100, and used the money to purchase more tickets, including the Set for Life ticket that lived up to its name for the lucky Polo Ralph Lauren manager.

Gawricki will receive a payout of $123,500 per year. He intends to pay off his debts and save for his retirement, but he hasn't forgotten his daughter. He and his wife, Theresa, have decided to make her a gift of $13,000 a year.

Sunday, October 19, 2014

Lucky Lotto Loser is a Lotto Winner

An industrial painter from Denver, Colorado got the surprise of his life earlier this week when he discovered he'd won a $1 million prize on a losing ticket.

Thirty-year-old Allen B, discovered the good news on Wednesday, October 15, 2014, when Colorado Lottery representatives turned up at his place of work, carrying a large ceremonial check and told him: "You just won one million dollars on a Second Chance drawing."

Second chance drawings are only available to players who have registered at the Colorado Lottery website. Once registered players can then access an online dashboard and enter the numbers from their losing tickets into a special online drawing, for a chance to win a prize of up to $1 million.

Allen is a passionate lottery player with a soft spot for $20 "Monopoly Millionaire" scratch-off tickets, but his ticket-buying habit has been a constant source of irritation for his wife, Lorena. At one point Allen had collected 256 of the scratchers—all of them losers.

"He just kept bringing them home and I was like, 'You gotta stop'," Lorena said.

Despite his constant dreaming of a big win, Allen admitted it was quite a shock when the dream became a reality.

"I was thinking maybe it’s $10,000 and I started counting the zeroes and kept going, and I realized it was a million dollars—and it still hasn’t sunk in yet," Allen said.

As for his plans for the money, Allen said he intends to pay off the debt on his house and cars and set up a college fund for his young son.

Canadian Lotto Player Pops Out for Milk and Returns a Millionaire

A woman from Saskatoon, Canada, had a profitable lunch break when she popped out to get some milk and returned to work a million dollar smile.

While she was at the grocery store Keely Vickaryous decided to run her Canada Lotto 649 ticket through a self-checker and discovered she was onto a winner.

"I saw all of these zeroes," Keely recalled. "The nearby clerk looked at the machine and said, 'You’ve just won a million dollars.'"

When asked if she had any plans for her prize, Keely said intends to set up a retirement fund and set some money aside for her children's education.

No More Money Worries for Massachusetts Lottery Winner

A cash-strapped Harvard University cafeteria worker's money troubles came to an end this week when she scooped a $10 million prize on a Massachusetts Lottery scratch-off ticket.

Rodriguez' home was foreclosed five years ago. She has been struggling with her debts ever since, but her $20 gamble paid off when she purchased a "$10,000,000 Diamond Millionaire" scratcher and bagged the game's top prize.

The lucky winner chose to take her prize as a one-off lump-sum payment of $6,500,000, less taxes. When asked about her plans for the money, she said she intends to buy a new home, go on vacation, and help out her family.

Saturday, October 18, 2014

UK Lotto Results for Saturday, October 18, 2014

Only one ticket matched the six winning UK National Lottery Lotto numbers drawn on Saturday night, so one lucky player or syndicate has bagged the entire £4.9 million Jackpot.

The winning UK Lotto numbers drawn on Saturday, October 18, 2014, were 1, 22, 30, 33, 40, and 47. The bonus number was 42.

One ticket holder came close to sharing the jackpot, but will have to settle for a second tier prize of £4,894,097 for matching five main numbers and the bonus ball.

There were 149 third tier prizes of £2,226 awarded for matching five main numbers, and a further £7,117,273  was distributed in smaller prizes to lower tier winners.

UK National Lottery Lotto drawings are held on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The next drawing is on Wednesday, October 22, 2014. The estimated jackpot is £2.1 million.

Texas Lottery Watchdog Files a Petition over Controversial Fun 5 Scratch-Off Ticket

After being bombarded with complaints about the wording on a scratch-off ticket, self-appointed Texas Lottery watchdog Dawn Nettles has filed a petition with the Travis County District Court.

Nettles, has been monitoring the Texas Lottery Commission's activities for over 20 years and publishing her findings on her Lotto Report website. Her latest beef with the lottery concerns the wording on their "Fun 5" scratch-off ticket. The rules of the game, as printed on the back of the ticket, state: "Reveal a 'money bag' symbol in the 5X box, win five times that prize." But hundreds of players who believed they had won a large prize have been turned away and told they have misunderstood the wording on the ticket.

Speaking of the petition, Nettles' attorney Richard LaGarde said: "We’re just trying to get some basic answers. The public deserves to know who is responsible for this situation, and what will be done about it."

Many Fun 5 players believed they had won prizes worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, but were sadly disappointed when they scanned their tickets and were informed they were worthless.

The new petition requests a court order to depose Texas Lottery Commission representatives, along with the lottery operator GTECH Corporation.

Prior to taking such drastic action, Nettles contacted the Lottery Commission and State officials on numerous occasions and requested someone take responsibility and rectify the problem with the offending ticket. Her pleas fell on deaf ears.

Although the legal wheels are already set in motion, Nettles is still hoping the Texas Lottery Commission will resolve the problem and prevent the need for further action.

Changes Ahead for the Irish National Lottery

The Irish National Lottery's new owner, Premier Lotteries Ireland (PLI), is going to implement a few changes. The existing yellow ticket slips will be replaced with green slips and retail outlets will be able to cash larger winning tickets.

Around 4,000 new lottery ticket terminals are being installed in retail outlets and PLI representatives are travelling the country teaching retailers how to use the upgraded system.

PLI became the first private owners of the Irish National Lottery in February 2014, bidding a staggering €405 million, and beating their nearest competitors by €100 million.

Irish Lottery retailers can currently payout cash prizes up to a maximum of €250. The new system will allow them to cash prizes up €2,500 and earn 1% commission on larger prizes.

Friday, October 17, 2014

EuroMillions Results for Friday, October 17, 2014

It's the biggest game in Europe and the top prize just keeps on growing. Friday's EuroMillions draw has ended with another rollover.

The EuroMillions numbers drawn on Friday, October 17, 2014, were 1, 13, 40, 48, and 49. The Lucky Stars were 8 and 10.

The biggest winners were the four players who secured second tier prizes of €764,204 for matching five main numbers and one Lucky Star. If any of those players had matched a second lucky star they would have scooped the €164 million (£130.1 million) jackpot so that one Extra star could have changed someone's life forever.

Seventeen players lucked out on Lucky Stars, but were awarded third tier prizes of €59,937 for matching five main numbers.

Ninety players won €5,660 for matching four main numbers and two Lucky Stars, and a further 4,524,677 EuroMillions players were awarded smaller prizes from the lower tiers.

The next EuroMillions drawing is on Tuesday, October 21, 2014. The estimated jackpot is €180 million (£143 million).

Retired Fisherman Hauls in a Big Win

A retired lobster fisherman from Nova Scotia has netted big win playing the Canada Lotto 649.

Bell Island resident Leon Hirtle, 77, pulled in the CAD$ 13.8 million prize when he successfully matched all six of the winning numbers drawn on Wednesday, October 1, 2014. Atlantic Lottery officials presented him with his check on Thursday at the Bridgewater Curling Club.

Recalling the moment he discovered he won the entire jackpot prize, Hirtle said: "I walked across the room and told my brothers, 'Well, I won.'"

His brothers thought he was playing a prank though.

"They didn’t believe me," Hirtle explained, "so I said, 'Here's the numbers'. They checked and said, 'You're rich!'"

Hirtle validated his ticket at the Bridgewater Pharmasave the day after the draw and the size of his win caused a lot of excitement among the other customers.

"There was lots of hooting and hollering and goings-on in the store," Hirtle recalled.

It's normal for winners to pick up their checks from the Atlantic Lottery's head office in Moncton, but lottery spokeswoman Karen Aucoin said they were "thrilled" to take the celebration to the local community.

Hirtle never married, but he has three brother, one sister, and two nieces and plans to use his winning to take care of them and other family members. As for his own needs, he joked he may buy a McDonald's Happy Meal and take a few limousine rides.

Hoosier Jackpot Claimed

In a news release earlier this week, the Hoosier Lottery said the $9 million Hoosier Lottery jackpot from the October 1, 2014, drawing has been claimed from a couple from LaGrange.

Leif Erikson bought his winning ticket from the Shell gas station in Freemont on the day of the draw, but neglected to check the ticket until his wife, Loretta, read a friend's Facebook message saying a big winner had failed to claim their prize.

Leif and Loretta claimed the prize on October 9.

"This is unbelievable, but I think it is finally starting to settle on us,” Leif said.

Loretta is now hoping she will be able to convince her husband to quit his job as a mail contractor and take an early retirement.

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Mega Rich Winner Vows to Continue Working

A warehouse worker from Warrington claimed the top prize on a UK National Lottery "Mega Rich" scratchcard on Wednesday and then headed back to work.

With a cost of £10 per ticket, Mega Rich is one of the lottery's more expensive games, but it was £10-well-spent for 47-year-old Simon Rustage because he will now receive £250,000 each year for the next 15 years. That's a huge improvement on his present income, but Routledge states he has no plans to buy a new home or take an early retirement."

"I'm really happy and as long as my kids are taken care of, that's good enough for me. That's what really matters," he said.

New York Trip for New Zealand Lotto Winner

A lottery player from Gisborne, New Zealand, is planning to jet off to New York thanks to a NZD$ 600,000 win with Lotto Strike Four.

The woman, who has opted to remain anonymous, said she watched the live drawing on Saturday night without realizing she'd won, and didn’t discover the good news until Monday morning when she checked her ticket at a Lotto retailer.

In a statement released by the New Zealand Lottery Commission she said: "I was just checking my tickets as I usually do, but this time it jammed up the terminal. I jokingly said to the lady ‘have I won millions?' The Lotto lady shook her head and said 'not quite, but almost – you've certainly won a lot of money!'"

When asked about her plans for the money she'd already given the matter plenty of thought and her biggest ambition is to take a trip to the USA.

"My partner and I haven’t ever travelled beyond Australia, and the States is somewhere we’ve always wanted to visit—so now we’re off to New York City," she said.

"We might just have to swing by Vegas on the way and get hitched," she joked. "Wouldn’t that be a trip to remember!"

The lucky winner also admitted she's spent years dreaming about owning her own home and said she plans to make that dream a reality in the near future.

Retired Banker Boosts his Bank Balance with a Flower-Powered Lottery Win

A retired bank worker from Smithtown, New York, became stinking rich when he decided to buy a bunch of flowers for his wife.

George Uss, purchased the flowers from Giunta’s Meat Farms grocery store and couldn't resist buying a New York Lottery "King's Ransom" scratch-off ticket while he was there.

"I was leaving the store and walked past the machine," Uss said. "I had change left from my purchase, so I bought a ticket."

Uss scratched off the ticket while sitting inside his car and got the surprise of his life when discovered he'd won the $3 million top prize.

Uss opted to take his prize as a one-off lump-sum payment of $1,548,612, after taxes, and is now considering splashing out on a swimming pool.

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

UK Lotto Results for Wednesday, October 15, 2014

One ticket matched the six winning numbers required to bag Wednesday's £2 million UK National Lottery Lotto jackpot.

The UK Lotto numbers drawn on Wednesday, October 15, 2014, were 6, 19, 24, 26, 42, and 43. The bonus number was 23.

One ticket-holder  matched five winning numbers and the bonus ball and won a second tier prizes of £164,405, and 98 players won £1,424 for matching five numbers. A further £4,129,529 was distributed in smaller prizes to lower tier winners.

UK Lotto drawings are held on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The next drawing is on Saturday, October 18,2014. The estimated jackpot is £4.1 million.

Syndicate's Lottery Prize Results in Bank Account Freeze

A lottery syndicate based in Glasgow, Scotland, that scooped over £300,000 in a EuroMillions drawing had difficulty celebrating their win because the bank froze the syndicate leader's bank account as soon as the cash showed up in his account.

Each member of the syndicate netted a £55,527.90 share of prize, but bank staff thought the £333,167.40 transaction looked suspicious so syndicate leader Nigel Himsworth, 41, had to borrow £10 to buy a few celebratory drinks.

The miffed metalworker said it was the first time he and his work buddies had bought tickets as a syndicate, so he was originally over the moon when he realized he and his work buddies had won.

"The money got paid into my account for me to divvy up the cash with the guys," Himsworth explained. "When the money was paid in though, it was classed as a suspicious transaction and my account was frozen. It took 24 hours to get it freed up again. I had to borrow a few bob to go to the pub to celebrate."

The other syndicate members are Darren Fisher, 42; Michael Hunt, 31; Ashley Robinson 28; Adam Wright, 27; and Adam Booth, 20. All six men live in Barnsley, Yorkshire, but are presently working in Scotland.

"We have been up here working for a while. After the lottery win, coming to Scotland is one of the best things I have done," Fisher said.

Having some extra money in his pocket has inspired Booth to buy a top of the range Audie A3, but it could be a while before he can take it for a proper test-drive.

"It's a beauty," he said. "I now just need to get a pass in my test—I haven’t even checked how much the insurance will be."

Myrtle Beach Man Claims Powerball Prize

In a recent announcement, the South Carolina Education Lottery said a man from Myrtle Beach has claimed a $2 million US Powerball prize form the drawing held on Wednesday, October 8, 2014.

The lucky winner has opted to remain anonymous, but lottery officials said he purchased his ticket from a local Kangaroo Express convenience store.

The man's ticket bore all five of the winning numbers, but he failed to match the Powerball. Had he done so he would have scooped the $70 million jackpot.

The prize for matching all five winning numbers drawn in a Powerball drawing is usually $1 million, but the man tossed in an extra dollar and added the Power Play option to his ticket. The Power Play number on the night in question was 2 so his prize was doubled.

Lottery officials said the man told them he plans to pay off his house and set up college funds for his kids. Then he headed back to work.

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

EuroMillions Results for Tuesday, October 14, 2014

There was a fourth EuroMillions rollover on Tuesday night, so there are no new EuroMillionaires, but three lucky players won second tier prizes of €708,398 for matching five main numbers and one Lucky Star. If any of those players had matched a second Lucky Star they would have scooped the massive €143.6 million (£114.3 million) jackpot, but Lady Luck had other ideas so the big-money prize has been saved for another day.

The EuroMillions numbers drawn on Tuesday, October 14, 2014 were 4, 5, 15, 23, and 32. The two Lucky Stars were 3 and 7.

Seventeen players failed to get any Lucky Stars, but were awarded third tier prizes of €41,670 for matching five main numbers, 180 players won €1,967 for matching four main numbers and two Lucky Stars, and 3,878,945 EuroMillions players were awarded smaller prizes from the lower tiers.

The next EuroMillions drawing is on Friday, October 17, 2014. The estimated jackpot is €162 million (£128 million).

Hundreds of Tips Received in Hot Lotto Ticket Mystery

Agents at the Iowa Department of Public Safety say they have received hundreds of tips since Thursday, when they released a video showing a man purchasing the winning Hot Lotto ticket at the center of a fraud investigation.

Speaking on Monday, Department of Public Safety spokesman, Alex Murphy, said the department is focusing on a dozen leads that are seen as being credible, but urged the public to continue sending in any tips that may help investigators to track down those involved.

The ticket at the center of the investigation was purchased in Des Moines, Iowa, in December 2010, and won the $14 million jackpot, but nobody came forward to claim the prize until the very last moment when a New York attorney came forward and stated he represented the winner. When the lottery pressed him for further information about his client, he withdrew the claim and left.

Powerball Winner Keeps his Promise and Splits Prize with his Brother

When he was a child Oregon man, Eric Hale, made a promise to his brother, Quinn. He told Quinn he'd share the prize with him if he ever won the lottery. There's been a lot of water under the bridge since then, but when Eric successfully matched the five main numbers in the US Powerball drawing on Wednesday, September 24, 2014, and bagged a $1 million second tier prize, the Bend resident did not forget his promise.

"When I was a kid, I promised my brother that if I ever won the lottery, I would split it with him," Eric said. He was my first call when I realized I won."

Both brothers wore matching smiles on Thursday when they were pictured holding a large, oversized check, but Quinn admitted he was shocked Eric had kept his word.

"I didn’t believe him," Quinn said. "I still am in shock, even though we have the checks. This is beyond cool. I never believed he would actually do it."

"Sure, I could have headed for Costa Rica, but I kept my promise," Eric joked.

Each brother took home around $335,000, after taxes.

When asked why he'd delayed claiming the prize, Eric said he waited a while so that he could speak with a financial advisor, and plans to invest some of the money. He also said he intends to continue graduate school.

Quinn plans to pay off some bills and put a down payment on a motorhome.

Monday, October 13, 2014

Legal Battle Over Lotto Winnings Comes to an End

An Australian man has lost his fight to claim half his estranged wife's lottery winnings.

The couple had been separated for six months when the wife won her incredible AUD$ 6 million prize, but the man commenced legal proceeding via the Family Court, claiming the money used to purchase the ticket had come from "joint funds" generated by a business run primarily by him.

The Couple has not been named, but the wife argued the money had come from other sources, including her sister, to whom she gave a AUD$ 1 million share of the prize.

The appellate bench said the source of the money was not relevant because the couple was living separate lives.

Judges Murray Aldridge, Stephen Thackray, and Peter Murphy said: "At the time the wife purchased the ticket, regardless of the source of the funds, the 'joint endeavor' that had been the parties' marriage had dissolved."

Library Closure Could Result in Lottery Grant Having to Be Repaid

Leicestershire County Council (UK) may have to re-evaluate its decision to close one of its libraries because the move could result in the need to repay a lottery grant.

The council is facing a major budget shortfall over the next four years and, in an effort to save money, is considering transferring the running of library services to community groups.

If no groups volunteer their services though, it is possible many libraries may close, including the Newbould Verdon Library.

If the Council goes ahead with its plan it expects to save £800,000, but local politicians point out the move could result in the Council having to payback a £781,402 grant awarded to Newbould Verdon Library by the UK National Lottery's Big Lottery Fund.

Speaking at a recent council meeting Councilor Mullaney (Liberal Democrat Hinckley Trinity) pushed for the move to be reconsidered, stating: "The whole plans do not make financial sense."

Taxi Driver's Little Mistake Results in a Big Win

Taxi driver Murray McKenzie, 63, picked up and sizeable EuroMillions prize last week but had egg on his face when he realized his success was due to his inability to remember his son's birthday.

McKenzie successfully matched all five main numbers and one Lucky Star in the EuroMillions drawing on Friday, October 3, 2014, using a combination of numbers that contained one he believed to form part of his son's date of birth. Fortunately for him, the absent-minded Cambridge man was one day out and the wrong number turned out to be just the right number to bag him the £215,228 second tier prize.

"It's a bit embarrassing to admit that I had the wrong date for my son's birthday," McKenzie said, "but with £215,228.30 now in the family coffers, I think he's prepared to forgive me."

McKenzie had been playing the same set of numbers, on and off, for a number of years, but forsook them a few months ago in favor of Lucky Dip tickets. For some reason he cannot explain though, he felt a sudden compulsion to play them again.

"I still do not know why at 8am last Tuesday I thought playing them was a good idea," McKenzie said. "I'm going to put it down to Lady Luck."

The next EuroMillions drawing is on Tuesday, October 14, 2014. The estimated jackpot is £111 million.

Sunday, October 12, 2014

The State of Play in Europe—Big Prizes up for Grabs

The EuroJackpot evaded players on Friday night so the estimated jackpot for next Friday's drawing has grown to €13 million.

There was also a EuroMillions rollover on Friday, but EuroMillions players only have to wait until Tuesday to have another stab at winning the top prize—and it's a big one! The present estimated jackpot is €142 million.

Italy's SuperEnalotto also draws on Tuesday night and boasts an estimated Jackpot of €32.4 million. That’s small in comparison to the EuroMillions top prize, but it beats the EuroJackpot by nearly €20 million. As far as the odds of winning go, however, the EuroJackpot is the better bet. The odds off winning the top prize are 1 in 59,325,280. The odds of winning the SuperEnalotto are 1 in 622,614,630.

Call Center Syndicate Picks Up a Big Win

A lottery syndicate form APAC Customer Services in Green Bay, Wisconsin, claimed a $1 million US Powerball prize last week, but with nine players each taking an equal share of the lottery payout none or the winners is planning an early retirement.

"It's not like crazy, leave-town money," syndicate member Eric Raabe said on Tuesday as he picked up his $111,000 check.

Raabe is one of only two men in the syndicate. The other seven members are women.

The syndicate successfully matched all five of the numbers drawn in the US Powerball drawing held on Wednesday, August 27, 2014. If they'd matched the Powerball as well they would have bagged the $80 million jackpot.

Call center worker Beth Layman is happy with her share of prize though, and it couldn't have come at a better time. She got married on Saturday, and said the money will help give her and her new husband a head start.

"We already had purchased the house, everything was paid for prior to winning," Layman said. "The wedding was budgeted and paid for prior to the ticket, I operate on a pretty lean margin, so I wasn't planning on going into much debt for that."

Layman plans to use the money to pay off her student loan and set up retirement funds.

Syndicate organizer Jennifer Lange also intends to pay off her student loan and, lacking the "crazy, leave-town" money he would need to move on,  Raabe intends to stick around and buy a house.

The US Powerball is a multi-state draw that offers a minimum jackpot of $40 million. Numbers are drawn on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 22:59 (EST). The next drawing is one Wednesday, October 15, 2014. The estimated jackpot is $90 million.

Twenty-Five Years of the Hoosier Lottery

The Hoosier Lottery celebrates its 25th anniversary on Monday. Since it was launched in 1989, the lottery has generated over $4 billion for good causes and paid out more than $9.4 billion in prizes, but it doesn't end there. Over $521.3 million has been funneled into pension schemes for members of the Indiana police and fire services. Over $707.6 million has been pumped into the Teachers' Retirement Fund, and lottery revenue has also been used to reduce motor vehicle excise tax, via the Build Indiana Fund.

Hoosier Lottery Executive Director Sarah Taylor said:  "The Hoosier Lottery's 25th anniversary is a milestone that all of us should be proud of."

Saturday, October 11, 2014

UK Lotto Results for Saturday, October 11, 2014

Three tickets matched the six winning numbers in the UK National Lottery Lotto drawing on Saturday; so the £2.8 million jackpot will be split three ways. Each ticket-holder will receive £962,122.

The winning UK Lotto numbers drawn on Saturday, October 11, 2014, were 2, 5, 8, 23, 26, and 32. The Bonus Number was 18.

Thirteen players matched five winning numbers and the bonus ball to win second tier prizes of £17,722, and 461 players won £424 for matching five numbers. A further £9,473,810 was distributed in smaller prizes to lower tier winners.

UK Lotto drawings are held on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The next drawing is on Wednesday, October 15. The estimated jackpot is £2.1 million.

Hot Lotto Mystery: Who is the Man in the CCTV Video?

Still searching for the mystery owner of a Hot Lotto ticket that bagged a $14 million Hot Lotto jackpot in 2010, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) has released a video of the ticket being purchased.

The DCI made the CCTV footage public during a news conference on Thursday, October 9.

The video shows a hooded man purchasing the winning ticket from a gas station at Des Moines, Iowa, in December 2010.

DCI Assistant Director Dave Jobes said: "We have no reason to believe that the original ticket purchaser has done anything illegal at this point. We simply don't know who they are. We don't know if they’re a victim, we don't know if they’re a participant, we just don't know at this point."

Suspicions originally arose when a New York attorney visited the Iowa Lottery just hours before the ticket was due to expire and tried to claim the prize on behalf of a client. When lottery officials asked for more information about the winner the lawyer withdrew his claim and was never seen again.

DCI officials state the footage was not previously released because it was believed it may jeopardize their investigation.

According to Jobes the DCI has categorized the case as a fraud investigation and, despite following up leads all over the US and Canada, they have been unable to track down the person or persons involved in the attempt to cash the ticket.

"The investigation has simply reached a point where now is the appropriate time to do this [release the video]," Jobes said.

"Good Vibe" Hinted of Lottery Success to Come

Lottery officials had to wait five days, but the lucky winner of the Monday night Australia Lotto jackpot finally came forward and claimed her AUD$ 1 million prize on Friday and opted to remain anonymous.

The mystery winner bought her ticket from Media Lottery Centre and News in Cannington, Western Australia, and claims to have felt "a good vibe" while was purchasing it.

When asked about her plans for the money, she said intends to throw a big party and then do some travelling.

"I had already planned to travel overseas but now I can take the entire family," she said. "I've come from very humble beginnings and now look how things have turned out."

Friday, October 10, 2014

EuroMillions Results for Friday, October 10, 2014

EuroMillions players hoping to bag Friday's mammoth €129.5 million (£101.8 million) jackpot were sadly disappointed because no tickets matched the five main numbers and two Lucky Stars and there was a third rollover.

The EuroMillions numbers drawn on Friday, October 10, 2014 were 6, 29, 42, 45, and 47. The two Lucky Stars were 9 and 10.

Seven tickets secured second tier prizes of €371,747 for matching five main numbers and one Lucky Star.

Eleven ticket-holders won third tier prizes of €78,855 for matching five main numbers.

Sixty-seven tickets won €6,473 for matching four main numbers and two Lucky Stars, and 3,693,877 players were awarded smaller EuroMillions prizes from the lower tiers.

The next EuroMillions drawing is on Tuesday, October 14, 2014. The estimated jackpot is €142 million (£111 million).

Canadian Lotto Winner Sues his Investment Adviser

A Lotto winner from Vancouver, Canada, is suing his former financial adviser because he claims her bad or unauthorized investments cost him most of his fortune.

Mohammed Shakil Khan won the CAD$ 3.9 million Canada Lotto 649 jackpot on March 3, 2007, and put his trust in financial advisor, Catherine Jones, from Leede Financial Markets Inc.

Khan hoped Jones would build an investment portfolio that could generate a steady stream of income, but he now claims his faith was misplaced and that Jones' mishandling of the funds has cost him CAD$ 2.3 million.

Although he initially met with other advisers, Khan eventually decided to entrust CAD$ 3.5 million to Leede Financial Markets.

Khan states Jones told him the portfolio would contain a mix of blue chip stocks—to provide dividend payments—and high performing bonds.

As a new investor, Khan relied on Jones' experience, and she assured him the investments would reap him CAD$ 50,000 each month, but this was not the case.

According to the lawsuit, filed in the British Columbia Supreme Court, Jones "repeatedly overstated the value of the portfolio" and mislead Khan into thinking it was worth more than it was.

Khan also states Jones engaged in an number of unauthorized transaction, between May 2007 and April 2008, selling blue chip equity-paying stocks and using the money to invest in speculative ventures that resulted in transaction fees, but allowed Jones to improve her commissions. He also reports several other betrayals of trust and is suing for the lost funds to be returned to him.

Three of the companies Jones worked for are named in the law suit as defendants— Leede Financial Markets Inc., Global Securities Corporation, and Union Securities Ltd.

New Home for New Zealand Lotto Winners

A retired couple from Blenheim, New Zealand, are planning on moving out of rented property and into a home of their own thanks to a NZD$ 1 million First Division win in Saturday's New Zealand Powerball drawing.

The set for life seniors have opted to remain anonymous, but told lottery officials they were "on cloud nine" when they realized they had bagged such a big prize.

"I said to my husband, 'I think we have all six numbers, but I could be wrong', so we jumped on the website to double check," the woman recalled and admitted they had to recheck the numbers several times before they were finally sure the prize was theirs.

Speaking of their plans for the money, the woman said: "We are renting now and this win means that we'll be able to buy a home without the need for a mortgage—it's very exciting. The thing we are most excited about is the financial security the NZD$ 1 million prize will bring to our future—being retired isn't easy on the bank account."

Thursday, October 9, 2014

New Jersey Woman Claims July Powerball Prize

A US Powerball player who matched all five of the main numbers, but not the Powerball in the July 2, 2014, drawing has claimed her prize at last.

The New Jersey Lottery announced the news on Sunday.

The prize for matching five main numbers in the US Powerball game is usually $1 million, but Lori Paldino invested an extra dollar and added the Power Play option to her ticket. The Power Play number was two on July 2, so Paladino was doubly lucky and bagged $ 2 million.

When asked about her plans for the money, Paldino said she intends to pay off her mortgage and purchases a "practical car" for her daughter.

New Details to Be Announced in Winning Hot Lotto Ticket Mystery

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) is holding a news conference today to release new details about a criminal investigation of a winning US Hot Lotto ticket purchased nearly four years ago.

The ticket, worth $14.3 million, was purchased at a Quick Trip convenience store in Iowa in December 2010, but the prize was not claimed until the a few hours before the deadline, when a New York attorney came forward stating he represented the winner.

When Iowa Lottery officials pressed him for further information the attorney refused to divulge his client's name and withdrew the claim.

The Iowa Attorney General's Office and the DCI have been conducting a criminal investigation ever since.

The News conference will take place at the Iowa Department of Public Safety’s headquarters in Des Moines at 13:00 (CDT).

Food Inspector Bags a Big Win

A food inspector from Sullivan County, New York, received a $1 million lottery prize earlier this week and told lottery officials he almost never bought the scratch-off ticket that scooped him the win.

Monticello resident, Brian Peters, 32, got up and headed off to work as normal on Labor Day [September 1] and popped into a local Citgo gas station to pick up a breakfast sandwich. He also planned to buy a New York Lottery scratcher, but forgot about until he was about to leave the store.

Just as he was about to walk out the door, Peters suddenly remembered and told the clerk:  "Let me have a New York Poker ticket, too. Now when I win big, I'm going to come back and let you know."

It was a few hours later that Peters discovered he'd purchased a winning ticket. He popped out to his car during his break and went to work on his ticket instead. When he saw the word "Jackpot" he was amazed.

"I didn't think I was a millionaire," he said. "I almost threw it out."

Peters didn't throw it though. He placed it in his car's glove box instead and went back to work.

New York Lottery officials met up with Peters on Wednesday, at the Citgo where he purchased the winning ticket, and presented him with an oversized $1million check.

When asked about his plans for the future, Peters said he intends to continue with his job, but has no idea what he will do with money.

"Some things change and some things stay the same," he said.

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

UK Lotto Results for Wednesday, October 8, 2014

One ticket matched all six main numbers in the Wednesday night UK National Lottery Lotto drawing so the £2.2 million jackpot has been won.

The winning UK Lotto numbers drawn on Wednesday, October 8, 2014, were 4, 27, 28, 29, 34, and 43. The bonus number was 20.

Five ticket-holders matched five winning numbers and the bonus ball to win second tier prizes of £36,137, and 102 tickets secured £1,504 for matching five numbers. A further £3,951,687 was distributed in smaller prizes to lower tier winners.

UK Lotto drawings are held on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The next drawing is on Saturday, October 11, 2014. The estimated jackpot is £4.1 million.

Aberdeen Art Gallery Awarded £10 million in Lottery Funding

The Aberdeen Art Gallery (Scotland) has been awarded a £10 million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). The money will be used to help fund the upgrading of the building.

The total cost of the project is expected to be £30 million. Aberdeen City Council has agreed to provide £10 million from its non-housing capital fund, and the other £10 million will be raised via fundraising campaigns.

Improvements will be made to the Art Gallery, Cowdray Hall and Memorial Court. Planning permission has already been secured, as has listed building consent, and the project has the complete backing of Historic Scotland.

Aberdeen City Council Leader Councilor Jenny Laing said: "I am thoroughly delighted that HLF has supported the scheme with this sizeable capital grant—the only one to be awarded in Scotland in the latest round of awards."

The Art Gallery will be closed in early 2015 while the work is being carried out and is not expected to reopen until 2017.

The Council is presently embarking on a fund-raising campaign and is urging local residents and businesses to chip-in and offer their support.

Colin McLean, head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in Scotland, said: "HLF is delighted to support this transformational project which will give the north-east of Scotland a world-class cultural center worthy of the exceptional artworks it will house."

The Heritage Lottery Fund is responsible for distributing a share of the funds raised by UK National Lottery Good Causes. HLF grants are awarded to projects designed to sustain and transform the British Heritage.

Lottery Winner Follows in Aunt's Footsteps

A man from Hagerman in Chaves County, New Mexico, did his bit to turn winning the lottery into a family tradition earlier this week, when he scratched his way to a sizeable prize.

Two months ago 23-year-old Toby Bracher became inspired to start playing lottery games when his aunt, Kathy Gregory, from Carlsbad, San Diego, won a $1 million US Powerball prize.

Now Bracher has followed in his aunt's footsteps by winning a $10,000 prize from a New Mexico Lottery scratchers card.

Bracher was presented with his winner's check on Monday and told lottery officials he plans to use the money to buy a plot of land to graze cattle.

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

EuroMillions Results for Tuesday, October 07, 2014

No tickets matched the five main numbers and two Lucky Stars required to win Tuesday night's massive €112.1 million (£88.3 million) EuroMillions jackpot, but four ticket-holders won €454,461 for matching five main numbers and one Lucky Star.

Down in the third tier prize level,  13 ticket-holders won €46,611 for matching the five main numbers only, and 67 fourth tier prizes of €4,522 were allocated for matching four main numbers and two Lucky Stars.

A further 3,079,495 players were awarded smaller prizes from the lower tiers.

The EuroMillions Numbers drawn on Tuesday, October 07, 2014, were 9, 21, 28, 30, and 38. The two Lucky Stars were 1 and 8.

The next EuroMillions drawing is on Friday, October 10, 2014. The estimated jackpot is €128 million (£100 million).

EuroMillions Winner Refuses to Pay his Window Cleaning Bill

A British window cleaner is taking a EuroMillions winner to court for refusing to pay a bill of just £375.

Steve Rix and his window cleaning team spent over four hours cleaning swimming pool windows, glass staircases, and mirrors for Nigel Page at his £5 million eco-mansion in the Cotswolds. An hour after they had finished Rix received a call from Page's estate manager, who  informed him the bill would not be paid.

Apparently the estate's surveillance cameras had captured footage that showed one of Rix's employees taking pictures of a McLaren sports car and the loaded landowner considered this an invasion of his privacy.

Rix apologized and ensured the pictures were deleted, but Page still refused to pay up.

"That money is nothing to him but to me it's half a month's wages," Rix said. "To come up with such a petty reason not to pay is just ridiculous."

Page won a £56 million EuroMillions jackpot in 2010, but Rix only earns around £13,000 a year.

"He probably earns the money he owes every minute in interest," Rix continued. "There's no reason for him not to pay up."

The incident happened in May this year and, after several unsuccessful attempts to get the millionaire to pay-up; Rix launched a case at the small claims court on Thursday, October 2.  Page has until October 16 to respond.

Two Mammoth Lottery Jackpots up for Grabs on Tuesday Night

The US Mega Millions jackpot has already rolled over 12 times so there is an estimated jackpot of $136 million up for grabs in the Tuesday night drawing.

Mega Millions is the biggest jackpot game in America. Jackpots start at $15 million and keep on growing with every rollover until they are won.

The present jackpot is big, but it's still small by Mega Millions standards. The largest jackpot so far this year was the $414 million top prize scooped by two lucky ticket holders on March 18.

Mega Millions isn’t the only draw-type game that has a massive prize on offer tonight. Over in Europe, EuroMillions players also have a big pot to play for and, at €111 million ($139.3 million), it beats the Mega Millions prize by over $3 million.

Monday, October 6, 2014

New Game for New Zealand Lottery Players

Lotto New Zealand has launched a new game. It's called "Play 3" and the first draw was on Monday night at 18:00.

Play 3 is a daily game that costs NZD$ 1 to play and offers players the chance to win fixed prize amount of up to NZD$ 500.

Lotto New Zealand’s Head of Product, Justin Powell, said:  "We want to offer our players a fun, new game that’s unique from our other games. It's easy to play and we think Kiwis are going to love it."

Playing the new game is simple. Players just need to pick a three-digit number and play type, and if their number matches the winning number drawn that day they win the prize that corresponds to their play type.

"Most lotteries in North America and Asia offer a simple game like Play 3," Powell said. "It’s one of the most popular lottery games in places like New York."

The new Play 3 game is not popular with everyone though. The Problem Gambling Foundation says New Zealand does not need another game.

Foundation spokeswoman, Andree Froude, said: "It's presented as very simple, and you can win a prize every day, which will encourage people to take part." She then pointed out the likelihood that players would spend more than NZD$ 1 per day and that the costs could mount up and "become problematic".

New Zealand Federation of Family Budgeting Services chief Executive, Raewyn Fox, said it is not good to offer further temptation, but acknowledged the fact that people need to take responsibility for their actions and only play lottery games if they can afford it.

Supermarket Chain Accused of Selling Lottery Tickets to Minors

A public health group in Massachusetts, USA, is asking the Star Market to remove lottery ticket vending machines from its stores.

In a letter written last week, the Northeastern University's Public Health Advocacy Institute accused the supermarket chain of selling lottery tickets to underage players.

The institute says lottery ticket vending machines are often situated next to candy and soda vending machines and further states there are no adequate safeguards in place to prevent minors from buying tickets.

To illustrate its point, the institute enlisted the help of a 14-year-old boy who purchased "$500 Frenzy" and US Mega Millions tickets from machines at several Star Market stores.

Troubled Times for the Missouri Lottery

Missouri Lottery players will be unable to chance their luck on the lottery for much longer if Republican State Representative John Diehl has his way. Diehl says the lottery has let down the State and failed to deliver on many of its promises and he is pushing for it to be abolished.

"I think we should let the voters have a say in whether or not our commitment to public education should be left to the whims of collecting gambling revenue," Diehl said. "The lottery, at the end of the day, is government-run gambling and it's been inefficient."

There have been numerous complaints about the Missouri Lottery's inability to generate sufficient funds for the state's education system.

In an effort to shake things up and improve the state lottery's performance, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon fired all the lottery commissioners in September and told their replacements to concentrate on generating money for education.

Sunday, October 5, 2014

Bus Driver Punches Gas Station Manager Over Missing Lottery Ticket

A New York bus driver was arrested on Thursday after an incident with a missing lottery ticket led to a punch-up.

The incident happened at a Gulf gas station in Flushing, New York, at 09:50.

According to NYPD, Louis Cintron, 44, became frustrated while trying to purchase $40 worth of New York Lottery scratch-off tickets from a vending machine inside the station.

Clinton managed to purchase his first $20 ticket without any problems. His second ticket, worth $10, was an equally trouble-free transaction, but his third ticket, also worth $10, dropped under the machine without his noticing. Clinton then demanded the station manager give him his money back.

Station worker Savas Babuc, 36, witnessed the whole thing and said neither Clinton nor his manager were aware the ticket was underneath the machine. So when his manager checked inside the machine and could see no evidence of a trapped ticket he refused to refund the irate driver's money.

"The bus driver was screaming at him and cursing at him," Babuc said. "He grabbed him by his throat and then he punched him and then he fell down."

The station manager did not sustain any serious injuries, but when officers from the NYPD arrived on the scene they reviewed the security camera footage and Clinton was arrested.

A police officer later looked underneath the vending machine and found the lost ticket that had triggered the unfortunate incident.

Three New South African Lotto Millionaires in Four Weeks

In a recent announcement, the South African National Lottery Operator, Gidani, confirmed the lottery has created three new South African millionaires in the last four weeks.

A player from Gauteng, scooped the R15-million Lotto jackpot on Saturday August 30. Another player from Gauteng won the R15-million Lotto jackpot on Saturday, September 27, and a man from Limpopo won the R24 million Powerball jackpot of Friday September 26.

Gidani spokesperson Dudu Ndendwa said: "It took four weeks for South Africa to have three additional people in its list of multi-millionaires. Luck truly follows the hopeful."

Former Fisherman Pulls in a Big Win

A retired fisherman from Bell Island, Nova Scotia, got October off to a good start when he netted a CAD$ 13.8 million prize.

Leon Hirtle, 77, successfully matched all six of the winning numbers in the Canada Lotto 649 drawing held on Wednesday, October 1, 2014.

Hirtle checked the winning numbers on Thursday evening while visiting a neighbor. They looked so familiar he jotted them down onto a piece of paper and returned home to check them against his ticket. They were a perfect match.

Hirtle bought his winning ticket from the Phamasave pharmacy in Bridgewater so the pharmacy will receive a CAD$ 138,000 retailer's bonus for selling a winning ticket.

When asked about his plans for the money, Hirtle said: "I haven't decided."

Saturday, October 4, 2014

UK Lotto Results for Saturday, October 4, 2014

Two tickets matched the six winning numbers in Saturday's UK National Lottery Lotto drawing; so the £4.3 million jackpot will be split two ways. Each ticket-holder will receive £2,150,196.

The winning UK Lotto numbers drawn on Saturday, October 4, 2014, were 4, 18, 24, 34, 36, and 48. The bonus number was 10.

Twelve players matched five winning numbers and the bonus ball to win second tier prizes of £28,604, and 350 players won £832 for matching five numbers. A further £7,953,045 was distributed in smaller prizes to lower tier winners.

UK Lotto drawings are held on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The next drawing is on Wednesday, October 8, 2014. The estimated jackpot is £2.1 million.

Warehouse Worker Cleans out his Wallet and Cleans up on the Lottery

A warehouse worker from Gloucestershire, England, was doubly lucky last week when he began clearing out his old wallet and discovered a EuroMillions ticket worth £51,232.90 a day before it was due to expire.

James Wilson, 28, found out he'd won when he checked the numbers online and discovered his ticket matched the five main numbers from the March 28, 2014, EuroMillions drawing.

"I called Camelot straight away but because it was so late in the evening, their lines were closed until the morning," Wilson said. "I can’t tell you how relieved I was when I got through to someone the following morning and they confirmed that I wasn’t too late to claim my prize."

When he began talking to the National Lottery advisor, the lucky winner was surprised to learn Camelot had been placing announcement in the local paper for the last six months.

"I had no idea. It was purely luck that I stumbled upon the ticket before it expired," Wilson admitted.

Wilson recently got married and he and his bride have been struggling to save up a deposit for a house so he already has some definite plans for his lotto windfall.

"This win will make such a massive difference to us," he said. "We worked hard and managed to save up for our wedding but couldn’t afford our own house too. Now we can start house hunting and hopefully afford a couple of treats along the way."

Hoosier Lottery Still Waiting for $9 million Lotto Winner to Come Forward

Last Wednesday's $9 million Hoosier Lotto jackpot was scooped by a player who purchased their ticket in Fremont, Steuben County, Indiana.

The Hoosier Lottery announced the news on Friday and said it was the second big prize  won in Steuben County this week.

Window assembler Logan Henderson, from Angola, got his week off to a good start on Monday when he won a $90,000 prize on a "Diamond Mine 9X" scratch-off ticket. When he picked up his winnings he told lottery staff he intends to use the money to go back to school.

The $9 million prize-winner has yet to come forward and claim their prize.

The next Hoosier Lotto drawing is at 22:50 on Saturday, 04 October 2014. The estimated jackpot is $1 million.

Friday, October 3, 2014

EuroMillions Superdraw Jackpot Evades Players on Friday, October 03, 2014

This week's Friday night EuroMillions drawing was a Superdraw, so there was a guaranteed jackpot of €100 million (£78.3 million). That's a very tempting prize, but the prize on offer in the next drawing will be more tempting still because there was a EuroMillions rollover.

The EuroMillions numbers drawn on Friday, October 03, 2014, were 4, 13, 23, 48, and 50. The two Lucky Stars were 5 and 10.

The biggest winners were the nine lucky ticket holders who won €296,615 for matching the 5 main numbers and 1 Lucky Star.

Nineteen tickets matched the five main numbers and secured third tier prizes of €46,834.

There were 95 prizes of €4,683 awarded for matching 4 main numbers and 2 Lucky Stars, and 4,490,768 players won smaller prizes from the lower tiers.

The next EuroMillions drawing is on Tuesday, October 7, 2014. The estimated jackpot is €111 million (£87 million).

Legal Battle Over Lotto Winnings Resolved at Last

A bitter dispute over a CAD$ 50 million Canada Lotto Max prize was resolved yesterday on the fourth day of a civil trial.

The trouble began in January 2011 when lottery syndicate-founding member, Christopher Bates, returned from a vacation and was not allowed to be part of winning pool.

Although Bates founded the work syndicate he later relinquished control to a fellow worker at the Bombardier aircraft plant at Downsview, Ontario, but he remained a regular player.

During the trial, which started on Monday, September 29, 2014, the angry aircraft mechanic testified he returned from his vacation and discovered his name wasn't on the lottery pool list for the January 21, 2011, Lotto Max draw that had won five free tickets.

Bates said he spoke to syndicate leader, Sherif Morsi, and asked: "Why didn’t you put in for me?"

Morsi told him he had not done so because another player still owed him money and Morsi refused to allow Bates to join the pool for January 28 drawing.

Bates answer was: "Okay, if you guys win the lottery, I’m going to sue. My lawyer is going to contact your lawyer."

The syndicate then won the Jackpot and Bates was left with no other option than to follow through on his threat.

The trial has been a long time coming, but a settlement has now been reached for an undisclosed amount.

Bates' legal representative, Michael Cochrane, refused to comment on the settlement terms.

Irish EuroMillions Player Bags a €500,000 Prize

An Irish EuroMillions player from County Limerick was over the moon when he visited the National Lottery Ireland's offices yesterday and claimed the €500,000 prize from the EuroMillions Plus drawing on Tuesday, September 30, 2014.

The man, who has opted to remain anonymous, told lottery staff he was going to use the money to help fulfill a driving ambition.

"I’m going to buy a new car," he said. "The one I have is grand but I've always wanted a top of the range one. I've just been window shopping until now—now I can open the door and come in!"

EuroMillions Plus is a game played in Ireland that gives players the chance to win additional prizes with their EuroMillions numbers.

EuroMillions is Europe's no.1 lottery game. Drawings are held on Tuesday and Friday evenings. Tonight's draw is only hours away, and it’s a Superdraw; so there's a guaranteed jackpot of €100 million up for grabs.

Thursday, October 2, 2014

Beginner's Luck for Ohio Plumber

A chance comment from his girlfriend inspired a plumber from Granville, Ohio, to begin playing the lottery and within just a few days he'd bagged a sizeable prize.

Scott Romei was taking a leisurely stroll along a Florida beach when his girlfriend noticed some of the beautiful beachside houses.

"We were looking at the million dollar beach homes, and she said: 'I want one of those,'" Romei recalled.

His answer was simple: "I'll play the lottery."

Apart from buying the occasional starch-off ticket, Romei had never been one to bother with the lottery, but he was true to his word, began chancing his luck, and met with early success when he won $168 in the Ohio Pick drawing held on Tuesday, September 23, 2014.

Still committed winning a major prize, Romei entered the US Powerball drawing the following day and won $1 million for matching all five main numbers, but not the Power Ball.

The Powerball-playing plumber had no idea he'd won until he asked his assistant to check the ticket for him on Friday morning.

"He has an app on his phone and scanned the ticket, and $1 million popped up and he freaked out," Romei said.

A million dollars is a lot of money, but beachside property in Florida is expensive and  Romei is still unable to buy his girlfriend her dream home. So he plans to keep on playing the lottery and keep on hoping for an even bigger win in the future.

Not one to shirk his responsibilities, Romei also plans to keep on working.

"I'll keep taking care of my town as they need me for their plumbing, as that's what I enjoy doing most," he said.

Retailer Promises to Share Lottery Bonus with his Staff

Staff at the Dublin Centra shop that sold a EuroMillions ticket worth €86.7 million have been told they can look forward to celebratory party and a share of the €25,000 retailer's bonus.

Store proprietor, Dave Whelan, has promised all 16 of his workers will benefit, but retailer's bonuses are taxed so each member will probably receive under €1,000.

When asked if he had any idea who had won last month's mammoth prize, Whelan admitted he was as in the dark as everyone else.

"I haven't got a clue," he said. "It's very busy [the shop], but it's very local, not much of a passing trade from the point of view of a car pulling up and it being a stranger."

The prize was claimed by a Dublin-based syndicate and the players opted to remain anonymous.

Lottery Scammers Work the Streets in Connecticut

Consumer watchdogs in Connecticut have issued an alert warning of a new lottery ticket scam. Unlike many scams, victims are not contacted via email or the telephone, and it does not originate in Jamaica. Instead victims are targeted in the street and a number of Connecticut citizens have been conned out of thousands of dollars.

According to the Department of Consumer Protection's Gaming Division, the scammers have altered losing lottery tickets to make them appear like big winners. Once contact is made they feed their victims stories about why they are unable to cash the ticket and offer to sell it for a fraction of the alleged value.

Consumer Protection Commissioner William M. Rubenstein said: "We have already received several complaints from victims who bought these tickets for between $500 and $2,000, believing that they could cash them in for the winning prize of $20,000."

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

UK Lotto Results for Wednesday, October 1, 2014

The winning numbers drawn in the UK National Lottery Lotto drawing held on Wednesday, October 1, 2014, were 1, 4, 5, 7, 18, and 47. The Bonus Ball was 6, and one lucky player or syndicate certainly got October off to a good start when they matched all 6 winning numbers and scooped the £1,265,065 jackpot.

One lucky player also scooped a sizeable second tier prize of £100,976 for matching 5 main numbers and the bonus ball.

There were 226 third tier winners so the £85,654 prize pool didn’t stretch very far. Each player won just £379.

A further £5,213,806 was distributed in smaller prizes to lower tier winners.

UK National Lottery Lotto drawings are held on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The next drawing is on Saturday, October 4, 2014. The estimated jackpot is £4.1 million.

New Zealand Lottery Winner Says her Lucky Bracelet Worked Like a Charm

A woman from Hokitika in Western New Zealand has claimed the NZD$ 2 million First Division prize from Saturday's New Zealand Powerball drawing. Over the moon about winning such a large prize, she told, lottery officials she put it all down to the lucky charm bracelet she received as a gift last Christmas.

"As soon as I received the bracelet I bought a lucky charm to hang off it," she explained. "I decided if I gave the bracelet a positive vibe from the outset it was bound to bring me luck. I feel like I’ve had a bit more good luck in my life since then and now I’ve won Lotto."

Despite her obvious joy over the win, she said becoming so wealthy in so short a space of time is taking some getting used to and still feels "unreal".

Although she and her husband have been very busy of late, the lucky winner said they managed to find a little time to discuss the many possibilities that now lay ahead of them.

"We're definitely going to help out our kids," she said. "They've never asked for a thing, so it's so special that we can give them a bit of a hand now."

She also plans to celebrate her win by buying a new charm for her bracelet to be a constant reminder of how lucky she is and help her remember what it felt like to win the Lotto.

Lotto Max Winner Keeps a Cool Head

A 69-year-old retiree from Ontario claimed a CAD$ 14 million prize on Monday and told officials at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto he'd managed to remain calm about winning such a large prize.

London resident, Youn-Sae Lee, won the Canada Lotto Max jackpot on Friday, September 12, 2014, but when he ran his ticket through a self-checker he originally thought he'd won $14,000. It didn’t take him long to realize he'd neglected to take a few more zeroes into account, but even then managed to take it all in his stride.

"I didn’t shout or jump up and down. I think the store clerk was more excited than I was," Lee said.

When asked if he had any plans for the money, Lee said he intends to leave it in the bank while he gives the matter some thought.