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Colorado Lottery violations detailed in reportNews Story
Report cites gift-taking, coziness with vendors for 4 yearsThe Colorado Bureau of Investigation has sent the Arapahoe County district attorney a report that details widespread gift-taking and policy violations in the offices of the Colorado Lottery.The report focuses largely on the last four years of the tenure of former Lottery head Mark Zamarripa, alleging that he presided over a culture of coziness with vendors, according to sources familiar with the report.Department of Revenue chief M. Mich
Mar 10, 2004, 4:16 am - Lottery News

Luck, Be a Lady, Madame, and SenoraNews Story
Inspired by American lotteries like Mega Millions, outfits in Spain, Britain, and France have joined forces to woo European bettorsViviane Leconte isn't one to bet on the ponies -- too complicated to be much fun, in her view. But two weeks ago, Leconte, a 58-year-old receptionist in Paris, finally found her gambling Valhalla with the launch of Euro Millions, the first pan-European lottery, and won $400 on her first try. It's so easy, she beams.After more than a decade of research, three nation
Mar 1, 2004, 4:21 am - Lottery News

Final Mega Millions Tally: $239 MillionNews Story
When the winner of the U.S. Mega Millions Lottery drawing comes forward they will get $239 million instead of the advertised $230 million Friday top prize.Virginia lottery officials Monday said the jackpot was actually $9 million more because of strong ticket sales during the hour leading up to the Feb. 20 drawing.One jackpot-winning ticket was purchased in Stephens City, Va., with all five winning numbers: 01-12-20-21-30 and the gold Mega Ball, 24. As if $230 million wasn't enough, said Virgin
Feb 24, 2004, 5:51 am - Lottery News

Virginia Lottery Rains on Lady Luck's ParadeNews Story
Luck may be a lady in North Dakota, but Virginia officials say she was there first.Lady Luck is appearing in North Dakota ads as a weary figure in a red dress, traveling the state to get people to buy a ticket for the new state lottery that starts March 25.Virginia officials say another Lady Luck has been hustling to promote their state lottery since 1990. And they are looking closely at the North Dakota ads. At this point we're aware of it, said Ed Scarborough, a spokesman for the Virginia L
Feb 23, 2004, 5:08 am - Lottery News

Bill outlines changes for Minnesota Lottery operationsNews Story
The Minnesota Lottery would have far less independence from the normal checks and balances of state government under a bill proposed by two legislators. It regularizes this agency, Sen. Ann Rest, DFL-New Hope, said Wednesday.Rest and Rep. Tim Wilkin, R-Eagan, the co-chairs of the state Audit Commission, proposed the legislation on the eve of the release of an investigative report on the lottery by Legislative Auditor Jim Nobles.George Andersen, the former lottery director, committed suicide las
Feb 19, 2004, 7:00 am - Lottery News

Extensive Minnesota lottery probe underwayNews Story
Minnesota gambling enforcement agents have begun a sweeping investigation into the Minnesota State Lottery that likely will involve inspecting hundreds of contracts with vendors for any improprieties. It is expected to take months to complete. As far as I'm concerned, there are no boundaries, said Norm Pint, special agent in charge of the gambling enforcement division of the Department of Public Safety, which is conducting the probe.Pint said Wednesday that the investigation was prompted by the
Feb 19, 2004, 6:58 am - Lottery News

Lawmakers busy trying to change Tennessee lotteryNews Story
A new type of lottery fever is spreading in the Tennessee state Capitol.The Tennessee Lottery has been up and running for less than a month, but lawmakers of all persuasions - from avid supporters to consistent opponents - are looking to make changes. More than 150 bills relating to the lottery have been introduced since the General Assembly returned to Nashville last month.The Lottery Oversight Committee, composed of nine members each from the House and Senate, last week began sifting through t
Feb 16, 2004, 5:59 am - Lottery News

Founding Official of Maryland State Lottery DiesNews Story
Robert J. Laird, a founding official of the Maryland State Lottery who created some of the early games and directed its marketing and advertising, died of cancer Friday at Gilchrist Center for Hospice Care. He was 75 and lived in the Wiltondale section of Towson.Born in Baltimore and raised in Govans and Rodgers Forge, he was a 1946 graduate of Loyola High School. After service in the Marine Corps, he earned a business degree from the Johns Hopkins University - where he was long active in alumni
Feb 13, 2004, 8:08 am - Lottery News

Lottery director's friend also tried to commit suicide, report saysNews Story
The state's finance commissioner had been actively reviewing the management of the Minnesota State Lottery when lottery director George Andersen committed suicide.Dan McElroy, who is now Gov. Tim Pawlenty's chief of staff, had found enough lapses to warrant a sharp letter to Andersen but he told reporters Thursday he didn't discover anything that suggested Andersen had done anything criminal. He said he isn't sure whether Andersen would have lost his job over the findings. I'm not aware of any a
Feb 13, 2004, 7:31 am - Lottery News

Strongly worded letter sent to lottery director before his deathNews Story
After being directed by Gov. Tim Pawlenty, the state's finance commissioner has worked with the Minnesota State Lottery since last spring to tighten operations, but enough lapses continued that a strongly worded letter was sent to lottery director George Andersen shortly before his death, the Pioneer Press reported.Andersen resisted one of the Finance Department's key recommendations and did not address another major shortcoming identified by the agency. That led, in part, to the letter by Finan
Feb 12, 2004, 6:35 am - Lottery News