Powerball, Mega Millions to Halt Illinois Lottery Due to State’s Inability to Pay Winners

mishtalk.com / Mike “Mish” Shedlock / June 15, 2017

Both Powerball and Mega Millions Lotteries Will Pull Out of Illinois on June 30 due to the budget impasse.

Neither lottery would comment on the record.

Lottery spokesman Jason Schaumburg said Powerball would be suspended after the June 28 drawing, and Mega Millions would be suspended after the June 30 drawing if a budget deal isn’t reached.

He would not respond to questions about whether the decision to end sales of the popular interstate games was made by the Illinois Lottery or the organizations that administer the games.

“The Multi-State Lottery Association is focused on protecting the integrity of its games and the experience of its players,” association spokeswoman Anna Domoto said in a written statement to the Tribune. “Matters involving the Illinois Lottery should be directed to Illinois officials.”

Officials for Mega Millions could not be reached for comment.

In a series of stories published over the past six months, the Tribune found the company tasked with running the lottery — Northstar Lottery Group — failed to award more than 40 percent of the grand prizes in its biggest instant ticket games, sometimes ending games before any top prizes were claimed.

READ MORE

The post Powerball, Mega Millions to Halt Illinois Lottery Due to State’s Inability to Pay Winners appeared first on Silver For The People.