Tagged: michigan lottery

Michigan lottery players are dreaming of winning two huge jackpots these days.

More than 700 million dollars is on the line in this weekend’s Powerball and Mega Millions drawings.

Andi Brancato is the spokeswoman for the Michigan Lottery. She says the two big jackpots are pushing lottery ticket sales.

“Maybe you have regular Mega Millions players who think ‘Gee, maybe I’ll get a Powerball ticket as well’,” says Brancato, “and vice versa with the Powerball players.”

On today's program, we explore the idea of secret work groups crafting public policy in Lansing, and how transparent Michigan's government should be.

And we look at whether expanding the lottery to the internet is a good idea.

We'll also hear how new technology being developed here in Michigan might be able to help authorities identify potential threats in airports or in large crowds.

How would you like to buy lottery tickets online?

Governor Rick Snyder bets you would.

His administration is asking for more than $3 million to launch an online lottery system called iLottery, where buyers could purchase tickets right from their computers.

But the plan has foes in both the state House and Senate, who are maneuvering to block online lottery gaming.

Dave Eggert, the Lansing reporter for the Associated Press, fills us in on the ongoing battle for digital lottery.

Listen to the full interview above.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - The Michigan Lottery says it has been contacted by the winner of last week's $337 million Powerball jackpot.

In a news release issued Wednesday, the lottery says details about the ticket-holder won't be released until the prize is officially claimed.

The winning ticket for the Aug. 15 drawing was sold at a Sunoco station in Lapeer.

It was the third-largest Powerball jackpot in the game's history. Lottery officials have said the winner could take home a $241 million lump sum.

Five winning tickets in Tuesday’s Mega Millions lottery drawing were purchased at a Meijer store in Northville.

The five tickets matched five of the six numbers drawn and they are worth a quarter million dollars each.

Michigan Lottery spokeswoman Andi Brancato admits one store selling so many winning tickets is unusual.

“There are a lot of things that can sometimes seem like they’re impossible to happen.  But we are talking about elements of chance that are what make up a lottery game," says Brancato.

Brancato says it’s possible that one person bought all five tickets.

“We have had players who’ve purchased multiple tickets, for the same drawing, with the same numbers in the past," says Brancato, "We need to have a ‘red flag’.  We need to have a reason to conduct an investigation.  Certainly if there was a problem, or we even thought that there was a problem, we would take a look at it.”  

Since no one matched all six Mega Millions numbers in Tuesday’s drawing, Friday’s jackpot will be worth 290 million dollars.

 Shopping malls won’t be the only retailers doing brisk business this weekend.  

The Mega Millions and Powerball lotteries have a combined jackpot of about $300 million.   

Andi Brancato is the Michigan Lottery’s spokeswoman.   She says big jackpots usually draw in people who don’t normally buy lottery tickets.   And Brancato says that’s good news to Michigan’s eleven thousand lottery retailers.