Features

Online scalpers try to raid record lottery purse

By Paul Glader The Associated Press
Monday February 18, 2002

SAN FRANCISCO — As interest in the record $191 million state lottery jackpot ebbed higher, so did reports of illegal online ticket sales. 

State lottery officials are re-emphasizing that tickets must be purchased within the state and in person rather than through third-party sellers. 

“Sales of lottery tickets on the Internet are not authorized nor are they legal,” said lottery Director Joan Wilson. “We want our customers to understand that legal tickets are available at our authorized locations only and that any Internet or out-of- state sites are simply not legal.” 

Lottery spokeswoman Norma Minas said at least one woman called saying she purchased a ticket from a Florida-based Web site, using a credit card. 

“We know it’s going on, we saw the Web site,” Minas said. “We assume there will be more.” 

A quick search online turned up several scalper sites offering California Lottery tickets to out-of-state residents with an added service charge. 

Nearly 19,000 retailers in the state are authorized to sell lottery tickets. Out-of-state residents may enter the state and buy lottery tickets at those sites. They cannot purchase the tickets by telephone or Internet. 

The $191 million sum is the largest single-state U.S. jackpot, and the fifth-largest including multistate games, the California Lottery said. The biggest lottery payout in U.S. history was $363 million in May, 2000 for the multistate Powerball game. 

The previous record jackpot in California was $141 million won on June 23, 2001. 

 

• Winning numbers39, 31, 32, 11 and 6. The Mega Number is 20. 

• The estimated jackpot is $193 million.