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29. West Virginia

 

46.68 points

 

 

30. Florida

 

45.99 points

 

Good

PowerBall jackpot cash value option amount shown same size as annuity prize amount

 

Odds for all prize levels for scratch games on web

 

$5 top price scratch game

 

No “free ticket” prize

 

Unclaimed prize monies returned to players

The Absolute Worst

Lottery whistle blower fired (in mid-flight) after testifying before a Joint Committee on Government and Finance about the apparent conflict-of-interest that arises from the Lottery Commission controlling a program that is designed to help people stop gambling.  Ms. Mia Moran-Cooper also testified that lottery officials tried to get her to reveal the confidentiality-protected names of gamblers who happen to work for the Lottery.  The Lottery also apparently wanted to influence type and timing of Help-line advertising.  This seems to be a case of the fox wanting to guard the henhouse. 

 

A video lottery state – a significant percentage of lottery revenue comes from this game, which uses terminals that are much like slot machines

 

Only top level prize remaining under “Instant Game Prizes Remaining”, apparently updated daily

 

State tax on lottery winnings

 

No ticket self-checking machines

Good

Spanish language information on website

 

All instant game odds disclosed on website

 

The largest state that is not part of either PowerBall or Mega Millions

 

$1,164,275 current year to Florida Council on Complusive Gambling

 

 

Bad

Lotto game cash value option not shown on website

 

“free ticket” prize

 

Don’t necessarily close scratch games when all top level prizes claimed

 

Only 20% of unclaimed prize monies returned to players

 

No specific procedures in place to safeguard players from retailer fraud (telling a player a ticket is worth less than it actually is and then claiming the prize themselves)

 

Only 60 days to claim a prize after a scratch game is closed, 180 days for online games

 

 

 

31. Georgia

 

45.16 points

 

 

32. Montana

 

44.86 points

 

 

Good

Many different reports available on the website

 

Don’t computer generate online game winning numbers

 

Unclaimed prizes returned to prize pool

 

Bad

Mega Millions jackpot cash value option amount not shown on website

 

Did not return survey, did not answer questions sent separately to their “ask us” email address, consequently we can only answer those questions we were able to determine from the website

 

Just overall instant prize odds on web

 

"players winning a free ticket in this game are entitled to a free ticket valued at $1" – see comment under Tennessee

Good

Odds for all levels of scratch games on web

 

From survey: “we have self-checkers, audible sound on validation of a winning ticket”

 

Bad

PowerBall jackpot cash value option amount not shown on website

 

“free ticket” prizes

 

Scratch tickets continue to be sold after all top prizes have been claimed

 

State tax on lottery winnings

 

Unclaimed prize monies not returned to players