For some lottery fans it may be the excitement of getting involved in a national or international game, but for the majority the motivation for playing the lotto is down to the massive jackpots up for grabs.
This is according to professor Mark Griffiths, research director at Nottingham Trent University, who told the Metro that he believes it is totally understandable why draws such as the EuroMillions, UK National Lottery and Italian SuperEnalotto are so popular, because for a relatively small amount of money entrants can have a chance of winning a life-changing windfall.
The expert added these draws are also a good way of bringing people together, indeed, the largest jackpots are always a topic for discussion in the workplace and at home and are heavily featured in the media.
Professor Griffiths added that many adults like the fact that while they have their fun entering draws, there is some satisfaction in the knowledge there is a generous proportion of lottery proceeds going to good causes, supporting local communities and cultural projects.
However, the top prizes are undoubtedly the main reason why people try their luck at their favourite games.
“What we are talking about are life-changing amounts of money. The maximum jackpot you can win is the major motivating factor for why people play lotteries,” he remarked.
He added the excitement of winning a prize – not matter what size – adds to the fun of playing the lotto, so it is not all about the top payouts when it comes to explaining why people love entering draws all over the world.
In the UK, seven in ten adults regularly get involved in national and global lotteries and some 229 millionaires were created in 2011 alone thanks to the UK National Lottery and EuroMillions, winning a total of £720 million between them.
Furthermore, more than £30 million is generated each week for good causes.
Fans of the UK National Lottery can enter their lucky numbers in time for tonight’s (February 1st) draw, which is offering a jackpot worth £2.2 million if a player gets all six of their numbers correct.
One of Glasgow’s cultural quarter’s most recognisable buildings is being given an injection of lotto financing thanks to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).
Since its foundation in 1994, the HLF has supported some 32,000 projects across theUK, allocating £4.7 billion to good causes in this time – and this figure continues to grow every year.
According to the BBC, Kelvin Hall has been awarded a £5 million grant from the lotto organisation that will transform the building into a research and training centre.
The venue will also be used as a safe home for Glasgow’s university museums collections, providing easy access to the city’s cultural legacy.
Kelvin Hall was once home to the Museum of Transport, but this has since been relocated to the Riverside Museum, while its international athletics track is also due to close when the Commonwealth Arena and Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome are opened, however the Glasgow Club leisure facilities are expected to remain where they are.
Councillor George Redmond, chairman of communities group Glasgow Life, said: “Glasgow is blessed with an abundance of cultural treasures and by working with our partner organisations, we now have an opportunity to safeguard these collections for future generations.”
Kelvin Hall gets £5 million in lotto funding
The HLF and city decision-makers want the lottery funding to make Kelvin Hall one of the UK’s leading university museums, boosting the city’s reputation for being the cultural capital of Scotland.
And Scotland’s heritage is being given a double lottery boost, as a £4 million grant has also been awarded by the HLF to construct a Battle of Bannockburn visitor centre.
Planners hope the venue will attract millions to the site of the historic skirmish and its doors are due to open in time for the 700th anniversary of when the Scots clashed swords with the English in a fight for independence at the site.
Chief executive of the National Trust for Scotland Kate Mavor explained the visitor’s centre will be state-of-the-art and aims to bring tourists face-to-face with the gruesome spectacle of medieval warfare, as well as putting it in context with conflicts in the 21st century.
“We are creating a stimulating experience that does this historic place justice and tells the complex story of this crucial battle as accurately as possible,” she added.
Criminal investigators have a mysterious lottery case in their sights, after the winner of a $14.3 USA Hot Lotto jackpot withdrew their claim.
The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation said it is looking into whether wrongdoing has been committed relating to the purchase and presentation of the lottery ticket in question, but those leading the case have confirmed there is no legal way of compelling the one man who may know more to confess.
New York lawyer Crawford Shaw withdrew the claim for the Hot Lotto jackpot on Thursday (January 26th) after refusing to tell the lottery the identity of the individual who bought the ticket and anybody else who possessed it before it fell into his hands.
He said he did not have the name of the lottery ticket buyer – and all that is known about this individual is that they wished to remain anonymous.
Mysteriously, this nameless lottery player requested via his lawyer that the money be given entirely to charity to avoid his or her identity from being recorded by officials, but this appeal was rejected.
After this application was refused at the last minute, the anonymous lottery ticketholder withdrew the claim for $14.3 million to “avoid further controversy”.
Mr Shaw had approached lottery officials shortly before the Hot Lotto deadline was due on December 29th 2011, shocking officials who had given up the ticket for lost.
The slip was signed by the lawyer on behalf of Hexham Investments Trust, which has its address at a PO Box in a wealthy part of New York State where he lives with his daughter and son-in-law – who is also the president of Morgan Stanley Investment Management.
Mr Shaw told the Iowa Lottery that all of the proceeds to the trust would go to a corporation based in the Central American nation of Belize – which is known to be a tax haven.
Spokeswoman for the lotto organisation Mary Neubauer said officials were suspicious, because they were unsure the claim was legal.
“Would it have been responsible to pay millions of dollars to a blind trust that benefits a corporation in Belize without any of the basic information we needed? No,” she stated.
Fans who are intrigued by this case may want to check USA Hot Lotto results at theLotter, where players can keep track of the lottery results of more than 60 games.
The Ireland Lotto has announced that in the draw’s lifetime, it has contributed €3.6 billion towards good causes and charities – which is nearly one-third (32 cents) of every euro spent on the game.
As the organisation awaits its official figures for 2011, it has reminded fans that in 2010, a total of €243.7 million was delivered to supporting the community and regional education, heath, care and artistic ventures.
The IrelandLotto generates funds for causes including culture and heritage, the Irish language, health and welfare, recreation and amenities, sport and youth, with all lottery finances going to the Irish Exchequer to part-fund government initiatives.
Recently, the lottery announced that it has been making donations towards Irish Autism Action, a group that was formed in 2001 and looks to raise awareness of the condition and provide education, support and counselling for families upon receiving such a diagnosis.
Another of the dozens of good causes the Ireland Lotto contributes to is the Irish Guide Dogs foundation, which has helped over 140 households with a resident in need of such help through daily life.
The lottery part-funded this charity’s redeveloped headquarters and training centre in County Cork, which opened in June last year.
Furthermore, the Irish Surfing Association also receives funding from the Ireland Lotto, with this volunteer group overseeing 20 clubs and groups around the country, with their cash handout going towards training, club development, surfing schools and international competitions.
Lottery fans who are encouraged to get involved in the Ireland Lotto after hearing about the good work it does can do so at theLotter to be in with a chance of taking home Wednesday’s (February 1st) €2.5 million jackpot.
The draw has been rolling over since the top prize was won last week, but so far the lucky lotto fan has not come forward and revealed themselves as the winner.
According to the Irish Independent, people believe the individual – who is now €5.5 million richer – is from Derry, but there has been no word yet regarding who they are and what they are planning to do with their fantastic cash prize.
Two US draws are being welcomed into theLotter family in the coming weeks – and fans may already be on the edge of their seats ready to play lotto online.
Both the Illinois Lotto and Illinois Little Lotto will be included in the wide range of worldwide games players can enter and learn more about on the site soon, but those unfamiliar with these lotteries may want to find out about them and how to play.
Illinois Lotto
The Illinois Lotto has been on the go for more than 30 years and has been leaving multi-millionaires in the wake of its Monday, Wednesday and Saturday draws on a regular basis ever since it began.
Jackpots for this lottery start at $2 million and grow with each rollover, while there are also second, third and fourth-tier prizes up for grabs.
To play, fans select six main numbers from a matrix of 1-52 either using their own favourite digits – such as birthdays or addresses – or using a Quick Pick random number selector.
Fans cal already check lottery results for the Illinois Lotto on theLotter and people will soon be able to enter the draws at the site.
Illinois Little Lotto
The Illinois Little Lotto will be an entirely new addition to theLotter, because when it arrives, enthusiasts will be able to check results and play via the platform.
Prizes for the Little Lotto begin at $100,000 and only get bigger from there and lotto fans may be excited to learn that the odds for this particular draw are better than most.
Players only need to pick five unique numbers from a number matrix of 1-39 using a Quick Pick or their own selection of figures.
Furthermore, fans can enter the Illinois Little Lotto seven days a week, with drawings taking place daily after 21:00 local time.
Good causes
And the proceeds will be going to good causes too, with the state ofIllinoisgetting 25 cents for every ticket sold – bringing important funding to the region.
Last year saw the Illinois Lottery break previous charity records, giving $632 million to the Common School Fund, $54 million to the Capital Projects Fund, $1.2 million to war veterans, $1.2 million to multiple sclerosis charities, $905,200 to AIDS victims and $748,500 to breast cancer research.
Christchurch: Home to New Zealand Powerball winners
After striking lucky playing New Zealand Powerball over the festive season, one family has shared in their joy at bringing home NZ$1 million to spend on their nearest and dearest.
The fortunate lotto fans – who have opted to remain anonymous – are from the city of Christchurch on theSouth Island and have revealed when they realised they had landed themselves a tidy sum for the new year they had to uncork a very special wine they had been saving for a big occasion such as this.
One of the couple revealed they had been given an expensive bottle of champagne from a friend and because of its high quality, they had always said they would save it for a big wedding anniversary or a lottery win.
“I can’t believe that we actuality opened it for the lotto rather than an anniversary,” she laughed.
Her partner had no idea about the good news until he got home that night to find the special bottle open on the kitchen table, at which point his wife handed him a piece of paper revealing the life-changing event.
The family have been playing New Zealand Powerball since the beginning and have a select few number sequenced they use when entering a draw, but in this instance, they decided to try their luck with a Quick Pick random number selection – a chance that turned out to be for the best.
Despite having a few weeks to mull over the fact they are now millionaires, the winners still say it is like living in a dream.
To make sure they are being sensible with their finances, they have opted to lock their cash away for a few months while they decide how best to spend their winnings.
Some plans have already been made, however, with regards dividing their newfound wealth and the winners hope to pay off their mortgage and buy a new car for the family with the money.
However, ensuring loved ones are all looked after is the most important thing for this clan of New Zealand Powerball fans.
“Helping out our family is also high on the priority list,” they stated.
The next New Zealand Powerball draw is scheduled for Saturday with an estimated NZ$8 million up for grabs.
Lottery fans who are envious after hearing about the Bulls’ luck with the lotto may want to play EuroMillions online to win big – just like the Nottinghamshire family.
Catherine and Gareth Bull went public with their €48.9 million jackpot payout, which they landed after entering the last Friday drawing of the game on January 20th.
The couple revealed they spent the entire weekend keeping the good news quiet from their two sons, ten-year-old Joel and nine-year-old Declan, but have now decided to let the whole world in on their big secret.
Mr and Mrs Bull have revealed their boys will benefit hugely from their enormous EuroMillions windfall and have suggested they will start their lives off as a wealthy family with a dream trip to Disneyland inFlorida where they can escape from the media frenzy.
In addition, Mr Bull wants to buy himself a box at the Manchester United football ground at Old Trafford, while his wife has her sights set on a new carpet for the upstairs of their family home.
EuroMillions millionaires Mr and Mrs Bull
Mrs Bull admitted her plans for splashing the cash are not very exciting, but puts this down to her lack of interest in going into town on a spending spree.
“I have never been much of a shopper and I can’t see that changing now. I already have home food delivery … because I hate shopping,” she admitted.
Mr Bull – who is a builder – and health insurance worker Mrs Bull have no plans to leave their jobs or move house, claiming their current property is perfect for their young family.
Instead, they have big plans for donating a good portion of their wealth to charitable causes.
Mr Bull’s mother battled breast cancer five years ago and the couple have pledged to make a generous cash gift for research into the disease.
Their new lives as multi-millionaires may make some lottery players green with envy, but fans have every chance to win a fortune just like this unassuming Nottinghamshire family on Friday (January 27th).
The next EuroMillions draw promises an estimated jackpot of €27 million after yesterday’s (January 24th) top prize rolled over.
The hunt is on for one of Scandinavia’s largest-ever jackpot winners after the top prize was bagged on Wednesday (January 18th) – and some believe the lucky Sweden Lotto player is hiding out in a tiny village of Storebro in the south-eastern countryside of the country.
Based near the little town ofVimmerby, residents of the area are all a flutter, according to the Swedish English language newspaper the Local, because the ticketholder is entitled to the third-largest payout in the history of the nation.
The fortunate individual’s slip is the key to a 14.9 million Swedish krona jackpot after getting all seven numbers right in Wednesday’s draw.
Despite the relatively small size of Storebro, the lucky winner’s identity is still unknown among residents of the quiet village.
Indeed, many locals did not believe the news when they first heard it.
Sofie Skepphagen of the Storebro Kiosk and Grill near Vimmerby – where the winning Sweden Lotto ticket was purchased – told Swedish newspaper the Aftonbladet that the news is “unbelievable”.
She admitted to slamming the phone down when lottery officials told her the news that the slip had been bought in her store believing it was a hoax.
Despite it being a tight-knit rural community, residents are none the wiser as to who the lucky lottery player is.
Pierre Jonsson of the Svenska Spel Swedish lotto headquarters had a message for the anonymous millionaire-in-waiting, stating: “I have said it many times before, but this time I will stress it particularly, keep the ticket safe.”
“The only way to get your hands on the money is by presenting the winning ticket,” he added.
Whoever the Sweden Lotto winner may be, having a ticket at home worth such an enormous amount is likely to be putting them under lots of pressure – a matter that could be resolved by playing the lottery online.
By entering a draw at theLotter, all entries are saved digitally and subscribers receive alerts if they are lucky enough to win a prize – which also eliminates the issue of losing or forgetting to check a ticket and missing out on taking home a windfall.
For some it may be holidays, others the chance to quit their jobs, but for many lottery winners, the first thing they want to do with their newfound fortune is buy the ultimate set of wheels.
And that is exactly what Neath-born EuroMillions winner Gavin Davies will be doing, as the 29-year-old professional cage fighter is going to hand in his battered old Audi and replace it with a shiny new white Lamborghini Spyder.
But the millionaire has a lot to thank his old car for, as he revealed he only realised he had landed a €1.2 million jackpot when he found his lottery ticket in the glove compartment 17 days after he bought it.
EuroMillions winner Gavin Davies
He said he was prompted to check for his old EuroMillions slips after his granddad revealed there was a lottery winner in the local area and that it could be him.
Spookily, Mr Davies looked up the winning numbers on Friday 13th – a day that is thought to be unlucky.
The sportsman was out and about this week test-driving models by the famous luxury car brand.
“I can’t wait to visit the showrooms to choose one – I will be like a kid in a sweet shop,” he said.
Mr Davies revealed that it was always his dream to win a million playing the lotto but had only ever taken home small amounts in the past.
The extra cash will come as an added blessing for the cage fighter, as he and his partner have recently welcomed a baby boy – who he accidentally woke up when he discovered he had landed himself a small fortune.
“Becoming a millionaire at any time is great but being 29 and having my first child it could not have come at a better time. I’ve always wanted a Lamborghini and now I’m going to be purring around in one. I’m going to be the most popular man in town!”
Lotto fans who have dreams of owing a supercar may want to enter the EuroMillions in time for Friday’s (January 20th) draw, as numerous rollovers have inflated the top prize to €48 million.
The pressure to keep a winning lottery ticket safe must be unbearable for those lucky enough to choose the correct numbers, but oneYorkshire family knew exactly where to put their slip for safekeeping.
Judy and Frank Whitmore from Tockwith in the UK landed a €1.2 million cash prize playing EuroMillions just before Christmas last month and decided that they would stow their lottery ticket safely away in an antique teapot before taking it to the lottery headquarters to collect their payout.
Ms Whitmore explained that the hiding place has sentimental value because it belonged to her husband’s great-great-grandmother.
She noted that the teapot is kept on the kitchen shelf and she knew it would be a safer place than the windowsill or her purse – where she usually keeps her lottery tickets.
Source: PA
The couple realised their luck had come through when they checked their EuroMillions numbers on Christmas Eve.
Ms Whitmore said she was so excited that she had to ask her son to check the numbers and call the lottery for her, because neither she nor her husband could speak.
When it dawned on them, the couple – who are in their 60s – admitted they screamed with excitement.
After the realisation they had won a fortune began to sink in, the family went for a stroll to regain a sense of normality.
“We just wandered down the river with great big smiles on our faces and occasionally laughing,” Ms Whitmore said.
The pair did not reveal the happy news to their other two children until they were all together on Christmas Day – with the lottery win coming in as a late yuletide gift for the whole family.
But what will the Whitmores be spending their newfound EuroMillions wealth on? The couple have revealed they want to enjoy themselves and said they will buy a new car – perhaps a Nissan Rav4 – and plan some walking holidays across the UK.
Lotto fans who want a taste of the lifestyle this family can now enjoy may wish to play EuroMillions in time for tomorrow’s (January 17th) draw, which promises a jackpot worth around €35 million following numerous rollovers.
The government of British Columbiahas announced that it will be earmarking more of the finances generated by draws such as the Canada 649 and Canada Lotto Max for good causes.
According to the Canadian Press, premier Christy Clark announced the changes yesterday (January 11th) and said decision-makers will be ring-fencing C$135 million for non-profit groups this year, which is C$15 million more than in 2011.
However, the province’s lottery organisation is still trying to recover some of the ground it lost after the global economic downturn, because this year’s charity targets are still lower than the ones it was hitting in 2009.
Ms Clark said that some of the groups that missed out on lotto financing when the recession hit can now reapply, including organisations supporting the arts and sports, environmental groups and animal welfare agencies.
Executive director for theAlliancefor Arts and Culture Rob Gloor was pleased to hear this news.
He remarked: “There is no doubt that today’s announcement will have a very positive impact in communities across British Columbia through the work of hundreds of organisations.”
The British Columbia Lotteries Corporation revealed that for the 2010-11 period, C$147.3 million in lottery finances was donated to deliver health care, research and education in the region.
Furthermore, over 6,000 charitable and community organisations received C$135 million in grants.
In addition to charities and healthcare, the corporation provides financing for other services including education and municipal programmes, with a portion of takings also going to fund the Canadian government.
The British Columbia Lotteries Corporation also revealed that in its 26 years of generating lottery finances, it has made more than C$13.5 billion in net income to fund charities and other provincial causes and continues to show its support for the region by sponsoring big events such as the Western Canada Summer Games.
Lotto fans may be spurred on to play their favourite Canadian lottery after reading about the charitable and community efforts it supports.
The next Lotto 649 draw is set to take place on Saturday (January 14th) and players can submit their entries to be in with a chance of winning C$15 million.
For some, a huge lottery windfall may change the course their life takes, but one British teenager has revealed her luck playing UK National Lottery will not prompt her to quit her two jobs.
According to the Daily Mail, Eloise Hutchinson – who is 19 and lives in Colchester- landed an enormous £1.3 million prize playing the Lotto on New Year’s Eve (December 31st).
National Lottery Eloise Hutchinson
She bought the lottery ticket at the supermarket where she works part time and got her boyfriend to check the numbers, because she originally thought she only had four of the seven necessary to win the top prize.
Ms Hutchinson has taken managing her new wealth in her stride and told the press that she intends to carry on in her current job, while also running a mobile beauty therapy business – an enterprise she set up in 2011 with help from the Prince’s Trust youth funding scheme.
The winner is one of three lottery ticket holders to claim a jackpot prize that night, however her fellow millionaires have not decided to go public.
Even the people around Ms Hutchinson are keeping their feet firmly on the ground, with her boyfriend David Heard, 25, even paying for the celebratory meal they enjoyed to fete her newfound wealth.
Naturally, the lucky teen has gone out to enjoy a little retail therapy with her new flexible finances and admits she bought herself an iPad last week and then went shopping for some new clothes, but remains firm that the majority of the cash will be used to ensure she has a comfortable future.
Ms Hutchinson says the next thing she will splash out on is a holiday to Jamaica and perhaps moving in with her boyfriend, but a flash set of wheels are not a priority, with the winner claiming she only wants to replace her Ford Fiesta with a newer model.
Lottery fans may share the lucky teen’s plans for her new fortune and they too could win an enormous cash prize if they pick a set of winning numbers when they enter the next UK National Lottery draw, which is scheduled for tomorrow night (January 11th), with an estimated jackpot worth £2.2 million.
Further to our blog on the USAlottery draws that are using humour to attract new players, it seems lottos around the world are also spreading the word with TV advertising – but some messages are more bizarre than comedic.
Sweden’s Viking Lotto – which is offering a 17.7 million Swedish krona jackpot in tomorrow’s (January 11th) draw – is promoting itself using a memorable commercial displaying a typically Scandinavian scene of a homely kitchen.
A woman is preparing dinner when the number 21 appears on the side of the onion she is about to chop. She then looks at the other vegetables she has laid out and a different figure materialises on each one to reveal what may be the perfect numbers for a winning lottery ticket.
As she gazes at the numbers, her old kitchen falls away to be replaced with a shiny modern one, but then her dream is brought to an end as her husband crashes into the room and asks about dinner.
The Oz Lotto – which is due its next draw on January 17th – is another lottery playing on the notion of a better life in its amusing commercial.
In it, a woebegone man says to the camera: “My dream is to never have to wake up before midday again.”
He then rolls his eyes and puts on a giant chicken head, revealing the fact he has to wear a chicken suit and advertise a parking lot for a living.
The narrator then states: “Hey, we don’t choose the dreams,” while the tagline “Live the Lotto Life” fills the screen.
Finally, the Israeli Lotto advert features a smart woman in a red dress striding across an airport terminal with matching luggage.
She goes to the baggage inspector to have her case looked at and the man performing the task flirts a little. He takes her passport and asks her where she is going. The woman rattles off a long list of locations and he asks her to unzip her luggage for him.
Haughtily, the lottery winner gives a wry smile, and replies: “It’s not my bag, it’s my wallet!”
The inspector gazes at the suitcase which is stuffed with cash before the traveller zips it back up and walks off to start her new life as a multi-millionairess.
These ads are just some of the memorable campaigns lotto companies have launched recently and using bizarre or cheeky messages speaks to a great deal of lotto fans in some way.
Following on from our guide to what some European lotto names mean, lottery fans may be left scratching their heads over what led to the names of some USA draws.
Indeed, there is much more to some of the names of these lottos than meets the eye in many cases and knowing why they have been called what they have been called could help players get a better understanding of what these draws are all about and what makes them special.
Powerball
The USA Powerball began life in 1988 as Lotto America and changed its name to Powerball in 1992.
It was the first game to use the two-drum matrix system allowing for high odds for top-tier prizes and low odds for smaller payouts. This second drum draws the Power Ball, the additional number than gives players the ‘power to win the jackpot’.
The Power Ball is chosen from this second drum and its number is filled in by the player in a different grid on the ticket from the main range of numbers. The system proved so successful that it has been adopted by many massive lottos including the Mega Millions and EuroMillions.
Mega Millions
Just like the USA Powerball, USA Mega Millions started life as a completely different draw.
The Big Game was founded in 2000, when multi-state games were growing in popularity, and then became the Big Game Mega Millions. By May 2002, the nine states of New York, Georgia, Illinois, Ohio, Maryland, Michigan, Virginia, Massachusetts and Virginia were all playing this draw and that was when the name was shortened to Mega Millions – with these states to welcome Washington, California and Texas into the group in the years to come.
Because millions of people are able to play the game, it means jackpots can roll over to higher sums more quickly – hence the name Mega Millions.
Hoosier Lottery
The USA Hoosier Lotto has – to those who do not live in its home state of Indiana – perhaps one of the more peculiar names of all the USA draws.
Indeed, the term Hoosier is another word for a resident of Indiana, which adopted the nickname of Hoosier State more than 150 years ago.
But what is a hoosier? According to Indiana University, the word was once a derogatory term to denote a roughneck or somebody who lived out in the sticks, but has since become an affectionate nickname.
So what better to call the state lotto of Indiana, especially as Indianans elected the name of the Hoosier Lotto to replace the original Lotto Cash name given to the draw back in 1994.
Lotto hype was at its zenith in the run-up to the December holiday season and now 2012 is well under way, fans may be left wondering just who won the EuroMillions at Christmas.
It seems lady lucky was smiling down on the little town of Grange-over-SandsinCumbriathis yuletide, as a family from the northernUKcounty realised they were millionaires on the big day itself.
Karen Shaw and her husband Anthony had entered the EuroMillions on the Friday (December 23rd) before Christmas, but left their lottery tickets under the tree to check while opening their presents with their children.
The couple – who have two grown-up children, Sara and Karl – forgot to look at their numbers on Christmas morning and did not inspect them until later that afternoon, which is when they realised they had landed a €1.2 million fortune.
Mrs Shaw said: “We eventually all sat down around 16:00 GMT on Christmas Day to open the presents and I remembered the tickets. I had put them in an envelope under the tree.”
“Karl was looking at numbers on his phone and suddenly said, ‘You had better check it – I think it’s a winner’.”
The mum-of-two manages a sheltered housing scheme and admitted she had only bought the EuroMillions tickets on a whim.
And the family have not wasted any time when it comes to how they will spend their newfound wealth.
One of the first things they will use the cash for is helping their children get out of the family home and onto the property ladder, as Mrs Shaw says she would like to have less mess to clear up.
Then once their son and daughter are sorted out, the Shaws have decided they would like to take a luxury cruise toAlaska, as well as treat the rest of the family and ensure all their loved ones are financially secure.
Lottery fans who would like a taste of the good life the Shaw family are now enjoying can enter the lottery online and check EuroMillions results at theLotter to be in with a chance of landing Friday’s (January 6th) €73 million top prize.
As the new year approaches, some people may be taking stock of the amazing things that happened in 2011 and are perhaps wondering what will be making the headlines in 2012.
This year was certainly a big one in terms of memorable lottery wins and none more so than the record-smashing EuroMillions jackpot of €185 million, which was won by Scottish couple Christine and Colin Weir back in July.
Indeed, there have been two major wins for the game since the pair from Largs landed their life-altering windfall, with Dave and Angela Dawes from Wisbech inEnglandscooping a €101 million in autumn after an anonymous French lotto fan landed a €162 million jackpot.
And maybe 2012 will set some new top jackpot wins for the biggest American lotteries, however it has been some time since those records have been broke.
USA Powerball holds the record for the largest top prize ever won by one person – a $340 million payout claimed byOregonman Steve West in 2006.
Furthermore, the USAMega Millionsrecord jackpot is the biggest in the history ofNorth America.
The mind-boggling sum of $390 million was won by truck driver Eddie Nabors from Georgia and builder Harold Massner fromNew Jerseyback in 2007.
Lotto fans keen to find out where their luck will take them in 2012 can find out at theLotter, where they can enter draws and check results online.
Europe is home to some great lottery draws, but sometimes the true meaning of what these lottos are called can get lost in translation – or even disregarded altogether
So what exactly is in a name when it comes to these lotteries? Because understanding this could help fans really get to grips with their history, style and exactly what these games are all about.
Spanish El Gordo
The Spanish El Gordo is one of the most popular lotteries available in its home country and its name does not hold any great mysteries.
Translated, El Gordo means the Fat One or Big One and its juicy payouts attract millions of Spaniards and those living overseas to entering their lucky numbers every Sunday to be in with a chance of landing its weekly jackpot prize.
Indeed, the Fat One is so popular that it was expected 90 per cent of Spaniards over 18 would be playing El Gordo at Christmas, with around 30 million fans entering the lottery online.
Spanish La Primitiva
The name La Primitiva may be an easy one to overlook, but there is so much more to this Spanish lottery‘s title than first meets the eye.
Directly translated La Primitiva means ‘the primitive’ – and this makes reference to the advanced history and age of this draw, as it was first played in 1763, making it one of the oldest lottos still in existence.
As well as offering fantastic jackpots – such as tomorrow’s (January 5th) €3 million top prize – La Primitiva is also tax-free, which allows winners to keep the entire amount if they strike lucky.
Italian SiVince Tutto
If lotto fans have a love of the Italian way of life, they may be unable to stop themselves saying SiVince Tutto in an Italian accent – and it does sound lyrical in its mother tongue.
But what does SiVince Tutto mean? The direct translation sounds just as lovely in any accent because SiVince Tutto means ‘win it all’.
This monthly lotto really does offer its fans exactly what its name implies, with the next jackpot set at €15 million promising whoever wins it that they can have every worldly thing their heart desires.
The state lotteries of the USA may generate some of the most exciting jackpot draws out there, but they also make a lot of money that goes towards supporting their local area and its residents – with education topping the bill as one of the main beneficiaries of this kind of funding.
These donations can sometimes fall under the radar, so what good causes do lottery funds go towards in the home states of the Florida Lotto, Hoosier Lottery and New York Lotto?
Florida Lotto
The USA Florida Lottois famous for making enormous top prizes that lotto fans from all over the world clamour for, but many people may not realise the draw plays an important role in generating finances to support the state’s education.
According to the Florida Lottery, it is the organisation’s mission to maximise funding to enhance public schooling inFlorida.
For the financial year from 2010-2011, the lottery generated more than $1.19 billion to the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund.
This is the ninth time in the 23-year history of the lotto that it has surpassed the $1 billion mark in a single year and since it began, the Florida Lotto’s total contribution to this cause has exceeded $23 billion.
Hoosier Lottery
The Indiana Hoosier Lottery is another draw that does much to support its state.
Indeed, the lotto generated $188 million in net income for the fiscal year of 2011, which was used to lower motor vehicle tax for allIndiana drivers.
Additionally, this money also went to boost the pension funds of those who do essential work in the Indiana community, including teachers, policemen and women and firefighters.
Since it was launched in 1989, the USAHoosier Lottery has produced nearly $4 billion for the citizens of its home state.
New York Lotto
The New York Lottois also committed to its regional education and the lottery allocates revenue to local school districts, teaching and related facilities.
If the lotto makes more than its budget estimates then the additional finances go into its aid distribution pot.
For the year 2010-11 alone, the New York Lotto gave $2.12 billion to aid state education.
Last year, the EuroMillions lottery made two couples obscenely wealthy, with the newspapers following their every move after they opted to go public with their enormous fortunes – but what have they been doing since their numbers came in playing the Euro lotto?
Christine and Colin Weir of the marina town of Largs in Scotland scooped a €185 million jackpot in July after months of rollovers.
The husband and wife pair have not been shy about how they have spent their windfall, lavishing €185,000 on cars for friends in November by snapping up six vehicles at a local Suzuki dealership, according to the Daily Record.
In addition to splashing out on a holiday to the Canary Islands, lengthy stays in luxury hotels and incredible gifts for friends, the couple have also put their lotto cash to good use, donating a sum to keep the historic Waverley paddle steamer tourist attraction afloat, rescuing it from being decommissioned.
Their generosity does not end there, however, as Mrs Weir made sure her hard-working former colleagues at the Ravenscraig Hospital in Greenock received a share of her and her husband’s fortune at Christmas, giving nearly €60,000 to her friends there.
She also donated nearly €6,000 to patients spending their festive season at the hospital.
But what about 2011′s other big EuroMillions winners?
Dave and Angie Dawes of Wisbech landed an incredible €115 million playing the Euro lotto in October, making them the third-richest lottery winners in the history of the UK.
The couple made their generosity well known, announcing upon landing the fortune that they would be making 20 of their friends millionaires.
Indeed, the mother of Mr Dawes, Jean Smith, was named as one of the handful of people the pair would share their lottery wealth with.
The couple have not changed too much since landing their enormous payout, with newspapers reporting that during a stay at a luxury hotel in London they eschewed the caviar and champagne in favour of cups of tea and pints of lager.
However, they have enjoyed a chauffeur-driven Mercedes S-Class and a shopping spree on Oxford Street since scooping their enormous prize.
Dave and Angela Dawes tied the knot in December in a simple ceremony in Gretna Green rather than the A-list bash they could have afforded, with just a handful of guests witnessing their marriage by candlelight.
Recently, popular European Lotteries have shown an upward trend as jackpots continue to climb in 2012. The SuperEnalotto, currently at €48 million, has yet to declare a winner of the since a lucky ticket holder claimed a win of €15 million on September 17nd, 2011. The recently added Italy-Super Star on theLotter.com enables SuperEnalotto fans to add millions to the SuperEnalotto jackpot, multiply secondary prizes between 25-100 times, and win with 8 new prize categories. The Euromillions has reached €58 million after more than a month of rollovers since the beginning of December.
Players interested in kicking off the New Year with Europe’s biggest jackpots can take a peek at the Euromillion’s recent commercial.
Brazil is welcoming the New Year with carnaval flare and a record jackpot of R$170 million in the annual Mega da Virada draw. The country’s premiere lotto is brushing shoulders with European and American holiday jackpots, offering players a top prize of more than US$91 million.
Brazilian sources report that ticket sales have recently broken past years’ records, giving way to speculation that the jackpot could reach as much as R$200 million (US$107 million)!
The countdown has begun to the world’s biggest available jackpot, and theLotter.com is offering 10% off your one time entry in the December 31st draw.
Get your ticket in the Mega da Virada lottery by Saturday, December 31st at 11: 00 GMT, and see how Brazil is heating up the world’s jackpot climate in this video clip!
A cash-strapped widow has said how grateful she is after finding out her Lotto 649 numbers landed her C$500,000 in time for Christmas.
According to Kamloops News, Bonnie Marchand – who is 59 – has been living hand-to-mouth since the death of her estranged husband in 2008, but decided on a whim to spend the last C$5 in her purse on a lottery ticket on December 7th.
The following day, she only checked her slip to see if she had won when she heard a lucky soul from her neighbourhood had scooped half a million playing the same lotto and admits she could hardly believe her good fortune.
“I looked and I thought, ‘Oh my God, I can buy a brand-new sewing machine’,” Ms Marchand remarked.
Ms Marchand had been living on welfare payments after the death of her husband as a result of a heart attack and the stress of living alone and other family ups and downs.
She revealed her low income meant having to get her bread from the local Salvation Army outlet, but with her newfound wealth she can enjoy fresh baked goods every day.
And lottery fans can play Canada Lotto 649 on December 24th to be in with a chance of winning the C$12 million jackpot in time for Christmas.
The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and Big Lottery Fund (Big) have announced they will be putting £19 million in lotto funding forward to help restore public parks in the UK.
Both organisations have earmarked the cash to help get green spaces in Brighton, Crawley, Goole and Manchester back to looking their best for local residents and visitors in the near future.
Chief executive of HLF Carole Soutar said lotteryofficials and her colleagues are working alongside local authorities and communities to make sure public parks do not lose out on this kind of investment.
“Our parks are invaluable to people’s well being and an integral part of local communities,” she stated, adding that ensuring they are well maintained – and that the money to do this is available – is essential to safeguarding their future as features for adults and children to enjoy in their home town.
One of the spaces receiving the lottery funding treatment is Alexandra Park in Manchester, which is being given a £2.2 million grant to restore its 19th-century pavilion and set up a learning centre for environmental projects and other activities.
The Heritage Lottery Fund is the UK’s largest dedicated financier of historical, conservation and restorative ventures, putting forward around £255 million annually towards such undertakings.
There are many excited USA Mega Millions fans around the world eagerly anticipating tomorrow’s (December 20th) draw.
This is because on Friday (December 16th) the massive North American game saw no lucky winners take home the enormous $135 million top prize.
As a result, this huge payout has ratcheted up to $152 million – and with just two more games before Christmas, lottery fans might be on the edge of their seats as they excitedly await the coming draws on Tuesday and Friday.
Long-time fans of the USA Mega Millions may already be aware that the game’s jackpot payouts have not reached such staggering heights since March of this year.
The draw is known for its massive top prizes and in March 2007, the largest ever sum of $390 million was shared between two winning ticketholders based in New Jersey and Georgia.
This jackpot is the largest-ever to have been won in North America.
Lottery fans who are already growing more excited about their chances tomorrow may also be watching events unravel in the USA Powerball – as both lottery draws are reflecting one another in terms of rollovers resulting in massive jackpots such as Wednesday’s estimated $104 million top prize.
A lucky Northern Ireland lottery fan has won €4.8 million playing Ireland Lotto on Saturday (December 17th).
According to the Belfast Telegraph, the draw – which is based in the Republic of Ireland – is popular north of the border, just like the EuroMillions and other lotteries are to those who want to increase their chances of “instant riches” by playing lotto online.
However, there are fears the disenchanted winner may have thrown their lottery ticket in the bin, because when the results were first called in a live broadcast on the night of the draw, an error was made.
Although the mistake was corrected shortly afterwards, officials have expressed fears their blunder may have resulted in a potential millionaire unknowingly scrapping their slip.
Fans of playing lotto online at theLotter would have overcome such an oversight because the site not only publishes the correct results, but alerts winners if they are lucky enough to win a payout.
Some 46,000 ticketholders won cash prizes in the draw, which should lead to a few happy faces and fuller wallets in time for some last-minute present buying this week.
Fans of the Ireland Lotto do not have to wait long before the coming draws to be in with a chance of winning €2 million.
The next lottery game will take place on Wednesday (December 21st) and fans can play online at theLotter if they are feeling like they have a touch of the luck of the Irish.
Christmas came a week early for one lucky soul from the town of Nelson on New Zealand’s South Island, as the lotto lover scooped an enormous NZ$6 million prize playing New Zealand Powerball on Saturday (December 17th).
Chief executive of New Zealand Lotteries Todd McLeay said this is good news for the region because it is an area of the nation that has been stricken with devastating flooding over the past few months.
He added: “There are also seven shopping days until Christmas, so our latest Powerball winner has time to upgrade their Christmas presents if they wanted.”
This comes just weeks after a man from Aukland on the North Island scooped NZ$6.1 million playing New Zealand Powerball.
The lotto fan admitted that when he bought his ticket – which would ultimately win him the fortune – he used numbers that appeared to him in a dream.
Lottery players who think some of this kiwi luck could rub off on them at some stage may want to get in the game and play New Zealand Powerball in time for the next draw – which will take place on Christmas Eve (December 24th).
This coming game is estimated to have a jackpot worth NZ$5 million, which could make for a very merry Christmas for one lucky lottery fan.
This holiday season is brining special good tidings to lottery fans as many of the bigger lotteries have shown an exciting trend as they have been steadily rising with exciting jackpots. The Mega Millions, USA Powerball, Florida Lotto, SuperEnalotto, the Mega da Virada, and the EuroMillions continue to rollover and captivate lottery lovers with huge jackpot win potential.
The Mega Millions has been growing since November 4th and is now at an incredible $135 million after 12 rollovers. The USA Powerball is an impressive $91 million after seven rollovers, and the Florida Lotto is at $47 million. However, the US lotteries aren’t to be outdone by their European counterparts: after more than 20 rollovers, the SuperEnalotto has reached €42.9 million, and the EuroMillionsa remarkable €46 million. Additionally, Brazil’s annual end of the year lottery; the Mega da Virada is now R$ 170 million. With more than €369 million ($479 million) to be won, some lucky lottery winners will be spreading extra holiday cheer with huge windfalls.
Players can enjoy the holidays with the Mega Millions, USA Powerball, SuperEnalotto, EuroMillions, Mega Da Virada or the Florida Lotto from anywhere in the world on theLotter.com. Happy Holidays!
One man has demonstrated to lottery fans just how opting for the Power Play multiplier when playing USA Powerball can reap dividends for lucky lotto enthusiasts.
Jose Antonetti from Havre de Grace in Maryland thought he had won $200,000 when he checked his numbers, but then he remembered he had opted for the Power Play, which entitles him to a much larger prize.
Indeed, when Emma – his wife – looked online, she confirmed that their total payout was in fact $1 million.
The Power Play feature can be purchased by USA Powerball players. This means any non-jackpot prize won in that game will be multiplied by the Power Play number drawn – 2, 3, 4 or 5.
Furthermore, the match 5 prize amount with a Power Play option will always be multiplied by 5 for $1 million.
Mr Antonetti – who also has a daughter – said that he intends to pay off his mortgage and credit card bills and is looking forward to using his money to visit some of his family in Florida.
Fans can try out the Power Play option if they play USA Powerball today, as this evening’s (December 14th) lotto draw is set to have a top prize of $78 million.
As if landing a €185 million EuroMillions fortune was not reward enough for Christine and Colin Weir of Largs in Scotland, the record-smashing lottery winners have been recognised by the famous board game Trivial Pursuit for their good fortune.
According to For Argyll, the now obscenely wealthy couple have been voted the Biggest Winners of 2011 by avid fans of the game who were asked to list the highlights of this year.
The results of the poll are expected to feature in future editions of Trivial Pursuit, but it is unlikely Christine and Colin Weir are going to be forgotten by lottery players any time soon, especially as the media has been following their every move since going public in July.
In the survey, the winners came out on top, while the England Ashes-winning cricket team and Pippa Middleton – Kate Middleton’s little sister – came in second and third.
This year has been a very exciting one for EuroMillions fans, but 2011 is not over yet and there are still five more draws in total until the New Year.
Lotto players may want to buy their lottery tickets online, with Friday’s (December 16th) jackpot estimated to be €46 million.
The USA Mega Millionslotto is one of the most exciting games North America has to offer, but do you know where to buy Mega Millions lottery tickets?
Fans of the draw who do not live in one of the 42 participating states, the District of Columbia and the US Virgin Islands – as well as those who do – can get in the game online at theLotter, where they can enter draws and keep on top of jackpot totals, as well as check the results of previous games.
This week saw a USA Mega Millions player claim his $57 million prize after he scooped the jackpot in September.
Pensioner James Jones landed half of the $114 million top prize and has said he will be sharing the wealth with his wife and their two daughters Allan and Kimberley.
The family opted for a lump sum rather than an annuity and the retired banker has revealed that he and his other half have “no needs or want for many more worldly things” and are happy to ensure their loved ones live their lives without being burdened with financial pressures, allowing them to follow their dreams.
Lottery fans could be in with a chance to take home $135 million if they buy their lottery tickets for USA Mega Millions online in time for Friday’s (December 16th) draw.
The South AfricaLottohas joined forced with the South African Rugby Union (Saru) and the Department of Sport and Recreation to launch a rugby academy that will increase the number of sporting opportunities available for young local players.
According to Sports Central, four centres are being set up and Saru hopes to induct 120 people into these schools across the southern, eastern and western Cape regions of the country.
Players will receive coaching from expert sportspeople, in addition to education in sports science, nutrition and supplementation and will play for their age group teams before graduating at the age of 21.
The project is planned to start with a an injection of R35 million in lottery finances from the South Africa Lotto – and lotto fans may want to get involved in this game at theLotter to be in with a chance of scooping the R4 million jackpot in the next draw.
Organisers are still sourcing additional funding for beyond the first year of development.
Minister for sports and recreation Fikile Mbalula said he hopes applications for more lottery money will be continual.
President of Saru Pregan Hoskins said: “The programme will also equip young players with the life skills to manage their careers. It is about levelling the playing field and giving talented young players the chance to compete with their peers on an equal footing.”
The USA Mega Millions jackpot has been creeping up again, with rollover upon rollover resulting the top prize reaching the $116 million mark – and one lucky lotto fan could land this juicy payout tonight (December 13th) if their luck comes in.
This could be a fantastic coup for one lottery player, as one publication has listed just how many of the goodies they could bestow upon their true love according to the carol the Twelve Days of Christmas with their cash.
According to the Fowler Tribune, the money could land tonight’s USA Mega Millions jackpot winner 540,600 partridges in pear trees, more than 1.6 million turtle doves, 2 million French hens, 770,000 calling birds and 770,000 gold rings.
Furthermore, they could purchase 3.7 million geese-a-laying, 11,200 swans-a-swimming, 13.7 million maids-a-milking, 144 ladies dancing, 209,800 lords-a-leaping, 453,200 pipers piping and 456,300 drummers drumming.
Whatever lottery fans would like to do with their dream millions, there is nothing to lose this evening and to be in with a chance of taking home $116 million lotto lovers should get in the game by playing lottery online.
And if tonight’s USA Mega Millions top prize rolls over again, players can keep an eye out for the estimated jackpot total for Friday’s (December 16th) draw online at theLotter.
The USA Hoosier Lotto has been growing since June of this year and has now reached an apex of $25 million.
According to Wane-TV, the last winners were Tom and Gail Fox of Indianapolis, who landed the top prize of $24 million on June 22nd.
This makes tomorrow’s (December 14th) estimated jackpot the biggest seen in 2011.
But just because this prize has been rolling over for a while does not mean fans of the USA Hoosier Lotto are going away empty-handed, as it has been revealed the lottery has given away $33.5 million in jackpot prizes and $495 million in total payouts in 2011 in total.
This year has been a good one for the game, as it generated $188 million in net income, which the organisation used to support the pension funds for retired teachers, firemen and police in its home state of Indiana, in addition to reducing motor vehicle excise tax for Hoosier drivers.
Those who do not know much about the USA Hoosier Lotto may be interested to learn that its draws take place twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Furthermore, those lucky enough to have a lottery ticket online for the game that matches all the numbers called can get their jackpot ion 25 annual instalments, rather than as a lump sum.
Lottery fans may well be teetering on the very edge of their seats today, as tonight’s SuperEnalotto Italian jackpot lottery is estimated to be a whopping €42 million.
Those who love this European draw may know that this top prize has been creeping up for months now.
The last time a jackpot was won by an Italian SuperEnalotto player who got all their numbers right was on September 22nd, when the lucky lottery enthusiast scooped an enormous €65 million jackpot.
If somebody wins this lotto this evening then they will be made fabulously wealthy for life, but what should they do with all that cash?
Professor of bioethics at Princeton and laureate professor at the Center for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics at the University of Melbourne Peter Singer told the New York Times recently that lottery winners ought to give a proportionate amount of their wealth to good causes.
He stated those who are very well off can afford to give away more and he recommended those with a fortune of €7.5 million or more part with one-third – because they will still be left with an enormous amount of cash that will ensure their life is still very comfortable.
“[It] leaves an ample amount for those lucky enough to have so much,” Professor Singer explained.
The Spain El Gordolottery – also known as the Fat One – is one of the most popular lottos in its home country and it seems many Spaniards are set to invest in some tickets for the game this Christmas.
According to the Leader, 80 per cent of the nation will be entering the El Gordo draw, with the average investment in tickets for the lottery estimated to be €60 – as many will buy tickets for loved ones as presents.
This year alone, the lotto has paid out €2.5 billion in prize money to more than 1.2 million winners in Spain and around the world, proving the lottery‘s attraction to those who enjoy playing lotto online.
Pensioner Ivan Lopez, who is 66 and from Playa Flamenca, told the news source that he is going to spend €120 on Spain El Gordo tickets for his children to share this December.
“If I can win a bit of extra cash, we’ll manage better,” he stated.
Lottery ticket sales for the Spain El Gordo Christmas draw topped €2.7 billion in 2011, with demand this year expected to top €3.6 billion.
Lotto lovers who have been caught up in the contagious enthusiasm Spaniards have for their beloved Spain El Gordo can get in the game at theLotter to be in with a chance of landing Sunday’s (December 18th) jackpot of €7 million in time for December 25th.
This week two of the USA’s most famous state lotteries – USA Florida Lotto and USA New York Lotto – are rolling over their jackpots, making for exciting draws for both games on December 14th.
Lottery fans have two days to enter these lottos to be in with a chance of scooping their inviting top prizes in time for Christmas.
After the USA New York Lotto game on Saturday (December 10th) resulted in no winners, the jackpot has increased to $12.5 million.
And perhaps even more excitingly, Saturday’s USA Florida Lottery also saw no lottery ticket holders match the six winning numbers, leading to the top prize ballooning to $45 million.
Fans of the USA Florida Lotto have witnessed the jackpots inflate week after week for a long time now, as the game has seen its jackpots rollover after every draw since September 14th.
So, the winner of Wednesday’s $45 million jackpot is a long time coming – but what better time to land a massive windfall than at Christmas?
Lottery enthusiasts who like to play USA Florida Lotto and USA New York Lotto can do so at theLotter, where they can also check results and estimated payouts for secondary prizes in the event their luck comes in.
Christmas is a great time of year for surprising loved ones with something they have always wanted – and one lottery ticket holder has unveiled his plans to reveal the lottery prize he won to his wife on December 25th.
The lucky lotto fan – who is keeping his identity secret until the big day – is planning to tell his other half of their good fortune at their family home in Maudlin, South Carolina.
He stated that he may give her the surprise in the form of a new car – which is now at the top of his list of presents to buy.
The lottery player scooped $200,000 playing his favourite game and said his other half did not suspect a thing – even when he said he was going to Columbia with a friend for the day when in fact he was driving to the lotto headquarters to collect his prize money.
“My wife always breaks her neck around the holidays buying gifts for everyone,” he said.
“At least we aren’t going [to be] in debt this year.”
Lotto fans keen to have a chance at landing themselves a windfall before December 25th may want to play USA Powerball online at theLotter this week, to be in with a chance of winning December 14th estimated top prize of $78 million.
Lotto fans may be wondering what is the latest time to buy a EuroMillions ticket, because tomorrow’s (December 13th) lottery draw could result in a very merry Christmas for one lucky lotto player.
The next game is expected to have a jackpot of €33 million as a result of a triple rollover and millions of people from all over the world will be getting in the game for a chance to take home this enormous top prize.
But how long do they have to buy their lottery ticket before the draw starts?
Fans who like to play the EuroMillions online can purchase tickets until 19:30 GMT on Tuesdays and Fridays in time for the draws set to take place that evening at 21:00 GMT.
All tickets bought after that time will be for the next draw.
Those who are new to the EuroMillionslottery may not know that the game is actually the most-played in Europe and will always have a minimum jackpot of €15 million.
This year, the game has resulted in some pretty lucky lottery ticket holders, with Christine and Colin Weir of Largs in Scotland scooping the biggest ever prize in July, taking home €185 million – which they have spent on a new home, holidays and the Scottish National Party’s campaign for independence.
Lottery fans who like to enter the biggest lotto games may already know that the Brazil Mega da Virada – which belongs to the Brazil Mega Sena – is promising to make somebody very wealthy before the end of the year.
The South American game’s special edition December 31st draw is expected to yield a top prize worth R$170 million.
According to Demotix, forecasts from the Caixa Economics Federal have confirmed this is one of the largest top prizes ever seen in Brazil – and may result in a very happy 2012 and beyond if somebody is lucky enough to have all six of their numbers match the balls drawn in the game.
The Brazil Mega da Virada is a special version of the Brazil Mega Sena, which is played twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays and is one of the most popular Brazilian lottery draws.
The top prize scooped by one lucky fan of the lotto was in 2010, when four Brazil Mega Sena fans won a quarter of the R$194.3 jackpot each.
This means they took home a R$48.5 million share.
As such, if one single Brazil Mega da Virada player lands December 31st’s top prize, they will be the wealthiest sole lottery winner in the nation’s history.
Recently, some of the biggest names in the lottery world are making major headlines. Heavy hitters such as the Megamilions, Euromillions, Powerball, Florida Lotto, SuperEnalotto, and Superstar are showing an unprecedented trend in rising jackpots and steady rollovers which are catching the attention of lotto fans worldwide. The prizes have yet to let up, creating a promising jackpot forecast for 2012.
Lotteries have found their way into the media more than usual with huge prizes just in time for the holidays. The MegaMillions has now reached an exciting $116 million, the Powerball an impressive $78 million, the Euromillions an attractive €33 million, and the SuperEnalatto a notable €42 million with the SuperStar option adding €2 million to the SuperEnalotto jackpot. That totals a staggering €218 million or $291 million of potential wins!
But the jackpots alone aren’t the only big news; the number of rollovers is turning heads as well. The Megamillions has had 11 rollovers, the Powerball 6 rollovers, and the SuperEnalotto has had 20 rollovers with no jackpot wins since September! These lotteries continue to hold players in suspense as each week raises the jackpot threshold and hopes for a huge windfall.
Well-seasoned players know that with such high jackpots, secondary prizes often get an extra cash boost. With the holiday season closing in, lotto fans are closely following developments in their favorite games and keeping site of the winning possibilities on the horizon.
Keep up with the growing jackpots and continuing rollovers with a subscription to theBig lottery category at theLotter.com.
A lucky lottery fan from Winnipeg in Canada has said she will enjoy a debt-free Christmas after she scooped C$1 million playing her favourite draw.
Speaking to the Winnipeg Sun, Athilee Woodward said that a run of bad luck meant her lotto payout was just what she needed in her life.
The lottery fan has Cushing’s Disease – a rare condition that only affects a small number of people worldwide – and because of the tiny chance of contracting the illness, Ms Woodward claims she used to always wonder why she couldn’t have won the lotto rather than have an uncommon health condition.
After her most recent surgery she admitted all she could think was “how come I can’t win the lottery“.
When Ms Woodward went to check her numbers at the store she bought her ticket from, the machine that reveals the winning numbers automatically was broken, so she asked a member of staff to check it for her.
Two clerks looked at the slip and revealed the good news to her and in her excitement she admitted she nearly forgot to pay for her goods.
Lotto fans who think that – like Ms Woodward – it is their time for a bit of good luck can play Candian Lotto 649 at theLotter to be in with a chance of winning C$3.5 million.
A pair of New Zealand Powerballlottery winners have admitted that despite having nearly a decade to enjoy the high life after winning big, they still enjoy a hard day’s work.
Speaking to Stuff, Des and Beverly Morrissey from Plamerston revealed that their NZ$1.2 million has not changed them as Mr Morrissey still loves to drive his ten-tonne concrete truck – which he needs for his job at Higgins Contracting’s concrete plant.
The couple scooped their massive win playing New Zealand Powerball using their lucky numbers and birthdays and only found out the good news when they checked the television for the results after having a night on the town.
But despite their wealth, the pair still work in the same jobs they had before they won the lotto, where they both have good friends they enjoy having a beer with now and again.
“I’ve worked all my life,” Mr Morrissey says. “You need a purpose.”
The Morrissey’s view on working after a lottery win is not unusual, as a survey of 75 big lotto winners in 2008 revealed 58 per cent continue in the same job after scooping a big prize.
And whether you would stay in your job or not, it is always worth having a go at the lottery.
Saturday’s (December 10th) New Zealand Powerball win is set to have a jackpot worth NZ$7 million.
Lotto fans who play EuroMillions online lottery may feel over the moon of they are lucky enough to take home a massive prize, just like one fortunate player from Sheffield in the UK.
According to the Star, Paul Turton landed a €1.2 million payout playing his favourite European draw last month and decided to keep his good news under his hat.
The lotto lover said he wanted to keep the revelation that he is a millionaire to himself until he knew what he was going to do about his newfound wealth, but told his parents straight away.
The 41-year-old amateur astronomer only told his boss at Waitrose – a luxury supermarket – about his brush with lady luck this week, when he realised he might be on television.
Mr Turton revealed that he is going to buy his loved ones whatever they want for Christmas, even though he had done all of his shopping for family and friends before he landed the top prize.
Furthermore, he revealed he hopes to fly his sister back from her home in Australia for a visit, as she would only be able to afford the ticket in September next year.
Lotteryfans could win big in time for the holidays like Mr Turton if they play EuroMillions at theLotter to be in with a chance of winning Friday’s (December 9th) €26 million jackpot.
Lottery players who are lucky enough to land an enormous jackpot such as the $67 million USA Powerball top payout expected this Saturday (December 10th) may not know about the difference between lump sums and annuities.
Those who have read about big winners in the news may have heard these terms bandied about but they may not be entirely sure as to what they mean, but in short, they identify how the lotto winner receives his or her payment.
Lump sum
A lump sum is a popular way of getting hold of lottery winnings because this means the amount a person is entitled to – in some cases after tax – is then given to the individual or deposited into their bank account as a cash payment all in one go, rather than being released in instalments over a number of years.
Annuity
An annuity is a jackpot win that is collected in instalments over a number of years rather than in one go.
Lottery games sometimes operate with annuities to create higher jackpots because this means they can offer bigger prizes than their immediate cash holdings will allow.
An annuity-backed jackpot winner will collect their prize money in instalments over a period of several years – usually 20 or 25 years.
The opportunity to land a €40.5 million jackpot is not one to be missed, so lotto fans may want to play SuperEnalotto to be in with a chance of taking this life-changing sum home with them on Friday (December 9th).
After yet another rollover the top prize for the popular Italian game has been ratcheted up to this dizzying sum.
To put into perspective just how much this enormous top prize can afford its winner, €40.5 million is enough money to buy 20 of the most expensive vehicles on the Forbes Most Expensive Car List – the Bugatti Veyron SuperSport, which is currently priced at around €2 million per vehicle.
A flash set of wheels are not to every lotto fan’s taste, a €40.5 million windfall could also buy nearly 200 bottles of the world’s most expensive bottle of champagne, the Shipwrecked 1907 Heideick – which is lucky because only 200 bottles of this beverage exist.
The Italian SuperEnalotto is a great lotto game thanks to its regular rollovers and enormous top prizes and is famous for producing some of the wealthiest winners in Europe.
Draws take place three times a week and with 90 balls in play, there is a smaller chance of winners playing lottery online having to split their prize if their luck comes in.
If lotto fans buy a EuroMillions ticket online they may avoid missing out on a huge payout – as the hunt is now on for one lottery player who may not realise they are entitled to €1.2 million in prize money.
According to the Birmingham Mail, the winning EuroMillions ticket was purchased in Cannock Chase in June, but so far nobody has claimed the life-changing sum of money.
Time is running out for this lotto fan, as they have until 15:00 GMT to collect their winnings on Sunday (December 11th) before the cash is redistributed to the lottery‘s good causes.
By playing the EuroMillions online at theLotter, people can avoid this unfortunate series of events because their ticket and numbers for each individual lottery draw are saved digitally, eradicating the risk of losing a slip because it fell out of a pocket or was thrown away by mistake.
Furthermore, lotto fans receive alters if they win prizes, so they can collect their winnings straight away without having to paw through their tickets and check the numbers against what the newspaper or internet says.
The clock is ticking for the lottery player from Cannock Chase, however and a spokesman for the UK National Lottery has said the organisation is “desperate” to get in touch with them before it’s too late.
“We’re urging everyone to check their old EuroMillions tickets again or look anywhere a missing lottery ticket could be hiding so that this prize can turn someone into the newest member of the lottery millionaire club,” he said.
The way lottery fans play USA Powerball is all set to change – so lotto players may want to get a better understanding for the new system and be prepared for a slight rise in ticket prices, which will come into force in January 2012.
Now, lottery enthusiasts need not panic, because these alterations may be significant, but they are only going to make this fantastic draw more exciting – resulting in much bigger prizes and exciting inflated rollovers.
USAPowerball changes
From the beginning of the new year, draws taking place on January 18th onwards will have the new minimum Powerball jackpot of $40 million – which is double the original $20 million minimum top prize that fans of the draw may already know about.
Each time a USA Powerball game results in nobody taking home the jackpot, the top prize will roll over by an additional $10 million at least for the following draw.
Now if this does not get USA Powerball fans excited already, this next change may blow their minds, as the number of Powerballs – a mandatory part of the game – in play is going down from 39 to 35 – increasing a player’s odds of winning top prizes!
Furthermore, the Match 5 prize will be boosted from $200,000 to $1 million if a player – which is the current payout if a player chooses the Power Play option.
So, this means the Power Play Match 5 prize – which increases a player’s prize if they win for an additional charge – is going up too – from $1 million to a cool $2 million.
How to play USA Powerball
Lotto fans already acquainted with USA Powerball can carry on playing exactly how they did before, but those new to the game who are tantalised by these exciting changes can buy lottery tickets online at theLotter.
Players choose five numbers from one to 59 and then select a Powerball number by either choosing their own numbers or having them picked at random using the Quick Pick option.
Lotto enthusiasts can win prizes if their ticket matches three or more numbers with or without the Powerball.
By multiplying with the Power Play option, players can increase their secondary prizes two to five times and if a person wins a second tier prize their payout is multiplied by five.
A little USA Powerball history
These major changes and a review of USA Powerball ticket prices are all to mark the 20th anniversary of the famous lottery.
The first USA Powerball draw took place on April 22nd 1982 after the original LottoAmerica game – which was launched in 1988 by the Multi-State Lottery Association – was given a revamp.
The USA is one nation that loves its lottery games, with a recent survey revealing one-in-five Americans knows a lotto winner personally.
And it is no surprise the country is in love with playing the lottery, because with big-prize draws such as USA Mega Millions and the USA Florida Lotto, it is hard to resist the hype these enormous jackpots bring about.
According to Poll Position, 62 per cent of all Americans have entered a lottery draw at some point – which also includes playing the lotto online.
This week there are some really big jackpot draws taking place in the US, with the next USA Mega Millions game taking place tomorrow (December 6th) with a top prize of $87 million.
The USA Powerball draw on Wednesday (December 7th) promises an estimated $52 million payout to anybody who gets all five numbers plus the Powerball correct.
Furthermore, the next USA Florida Lotto game – which is also on Wednesday – is going to have a top prize of around $41 million, while the Indiana Hoosier Lottery draw looks to have a jackpot of $24 million when the balls are drawn that evening too.
Fans of these great games can have a go at winning a juicy payout and check estimated jackpots and lottery results at theLotter.
The three USA Powerball winners who landed a $254 million lotto jackpot to share between them have given $1 million of their windfall to support veterans.
Asset managers from Connecticut, Greg Skidmore, Tim Davidson and Brandon Lacoff have split their generous donation between several groups that offer help and services to those who have been in battle.
Gary Lewi, a spokesman for the trio, said on Sunday (December 4th) that the lottery winners cannot think of a bigger priority than “addressing the needs of those men and women who have defended our nation”.
One of the good causes, Building Homes for Heroes, said that at least four houses could be built with the money, while president for Operation First Response Peggy Baker described their donation of $200,000 as a “Christmas miracle”.
Chief executive officer for Services for the Under Served Donna Colonna praised the generosity of the three trustees, while the US Intrepid Fallen Heroes Foundation revealed their financial gift will go towards helping those veterans suffering from traumatic brain injury and post traumatic stress.
Charitable causes are usually a big priority for lottery winners and the generosity of the three trustees from Connecticut could inspire those entering Wednesday’s (December 7th) USA Powerball draw, which promises a jackpot of $52 million.
Going for the number 13 could reduce a person’s chances of having to share an Italian SuperEnalotto jackpot, as it has been revealed that many players consider this digit unlucky, which could mean fewer people select it when entering a lottery draw.
According to MSN Money, aversion to the digit 13 – which is also known as triskaidekaphobia – could mean that if the ball with that number on it is drawn during a lotto game, less people may have selected it, resulting in a lower chance of sharing a payout with somebody who chose the same numbers on their ticket.
Italian SuperEnalotto fans can also apply this same logic with the number seven, because in Europe this is considered a lucky digit and is therefore more likely to be chosen by superstitious lottery players – which might mean skipping seven reduces the chances of sharing a prize.
Finally, it was recommended not to neglect numbers over 31 – as anything under this number is more popular because of lotto fans’ fondness for picking birthdays when playing the lottery.
Lottery fans may want to see if these tips work out for them when they play the next Italian SuperEnalotto draw tomorrow (December 6th).
The game could make a lucky lotto player very happy indeed, as the jackpot is estimated to be €40 million – which could make the holiday season a little easier on the wallet.
