Holiday scratch-offs win bupkis for Illinois students

By Ann Miller

12/23/2020

Anyone betting those lottery tickets they gifted will help education would lose.

TAGS: education, illinois lottery, pensions, public schools

Think those Illinois Lottery tickets help schoolkids? Think again

By Adam Schuster, Ben Szalinski

12/20/2019

Lawmakers sold the idea of a lottery with the promise the money would go toward education. But in reality, students never see the money.

TAGS: illinois lottery, progressive income tax

State of Illinois loses $4 million in lottery revenue due to budget crisis

By John Kristof

07/10/2017

That total comes from $2.4 million lost due to the absence of Powerball ticket sales and $1.4 million lost due to the absence of Mega Millions ticket sales.

TAGS: budget, illinois lottery, lottery

Payments to Illinois lottery winners will be delayed without passage of state budget

By John Kristof

06/29/2017

The Illinois Lottery will cease awarding prizes over $25,000 if a budget is not signed by July 1.

TAGS: budget, illinois lottery, lottery

Powerball, Mega Millions to drop Illinois by June 30 due to budget crisis

By John Kristof

06/16/2017

Popular lotteries may stop gambling on Illinois.

TAGS: illinois lottery, lottery

Chicago Tribune investigation shows $2 million being spent on bonuses for the state lottery’s outgoing management firm

By Brendan Bakala

03/29/2017

Despite being axed for bad performance, and in some cases not even doing its job, Northstar Lottery Group is collecting millions in fees and bonuses.

TAGS: illinois lottery

Illinois comptroller: The state will stop payments to lottery winners if budget stalemate drags on

By Amy Korte

06/16/2016

If Springfield politicians do not pass a budget by June 30, the state will be forced to stop payments to winning lottery ticket holders, Illinois’ comptroller has warned.

TAGS: budget, illinois lottery

Auditor general: Illinois Lottery made illegal $20 million prepayment just ahead of budget stalemate

By Amy Korte

05/24/2016

The Illinois auditor general found the Illinois Lottery in violation of a state finance law for paying $20 million to ensure that, even in the absence of a state budget, Illinois could continue to participate in the Mega Millions and Powerball games.

TAGS: illinois lottery, lottery

Illinois Lottery will pay winners starting Dec. 14

By Hilary Gowins

12/08/2015

Funds provided through Senate Bill 2039, which Gov. Bruce Rauner signed into law Dec. 7, will allow the Illinois Lottery to resume paying winning ticket holders.

TAGS: illinois lottery

Illinois House approves $3.1 billion deal to pay lottery winners, local governments

By Hilary Gowins

12/03/2015

Amid continued budget gridlock in Springfield, Senate Bill 2039 provides funds to pay Illinois Lottery winners, as well as to allow for road maintenance, 911-center operations and projects by Chicago’s tourism office, among other local government programs.

TAGS: budget, illinois lottery