Promise of $10 million COVID-19 shot lottery fails to boost vaccinations

By Noah Shaar

07/03/2021

On July 8, Illinois will begin the “All in for the Win” lottery with $10 million in federal funds used as prizes to encourage COVID-19 vaccinations. Three weeks after the shot lottery announcement, vaccination rates have dropped by more than half.

TAGS: COVID-19, lottery, vaccine

5 broken tax promises show why Illinois voters distrust Pritzker’s ‘fair tax’

By Adam Schuster

11/03/2019

From the lottery, to the tollway, to two “temporary” income tax hikes, Illinois politicians have a history of broken promises about how they tax and spend residents’ money.

TAGS: fair tax, JB Pritzker, lottery, progressive income tax, tollway

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

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 sitting on upward of $80 million in unpaid lottery winnings, attorney says

By Hilary Gowins

12/04/2015

Amid budget gridlock, Illinois lottery winners sue to have their winnings paid with interest and to prevent the state from selling more tickets it can’t pay out.

TAGS: budget, lottery

Illinois lottery winners to receive IOUs as lawmakers refuse reform

By Hilary Gowins

08/28/2015

A Springfield budget stalemate comes with embarrassing consequences for Illinois government.

TAGS: budget, illinois lottery, lottery

Competitive elections raise voter participation, uncontested elections hinder democracy

Report Archive

Derrick Crenshaw

Policy lessons from Illinois’ exodus of people and money

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students