ialottery blog

My Mother Kept This Old Lottery Ticket From Years Ago…

We got an interesting blast from the past this week from a woman who found an old lottery ticket while going through her mother’s things after her mom had passed away.

 

With the ticket was a note from her mom stating that it was the very first lottery ticket ever sold in Iowa. The woman wondered if it was true. We did a little research, and found out that we can’t answer her question for sure. It may have been the first ticket sold at the Indianola gas station where her mom worked at the time, but that’s as far as our review in that regard can go.    

 

The first lottery tickets sold in Iowa were in the "Scratch, Match & Win" scratch game. It was a $1 game with grey tickets featuring a hand holding a coin and scratching a ticket.
 

That game was the Iowa Lottery’s debut product on Aug. 22, 1985, the first day that lottery tickets were sold in Iowa. It was the only game sold by the Iowa Lottery at the time. And while the kick-off celebration that day was at the Iowa State Fair, lottery ticket sales got underway at the thousands of retail locations across the state that sold tickets.
 
We know that during the first week of sales, lottery players bought 6.4 million tickets in that game, and by Nov. 1 when the game ended, they had purchased 28.1 million tickets in it.

 

It’s always fun to look back and see how much things have changed in the past 35 years. Thank you to this player for a walk down memory lane!

Player Question: Why Is There A Sales Cut-Off Before A Drawing?

A player who emailed us with questions about our lotto drawings unfortunately had some conspiracy theories to share as well, so I’m addressing those here in case the same rumor has made it way to you.

The player wondered why there is a sales cut-off time before the drawings in games like Powerball® and Mega Millions®. The player said he wants people to be able to buy tickets right up until the time of the drawing, arguing that doing so would eliminate the rumored possibility he’s heard that drawing officials sometimes spray a substance on the drawing balls used in lottery drawings to keep certain numbers from being selected.

That last part isn’t true, and the sales cut-off times in the games are there for a reason. Here’s the back story:

Sales cut-off times are one of the security processes that lotteries use to ensure that everything is ready to go for a drawing. With millions – and sometimes billions – of dollars involved in our drawings, it’s obviously important that mistakes are avoided!

Before a drawing can be held, all the lotteries in that game have to verify that their sales figures balance and all plays are recorded in the system. It’s a meticulous process, and we know it’s what the public expects.

The good news is that as computer speeds and technology have improved through the years, it now requires much less time to accomplish that work. So today, our sales cut-off times here in Iowa are an hour or less before our drawings. Years ago, the sales cut-off times were often two hours before the drawing, but we’ve been able to reduce that. And we hope it’s a convenience for our players and retailers.

I would imagine there will always be some time required for balancing and verification before a drawing can happen, but perhaps in the future, the time involved can be even shorter than it is today.

The exact sales cut-off times vary from state to state, depending upon the requirements in that particular state. Check your state lottery’s website for the information that applies in your area.

And when it comes to the drawings themselves, there are multiple layers of security involved.

For example, the machines and sets of numbered balls used in the drawings are kept in double-locked and sealed vaults, and are only taken out when the drawing manager, security officer, and independent auditor are all present.

And those aren’t ping-pong balls in the machines. The drawing balls are actually made of rubber and have to meet exact specifications through testing, weighing and measuring.

Multiple sets of balls are available for the drawings along with multiple sets of machines. The exact machines and numbered balls used in each drawing are randomly selected and everything that happens with them once they’re out of the vault is recorded on audio and video.

There also are testing procedures leading up to each drawing, with the entire process carried out under the supervision of an auditor and security officials.

Scam Alert: Uptick In Lottery Scams Being Reported

Investigators are warning of a current increase in lottery-related scams, with many of the calls apparently originating out of Jamaica.

Scam operations unfortunately are a common part of our world today, and some of them drag lotteries’ names and products into the mix. This latest wave of scams apparently promises that you’ve won a prize in the so-called Mega Millions Sweepstakes. Sometimes people are told they’ve won a jackpot, other times it’s a new luxury vehicle. There is no Mega Millions Sweepstakes, by the way. Mega Millions® is lotto game with drawings twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays, but there is no sweepstakes associated with it.

We’ve warned about lottery-related scams for years, noting that they’ve involved many different forms: letters, telephone calls, emails, text messages, and social media contacts. In the current phone calls, those contacted say the caller has a definite Caribbean accent. And the scammers want those contacted to pay a “processing fee” up front to receive their promised winnings.

It’s a scam. And anyone who sends money to the scammers will never see those funds again, nor will they ever receive the promised winnings.

Please keep these details in mind if you’re ever contacted about winning a lottery prize:

• If someone says that you've won a big prize, stop and ask yourself this question: Did I buy a ticket or enter that contest? If you didn't, it's likely a scam.
• Never pay processing fees, insurance or commissions to claim a lottery prize. Legitimate lotteries do not require winners to pay anything up front to receive a prize.
• Never believe a letter, phone call or Internet message from someone who claims they can guarantee you a prize. Legitimate lotteries do not guarantee that you will win and do not require you to join a prize pool to play.
• And remember that in here in our state, the Iowa Lottery is the only lottery authorized under state law. 

The Attorney General’s Office advises you to report suspected scam calls to the FCC Consumer Complaint Center. The AG also says to consider using call-blocking apps and other services to reduce the number of robocalls you receive.

And please remember that while the current scam-related telephone calls are getting attention, there are likely other types of scams underway. The best thing you can do is to be vigilant and protect yourself.

From A Player: I’m Mad. That Store Said I Couldn’t Use A Debit Card.

A man who recently contacted us was mad that he couldn’t use a debit card at a local store to buy lottery tickets. The answer to his question isn’t whether it’s legal to do that in Iowa, but whether the location involved wants to allow it.

Here’s the background: State law in Iowa allows lottery tickets to be purchased with cash, debit cards, checks and gift cards, but a retail location isn’t REQUIRED to accept any form of payment if it doesn’t want to do so.

Real-world details including card fees and payment verification are part of the daily picture for retailers, and at the Iowa Lottery, we understand that. Businesses have their own payment policies, so check with the store involved if you have questions.

Another important point to remember is that it is illegal in Iowa for credit cards to be used to purchase lottery tickets.

Player Comment: I Think The Lottery Pays Out Less Today …

We heard this week from a man who was unhappy with the lottery, and let us know he’s convinced our prize payouts have gone down over time.

Now, I get that he wants to win big and likely won’t ever be truly satisfied unless that happens. But in fact, the Iowa Lottery’s prize payouts have gone up over time, not down. I’m sharing the numbers with you here so you’ll have the details involved.

In fiscal year 1986, the first year that the Iowa Lottery was in operation, 46 percent of each dollar in lottery sales in Iowa went to pay prizes. (Iowa Lottery sales that year totaled a little more than $85 million and prizes totaled $39.3 million.) 

In fiscal year 2020, our latest financial year that just ended June 30, 64 cents of each $1 in Iowa Lottery sales went to prizes. (Lottery sales in FY 2020 totaled about $372 million while prizes totaled $236.3 million.)  

That’s an 18 percent increase in our prize payouts since the lottery’s first year.

People can and do win Iowa Lottery prizes every day, and everyone has the same chance of winning. But you’re gambling when you play the lottery, so winning – and not winning – are both a part of it.

And if buying lottery tickets is making you unhappy or causing you stress, then take a break or maybe decide not to do it at all. It’s your decision as a consumer.

Player Question: How Do I Enter 'Jewel Game Book' Tickets In Your Promo?

One of the scratch games that can be entered into our big “Summer Cash Bash” has stumped some players who weren’t able to find the codes on the ticket that they need to enter the promotion.

We’ve added the details to answer that question on the FAQs page for the promotion in the hope that we can help folks get their tickets entered before the deadline on the morning of Sept. 8. I’m also giving those details here, along with photos to help highlight the areas involved.

The Jewel Game Book is a little different than our other scratch games because it has multiple pages of play, all in one ticket. That means there are more possibilities for where the codes involved might be printed.

If you're using our mobile app to enter a Jewel Game Book ticket into the promotion, you’ll find the square code that you’ll need to scan at the bottom of Page 6, under the security coating on the Scratch 2 Cash area.

If you're entering a ticket in the game manually using our website, you’ll need to enter two codes of numbers. You’ll find a 10-digit code at the top of Page 6 of the game book, which contains the “Emerald Riches” game. That code is under the header reading "Your Numbers, Winning Numbers, Prize." And like any other scratch game, there's a 9-digit code you’ll need to enter that is above the barcode on the back of the ticket.

I hope these details help with your ticket entries!

Our Winners Are Celebrating National Dog Day, Too!

Doing curbside prize claims as we have during this public health emergency has given us a first-hand look at who – and sometimes what – our players have with them as they’re claiming their prizes. And two winners who visited our Mason City office helped proved why today is National Dog Day.

Our four-footed companions are very much part of our every-day lives, and some of them even get to go along as their humans claim lottery prizes.

If you haven’t already heard, today is National Dog Day. That’s according to the National Day Calendar™, the website that tracks unusual national days and has a day for just about everything. This special day has been celebrated since 2004 and encourages dog ownership of all breeds.

Sharon Hays of Mason City had Obie, her four-footed family member, with her as she claimed a $2,000 prize yesterday. It turns out that Obie wasn’t such a help – he made it difficult for Sharon to fill out her prize-claim paperwork because he kept getting on her lap to be petted! Sharon did manage to get her paperwork completed and won her prize in the “Word Search” InstaPlay game.

Daniel Preteroti of Leland also has his four-footed family member with him as he claimed a $1,000 prize. Cooper was more nonchalant about the experience, and didn’t get in Daniel’s way. :) Daniel won his prize in the “Bonus Bucks” scratch game.

Congratulations to all our winners, those with dogs and without. And if you’ve got a canine friend at home, celebrate today with them. Extra treats for all for National Dog Day!

Player Question: Are You Sure About The Odds In Your InstaPlay Games?

A player who emailed us this week had some good questions about our InstaPlay games, but also some misconceptions about how they actually work. He wondered if the odds we give for the games are correct. They are, and here’s the background involved:  

You’ve likely heard us describe the InstaPlay product as combining features from both lotto and scratch games. InstaPlay tickets are printed from the lottery terminal on demand as are tickets in lotto games like Powerball® and Mega Millions®, but the prize structures in InstaPlay games are similar to those of scratch games.

So, in producing an InstaPlay ticket, the lottery terminal does not utilize an internal randomizer to determine the outcome of the ticket. Rather, it dispenses the next ticket available in the game.

That is because InstaPlay games are like scratch games, but with the plays involved left in electronic form rather than printed out onto tickets. And just as it happens in our scratch games, the next available play is sold when an InstaPlay ticket is purchased.

The lottery terminals in the 2,400 retail locations in Iowa where lottery tickets are sold are connected to a central communications hub. Through that central backbone, the terminals receive the data involved to print the next available play in the game when an InstaPlay purchase is made.

There is a single supply of tickets in each InstaPlay game, and winning tickets are randomly distributed within that universe of tickets. No one – not even those of us who work at the lottery – knows where within the pool of tickets the winning tickets are located or when the next big winner will hit.

The overall odds listed for our InstaPlay games are correct. Two jackpots may be won in the same game somewhat close together, or it could be weeks between jackpots being hit. That’s what occurs with the random distribution of winning tickets. 

Third Time Lucky: Fort Dodge Man Wins Top Prize On Ticket No. 3

Here’s a story of lottery luck that just kept growing: A Fort Dodge man won bigger and bigger amounts on the tickets he was buying in a scratch game, and his last win took a huge jump up.

Harold Hinds said he recently made his usual stop for coffee and a scratch ticket and ended up winning $10. He decided to go back to the store to redeem his prize and buy another ticket. That time around, he won $30. That sent him back to the store again for another ticket, and that time, he won the top prize of $100,000 in the “$100,000 Mega Crossword” game.

Harold, who is 80, won the 15th top prize in the game. There are 10 more top prizes still available in it. He says that he and his wife plan to use his winnings on home repairs and possibly a new car.

We would say that this story is an example of the phrase: If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again, but Harold succeeded every time – just sometimes larger than others! Congratulations, Harold!