Here’s a question that seems to have come up in conversation for all of us who work at the Iowa Lottery: Can we play?
The short answer is: no. As Iowa Lottery employees, it’s against the law for us to buy tickets in Iowa or claim a lottery prize here. And that’s as it should be – we know the ins and outs of the lottery and its games, so it makes sense that we shouldn’t be playing. I always tell people that we have to live vicariously through them on this point!
But it’s perfectly fine for Iowa Lottery employees to the play the lottery outside of Iowa because we don’t work for the lotteries in those other states. And I confess that I definitely understand reverse psychology on this point, because now that I can’t play in Iowa, I almost always stop to buy tickets when I’m out of state. Hey, I want to win, too!
So what’s the most I’ve ever won? I won $100 once on a scratch ticket! You would have thought that I hit a multi-million-dollar jackpot, I was so excited! It was fun! I look at lottery tickets as a chance to daydream about what would happen if I ever were to win big.
Maybe someday it will happen. But as long as I work here, there’s one thing for sure: It won’t be in Iowa.
do you people ever listen I have been playing the same numbers for a year now and still not even a thousand dollars on all or nothing one person out of 3 years? bring back the 100,000.00 ad make it live this computer thing is not honest nethers all the lotto is not anymore not seeing it live! fake today not knowing shame on you rich one! God can only see you destroy people shame on you! you will pay its coming Sherry!
Posted by: Anthony | May 15, 2017 at 10:54 PM
Great question, Jackie. To answer your question, no, that's definitely not what I meant. When I made that reference, I simply meant that as a lottery employee, I obviously am familiar with the lottery's operations. I don't have the ability to impact the outcome of our drawings or the outcome of a ticket in one of our games. But in our world today, perception is reality, and just the perception of lottery employees being able to play would cause some people to worry. So that is why we're not allowed to do so under the law.
Posted by: Mary Neubauer | May 01, 2017 at 10:36 AM
What is meant by "knowing the ins and outs" of the lottery. Makes it sound like the drawings are rigged.
Posted by: Jackie Beane | April 29, 2017 at 01:23 PM