Several lucky players recently scored significant jackpots in US casinos, earning transformative amounts. These victories occurred across various games, highlighting the diverse offerings gamblers can enjoy in casinos. [Read more…] about Jackpot Fever Sweeps across US Casinos with High-Profile Wins
Mohegan Sun Visitor Wins $483K Super 4 Progressive Jackpot
A lucky casino goer from Nassau Country, New York, has won a life-changing jackpot after a visit to the Mohegan Sun casino in Connecticut. On Monday, the guest hit a $483,622.40 prize playing blackjack at the tribal venue. [Read more…] about Mohegan Sun Visitor Wins $483K Super 4 Progressive Jackpot
Single Mom from South Carolina Wins a Life-Changing Jackpot
A single mom from South Carolina has won a life-changing jackpot that would finally allow her to treat herself. The woman plans to continue working but said that she plans to splurge a little bit. [Read more…] about Single Mom from South Carolina Wins a Life-Changing Jackpot
$1.35B Lotto Winner Embroiled in Family Drama
A $1.35 billion Mega Millions lottery jackpot winner faces a legal battle with the mother of his daughter as he tries to keep his identity a secret. The winning ticket, purchased in Lebanon, Maine, was claimed by the winner through an LLC to maintain his anonymity. However, a complicated series of events led to a significant fallout with family and friends. [Read more…] about $1.35B Lotto Winner Embroiled in Family Drama
Vancouver Council Eases Restrictions on Casino Expansions
In a recent vote, Vancouver’s ABC party has decided to change the city’s strict moratorium on gambling expansions. The amendment was passed despite opposition from health officials and calls for more public consultation.
ABC Councilors Approve Increase in Casino Slot Machines
The recent ruling allows new applications from the B.C. Lottery Corporation (BCLC), which can increase the number of slot machines and gaming tables at existing venues such as the Parq Casino and Hastings Racecourseb, reported CTV News Vancouver. However, the amendment does not allow the construction of new casinos.
ABC councilors Mike Klassen, Lisa Dominato, Rebecca Bligh, Peter Meiszner, and Lenny Zhou voted in favor of the staff recommendation to relax the restrictions on gambling.
Peter Meiszner noted that the proposal is very modest. He underscored that it just allows the addition of machines within the currently operating casinos and not expanding or building new facilities.
Still, the decision was not passed with a unanimous vote. ABC councilor Sarah Kirby-Yung opposed the proposal citing significant reservations. She noted that according to the staff report, which was initiated by the BCLC, an increase of $5 million is expected in Vancouver’s annual gambling revenue.
Kirby-Yung further argued that these financial projections unveil that the proposal has far more significance than it appears to, which in turn means that there will be a considerable increase in gambling activities in the city.
Health Officer Warns of Gambling Risks as Council Approves Expansion
Dr. Mark Lysyshyn, Vancouver’s medical health officer, was also among the people who strongly opposed the amendment due to concerns about increased harm. He highlighted that gambling disorders can lead to severe problems such as stress, anxiety, depression, and financial difficulties.
Dr. Lysyshyn also reminded lawmakers that gambling addiction is recognized as a mental illness. He emphasized that even a small percentage of gamblers developing addictions could have far-reaching negative effects on families and communities.
OneCity Coun. Christine Boyle and Green councilors Adriane Carr and Pete Fry also voted against the proposal. Fry expressed criticism as there was no comprehensive public consultation and questioned whether the amendment of the 2011 moratorium was legal.
On the other hand, Adriane Carr called for more extensive public engagement, noting that the original moratorium followed eight days and nights of public hearings.
BCLC representative Lara Gerrits defended the proposal saying that expansion is necessary. She pointed out that the city’s population has grown by 20% since the moratorium was put in place. She noted that the current gambling facilities often reach capacity, especially after major events. Gerrits also mentioned that 67% of gambling spending by Vancouver residents currently goes to other Lower Mainland facilities.The amended moratorium allows the council to assess each application individually, with input from Vancouver Coastal Health and the Vancouver Police Department. The police reported no specific concerns about the amendment during the council meeting.
Learn To Play Video Poker Perfectly – Free Training Program
Oregon Cautions Residents to be Wary of Jackpot Scams
The recent jackpot drop that saw one lucky player bag $1.3 billion from Powerball has motivated scammers to ride high on the post-event hype that has seen many people eager to get good news about winning a jackpot themselves.
Fool Me Once Shame on… Me?
A text message circulated last weekend promised Oregon residents to have a chance to win a part of the big jackpot as the person who had won the Powerball was going to hand-pick 10 people and share the jackpot with them.
People were then encouraged to call a phone number to claim their winnings, and many followed through. However, the Oregon Lottery assured that this was a phishing scam, which involves receiving unsolicited messages from random parties, as explained by Oregon Lottery assistant director of security Justin Hedlund.
“Some common warning signs of phishing scams include receiving an unsolicited message with a sense of urgency or a request for personal information. We expect there may be other scams out there trying to leverage the Powerball winner’s story, and it’s a red flag if something seems too good to be true.”
Not much other information has been released by the Oregon Lottery, including the consequences for residents who may have fallen in for the ruse, nor how many people may have been impacted. Carriers have been notified about the scam, however.
The Powerball and Mega Millions jackpot drops are habitually associated with a heightened level of activity in scam messages. Mega Millions similarly warned consumers about ongoing scams that were trying to target unwitting citizens and swindle them out of their own money rather than awarding a jackpot.
Scammers Are Relentless – Because It Works
One of the common tactics used by scammers is to make their victims believe that they have won but would need to pay a release fee before they can claim their prize. These types of scams are very common, cautions Powerball.
“Lotteries will never ask you to pay a fee to collect a Powerball prize. If you are asked to pay a fee to claim a prize, you are likely being scammed, and you should not share any personal or banking information with those entities,” an official statement on its website reads. Yet, constant vigilance is needed to avoid becoming a victim of one of these scammers by accident.
Learn To Play Video Poker Perfectly – Free Training Program
South Boston Man Wins $500K Jackpot from Virginia Lottery Scratcher Game
The Virginia Lottery currently offers a wide range of scratcher games. With dozens of games, prizes vary between $20 and the staggering $500,000. Last week one South Boston man collected the latter prize, after buying a Magnificent 7s scratcher ticket. The lucky man won the game’s $500,000 top prize after purchasing a ticket from the Food Lion at 3346 Halifax Road in South Boston, Virginia.
The hefty win marked the first top prize won from Magnificent 7s. Upon buying the winning lottery ticket, the man scratched it off at the parking lot and realized that he won the game’s grand prize. When asked what he intends to do with the winnings, the lucky winner, Russell Gomes, said that he wants to pay for a vacation he planned before the win.
Considering that one top prize from Magnificent 7s was won, there are two more top prizes remaining. While the overall odds of winning a prize from the scratch-off ticket are 1 in 5.9, the chances of winning the top prize are 1 in 612,000.
Currently, profits from the Virginia Lottery benefit K-12 education in the state. Halifax County, Gomes’ place of residence, benefitted from more than $4.4 million in K-12 education funding from the Lottery for the last fiscal year.
On the other hand, according to the Lottery, some $867 million was raised for K-12 education for Fiscal Year 2023. The sum represents a whopping 10% of the state’s total K-12 education budget.
The Lucky Winner Shares His Excitement
The winner of the Magnificent 7s scratcher game’s top prize works as a truck driver. He purchased the ticket just after finishing his shift. In fact, Gomes was on his way to buy some chicken for dinner. Undoubtedly, he will always remember this particular visit to the grocery store that made him half a million richer.
Gomes collected his winnings last week. “I really didn’t believe it! It feels great,” he shared with Lottery officials when collecting the $500,000 top prize from Magnificent 7s. Still, it’s important to note that the collected prize is before the applicable taxes in Virginia.
Besides two top prizes, Magnificent 7s has three second-tier prizes of $10,000 each which remain unclaimed. The scratch-off lottery game had five $2,000 prizes but only one remains unclaimed. The price per scratch-off ticket for the game is $10.
Learn To Play Video Poker Perfectly – Free Training Program