theCLog

Can’t win if you don’t play.

The North Carolina lottery commission voted unanimously Monday afternoon to add MegaMillions to its lineup, giving the state a second multi-state game with eye-popping jackpots.

MegaMillions tickets could start selling as early as Jan. 31. North Carolina has sold Powerball tickets since 2006, the year the state lottery began, with two drawings a week on Wednesday and Saturday.

The addition of MegaMillions will give players two more drawings a week, Tuesday and Friday, in which the jackpot can balloon to $200 million or more. Lottery officials are betting that the additional game will boost revenue in a market that is constantly looking for new options to offer players. Neighboring states Virginia, Tennessee and Georgia have already voted to sell two games, and South Carolina is scheduled to vote next Tuesday.

Read the rest of this News and Observer article here.

Can you school the lottery? Dunno. But these folks seem to think so:

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When does $88.1 million equal $29 million? When you win the lottery. But, hey, Jeff Wilson, a UNC Charlotte alum from Kings Mountain, isn’t complaining — he didn’t even have to buy his own ticket. His daddy, Bill Wilson, a self described “lottery freak,” has a habit of buying all of his kids tickets. (Wonder if he’s looking to adopt?)

What’s Jeff going to do with the money? A lot — in addition to continuing his education. (And, hopefully, fund dad’s retirement.)

Wilson, a UNC Charlotte alum who is about to start graduate school in public administration, said he had not slept more than a few hours in the past three days. He said he’s not sure how he’ll spend the money, but said he had promised a few friends to take them on a vacation to Hawaii.

“It’s time to enjoy life a little bit,” he said.

Wilson said the craziest thing he might buy would be a few fast boats. He said he plans to buy a house and a new car. But he said he wants to spend some of the money on worthy causes, such as helping children’s hospitals.

He said he’s also interested in helping put his nephew through school.

“This is the education lottery, after all,” he said.

That must have been music to the ears of Tom Shaheen, the lottery’s executive director, who called Wilson an “ideal winner.”

More from Charlotte.com.

Watch a snippet from yesterday’s news conference:

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Yesterday we let you know Mecklenburg County published the names, addresses and outstanding tax debts of citizens who are behind on their taxes in Sunday’s Charlotte Observer. Today they report on a little known fact: if you hit it big in the lottery and you are behind on your taxes, medical fees, child support or tuition payments — guess who gets first dibs? Not you.

Winning the lottery in North Carolina can mean no payout if the winner owes the state back taxes, student loans or child support.

The News & Observer of Raleigh reported Tuesday that the state has collected $1.3 million in overdue payments from lottery winners since the first ticket was sold in 2006.

Some winners also have had to repay hospital debts. State law requires that officials check winners to see if they have such debts.

Read the rest of this Charlotte Observer article here.

Another potential downfall to winning the lottery:

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