Florida to join Mega Millions lottery

CONTACT:

FLORIDA LOTTERY COMMUNICATIONS

(850) 487-7727

www.flalottery.com

FLORIDA LOTTERY ADDS MEGA MILLIONS®

~ Multi-state Game Will Generate Additional Revenue for Education ~

TALLAHASSEE - The Florida Lottery announced today that it will add MEGA MILLIONS® to its portfolio of games starting on May 15, 2013. Florida will become the 43^rd state to join the multi-state lottery game. Though the Florida Lottery offers one of the strongest lotto games in the nation and is the top-selling POWERBALL® state, it is the only state lottery that does not currently participate in the MEGA MILLIONS game. MEGA MILLIONS sales in Florida are expected to raise millions of additional dollars for education and increase commissions to the Lottery's more than 13,000 retailers, the majority of which are small, independently-owned businesses.

MEGA MILLIONS was created in May 2002 when the Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Virginia Lotteries joined together to form the multi-state game.  On March 30, 2012, MEGA MILLIONS made history with the world’s largest jackpot of $656 million. The jackpot was split three ways, to winners in Kansas, Illinois and Maryland. MEGA MILLIONS jackpots start at $12 million, and drawings are held Tuesdays and Fridays at 11:00 p.m. ET in Atlanta, GA. Players choose six numbers, and there are nine exciting ways to win in the game.

"The Florida Lottery prides itself on being responsive to our players and retailers and the addition of MEGA MILLIONS to our product mix is something they have requested for many years," said Florida Lottery Secretary Cynthia O’Connell. "The additional revenue MEGA MILLIONS will generate for education makes this a winning decision."

Currently celebrating its 25th anniversary, the Florida Lottery has placed greater emphasis on strengthening its product offerings by continuously introducing new games to appeal to Florida’s diverse population and through enhancements to some of its core games. Moving forward, the Lottery will strive to provide players with the best lottery games available so that we may remain a dependable contributor to education in our state.

ABOUT THE FLORIDA LOTTERY

The Florida Lottery is an integral part of Florida's culture and landscape. Responsible for contributing more than $24 billion to education and sending more than 600,000 students to college through the Bright Futures Scholarship Program, the Florida Lottery is a dependable source of financial support for the state. The agency reinvests nearly 98 percent of its revenue back into Florida’s economy through prize payouts, commissions to more than 13,000 Florida retailers, and transfers to education. Since its inception, Florida Lottery games have also made more than 1,200 people millionaires. That's more than $37.7 billion in prize payouts since 1988 when the first ticket was sold. As the agency celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2013, an innovative and fresh spirit shines through with a mix of new and classic games, an updated logo design and new brand identity, as well as a renewed commitment to benefitting the state, all while inspiring Floridians to imagine the possibilities of their dreams coming true. For more information, please visit www.flalottery.com.

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"Just Imagine”

Mega Millions® is a registered trademark of the Illinois Lottery.

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Florida will start selling tickets to the popular Mega Millions game later this year.

Florida Lottery officials told The Associated Press on Thursday that the state will join 42 other states in selling tickets. Tickets will go on sale on May 15.

The state already sells tickets to Powerball, another multistate game. It also has its own game called Florida Lotto.

Lottery Secretary Cynthia O'Connell said retailers and lottery players have been asking the state to join Mega Millions for years.

Lottery officials contend that adding Mega Millions will generate additional money for the state, despite past fears that adding games would erode sales of existing games.

Last summer the Florida Lottery wrapped up the most financially successful fiscal year in its history, with sales of $4.45 billion.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/florida-join-multistate-mega-millions-lottery-18619390

TALLAHASSEE - Florida Lottery officials told The Associated Press on Thursday that the state would join 42 others later this year in selling tickets to the Mega Millions game.