Those of you who play the lotto, listen up.

Scratcher lottery tickets under fire

By Dennis Cauchon, USA TODAY
Feeling lucky today?
Then don’t buy a $20 scratch-off ticket for the New Jersey Lottery’s “$1,000,000 Explosion” game.

Your chances of winning the $1 million top prize are Z-E-R-O.

The six top prizes were awarded months ago, but the $20 tickets are still on sale. The best prize available today is $10,000.

State lotteries are coming under renewed criticism for selling scratch-off tickets after the top prizes have been given away. The latest challenge comes from a professor who says he intends to sue Virginia for allegedly selling $20 million a year in lottery tickets that had no top prize available.

About half of the 42 states that have lotteries — including Florida, New Jersey, Michigan and Tennessee — keep selling tickets after the top prizes are gone. The states say the practice is fair because lottery tickets and websites disclose the practice. Also, other prizes are available. (more…)

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Related:

Predominantly black communities have generated the highest lottery sales in the state. (Chicago)

Study shows blacks outspend whites in lottery (Wisconsin)