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Tag: Virginia lottery

  • Virginia Lottery wants you to be aware of a scam when buying tickets this holiday season – WTOP News

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    The executive director of the Virginia Lottery said the newest scam states that you can win a $5 billion Mega Millions jackpot by following a link sent to you on social media. 

    The Powerball jackpot has risen to an estimated grand prize of $1.25 billion as of Wednesday night. However, if you’re planning on playing the lottery to try to win your millions, there’s a new scam you should be aware of.

    Khalid Jones, executive director of the Virginia Lottery, said the newest scam they’re alerting the public to states that you can win a $5 billion Mega Millions jackpot by following a link sent to you on social media.

    “It’s still sort of bold and striking, smacking me in my face every time I look at it,” Jones said. “This is something that is just clearly erroneous from the start.”

    Jones said one of the biggest red flags is the fact “there’s no such thing as a guaranteed winner.”

    He also said that the amount of money is clearly not right.

    “They talk about a $5 billion jackpot. Mega Millions, the largest jackpot in the history of any game in America, has only been a little bit north of $2 billion,” he said.

    Jones recommended authenticating a real Mega Millions ticket by going to a Virginia Lottery retailer and making sure you see the proper logo.

    “The foolproof way is … you see those interlocking fingers, and you walk into the store, and they’ve got they got our tickets in there. Then, you know you’re playing someplace that is ours,” he said.

    He said you can also play online but make sure you’re on the right website.

    “If it’s not your retailer, and it’s not on your phone at VAlottery.com or on your computer, then it’s not us,” Jones said. “We put a notice immediately up on MegaMillions.com, and just started really going after getting this taken away.”

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    Valerie Bonk

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  • Lottery player buys 40 Pick 4 tickets with 4-digit combination of 4444. Yes, it worked

    Lottery player buys 40 Pick 4 tickets with 4-digit combination of 4444. Yes, it worked

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    A Virginia man won $200,000 in the lottery with an unusual approach involving the number 4, officials say.

    A Virginia man won $200,000 in the lottery with an unusual approach involving the number 4, officials say.

    DBPD photo

    A man in Virginia with a complicated name came up with a surprisingly simple approach to winning six figures in the Virginia Lottery.

    Wassihun Woldeamanuel didn’t divulge how he got the idea, but he almost didn’t have to reveal it.

    “The Arlington man bought 40 plays … each with the same four-digit combination: 4-4-4-4,” the Virginia Lottery said in an April 2 news release.

    Wassihun Woldeamanuel didn’t divulge how he came up with the idea, but he almost didn’t have to.
    Wassihun Woldeamanuel didn’t divulge how he came up with the idea, but he almost didn’t have to. Virginia Lottery

    “The prize for matching all four winning numbers in the Pick 4 game is $5,000. Since he had 40 plays with the winning combination, he won a total of $200,000.”

    Odds of hitting all four numbers in order are 1 in 10,000, but Woldeamanuel is in a different category after winning 40 times.

    When lottery officials asked about his approach, Woldeamanuel said he “knew four is coming.”

    A review of winning Pick 4 numbers dating to January 2022 suggests no previous players were inclined to gamble on just one number.

    Another thing that stuck out about his win is a decision not to buy all the tickets in one place. He bought 30 at a grocery store in Arlington and 10 at a store in Alexandria, about 8 miles away, officials said.

    Woldeamanuel didn’t say how he intends to spend his winnings from the Feb. 20 drawing.

    Pick 4 is a game that lets players choose any four-digit numbers from 0000 through 9999.

    Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

    If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

    Mark Price is a National Reporter for McClatchy News. He joined the network of newspapers in 1991 at The Charlotte Observer, covering beats including schools, crime, immigration, LGBTQ issues, homelessness and nonprofits. He graduated from the University of Memphis with majors in journalism and art history, and a minor in geology.

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