The Illinois State Lottery (known simply as the Illinois Lottery) is an American lottery for the U.S. state of Illinois, operated by Camelot Illinois.
Overview
The Illinois Lottery began operations on July 1, 1974, when lotteries in the United States were confined to areas of the Northeast and Midwest.
The drawings are supervised by an independent auditor who certifies the winning results. Illinois was the only single jurisdictional state lottery to have their drawings televised nationwide (which were broadcast throughout the United States and much of Canada via WGN-TV's national superstation feed WGN America [now NewsNation]). The 9 p.m. newscast was removed from WGN America in February 2014 as they begin their transition to a general cable network.
The Illinois Lottery is one of 45 lottery jurisdictions that participate in Mega Millions and Powerball – of these jurisdictions, 44 of the 45 lotteries offer both games. The Lottery also offers Lotto with a smaller jackpot, which is drawn on Monday, Thursday and Saturday nights. Pick 3 and Pick 4 numbers are drawn twice daily. Until April 16, 2014, with the discontinuation two months before of WGN-TV's 9 p.m. newscast from WGN America, the same numbers applied to those playing the same games in neighboring Iowa; that state now draws their own numbers. Lucky Day Lotto (5/45), with a minimum jackpot of $100,000, is drawn twice a day.
In 2009, the Illinois legislature passed amendments to the Lottery Law that approved the Internet Pilot Program to launch the sale of the Mega Millions and Lotto games on the Internet. The Illinois Lottery suspended the sale of Mega Millions tickets as the state's General Assembly struggled to pass a budget including lottery funding for the 2018 fiscal year. On December 23, 2011, a U.S. Justice Department decision provided much anticipated clarity to Illinois' and other U.S. lotteries by confirming that the sale of lottery products over the Internet by lotteries in United States jurisdictions was legal. On March 25, 2012, Illinois became the first jurisdiction to allow internet lottery sales. Adults with an IP address within the state of Illinois can play the Lottery in this manner. The program was approved to run for 36 to 48 months on a trial basis.
On October 1, 2015, the Illinois Lottery started determining the winning numbers electronically, using a computer with a random number generator, instead of using machines with numbered balls; furthermore, live draws were no longer televised, but rather posted on the Illinois Lottery's website, and on the Lottery's YouTube channel. Prior to this date, the selection of the winning numbers had been broadcast on WGN-TV for more than 25 years.
Winners of a Mega Millions(on an Illinois Lottery ticket) or a Lotto jackpot must choose the cash option within 60 days of the drawing if the cash option is desired (a Powerball jackpot winner on an Illinois Lottery ticket has 60 days after claiming to make their choice). Purchasers must be at least 18 years of age to purchase an Illinois Lottery ticket.
In December 2016, a Chicago Tribune investigation found that the Illinois Lottery simply suspended many of its most expensive games before awarding its largest prizes. While many lotteries across the United States do not award all its largest, the Tribune investigation found that Illinois's rate of awarding top prizes was significantly lower. In one example, a game called The Good Life was distributed with tickets at $30 each, with two top prizes of $46 million, but the game was ended before the lottery sold most of the printed tickets.
In January 2018, the Camelot Group, a gaming company based in the United Kingdom owned by the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, became the new operator of the Illinois Lottery. The state of Illinois was the first in the US to privatize its lottery system.
Distribution of funds
Illinois Lottery proceeds currently benefit three major areas: 1) the state's Common School Fund (CSF), which helps finance K–12 public schools; 2) The Capital Projects Fund, used for infrastructure improvements and job creation and 3) special causes like Illinois veterans, breast cancer charities and research, assistance for people living with HIV/AIDS, and multiple sclerosis research. Each of the four special causes above is funded by a unique instant scratch-off game authorized by the Illinois General Assembly.