Mega Millions and Powerball are finally coming to the Coast. Here are the details.
As the jackpots rise for Powerball and Mega Millions, Coast residents may trek to Louisiana once or twice more before tickets go on sale in Mississippi at the end of the month.
On Thursday, Jan. 30, Mississippi will become the 45th state to sell the national lottery draw tickets.
The Powerball jackpot is up to $321 million for the Saturday, Jan. 18 drawing, with a cash value of $219 million. Mega Millions stood at $103 million for Friday’s drawing.
Mississippi began selling scratch tickets on Nov. 25 and Mississippi Lottery Corporation is adding more games every few weeks.
The first big winner on the Coast was an Alabama man who won $20,000 at Scarlet Pearl Casino in D’Iberville.
“We are thrilled to see the Mississippi gaming industry continue to grow with the addition of Powerball and Mega Millions,” said LuAnn Pappas, CEO of Scarlet Pearl Casino.
The retailers who are approved and are selling the scratch tickets also will be selling Powerball and Mega Millions, said Meg Annison, director of communications for the Mississippi Lottery Corp.
An interactive online map shows where the tickets are on sale across South Mississippi and the state.
In the first 6 days of scratch ticket sales, $8.9 million in tickets were sold, which the Lottery Corporation said generated $1.9 million for roads and bridges.
Mississippi Department of Transportation announced this week that the first deposit to the Lottery Proceeds Fund is expected Monday and will be used to pave roads.
“The first $30 million in lottery proceeds will be designated for MDOT to use on pavement rehabilitation projects,” said Tom King, chairman of the commission.
The first $80 million of lottery proceeds, after expenses for setting up and operating the lottery, will go to state roads and bridges. Any additional revenue is earmarked for educational purposes.
Winners in Mississippi have the option to remain anonymous on the scratch games and that also is an option for those who win at Powerball and Mega Millions in the state.
Mississippi Lottery Corporation recently posted an alert on social media warning residents of a scam after a person received an email about a lottery winning claims release.
“You will never receive an e-mail from us notifying you of a win,” the alert said. “The Mississippi Lottery does not contact the winner. We don’t even know who the winner is until they step forward to claim a prize.”
When a person does win the Mississippi lottery, Annison said she typically makes out the large ceremonial check for $20,000 or $100,000.
“I’ve never written a check that big,” she said, and it’s the dream of those that play the lottery that their name will be on that next big check.
