Legislator demands greater scrutiny of Florida Lottery

Apr 2, 2014, 9:00 am (15 comments)

Florida Lottery

The vice chairwoman of the Florida Senate Gaming Committee, Sen. Maria Sachs, called for greater scrutiny of the Florida Lottery after a Palm Beach Post investigation revealed some people are winning big prizes against enormous odds.

Sachs, D-Delray Beach, has been an advocate of folding the lottery into a state gaming commission, which would be overseen by legislators and include all forms of gambling in the state. She said The Post's investigation further emphasized that need.

"What your investigation has shown is that we need greater oversight," Sachs said.

The Post's six-month investigation revealed that roughly 200 people were defying lottery odds over the last decade to cash in tens or hundreds of winning tickets worth $600 or more.

Mathematicians calculated that nine of the 10 most prolific winners would have lost up to $2 million trying to win so many times.

One man won $719,000 at 69 stores from North Lauderdale to Vero Beach in a six-year span.

In other states, such winning patterns have been found to be associated with criminal activity. Frequent winners in other states were found to have been store clerks stealing tickets from unsuspecting customers, "ticket cashers" who helped lottery winners avoid back taxes or child support and criminals using the lottery to launder money.

Gov. Rick Scott, whose office oversees the lottery and appoints the lottery secretary, said Wednesday, "I know the secretary of the lottery takes everything seriously and wants to make sure it's done properly and with transparency and we're going to make sure there is no fraud."

His office added: "Working with the Florida Lottery, we will continue to increase transparency and hold criminals accountable to protect Florida taxpayers from fraudulent activity."

Lottery Secretary Cynthia O'Connell told The Post before the story ran that the incredible rate of winning could simply be luck. A lottery official said Wednesday the lottery would respond to the story but couldn't predict a time frame.

Sachs said that retailers should have greater scrutiny, also. The Post found six of the top 10 prolific winners were store clerks or owners.

Currently, store clerks and employees can play the lottery without restriction. They can even play from behind the counter if the store allows it.

Some North American lotteries don't permit clerks and owners to play at their own stores.

"They can't be checking the tickets to see if anybody won. They can't be playing," Sachs said. "Your article, and previous articles, have shown that other states do it better."

Rep. Mark Pafford, D-West Palm Beach, said that relationship creates a "perception issue."

"You shouldn't have the hand in the till. That's extremely awkward," he said.

The Post found that some lotteries place restrictions on its retailers. Ontario, one of the largest lotteries in North America, doesn't allow clerks and owners to play at their own stores.

California asks winners if they own or work at a store that sells lottery tickets. Florida doesn't.

The Senate and House gaming committees are considering creation of a gaming commission that would oversee parimutuels and other forms of gambling. But Sachs wants the commission to also oversee the state's $5 billion lottery.

Up to seven people would serve on the commission. They'd be appointed by the governor and overseen by legislators.

"Any time you have a big pot of money and you have so many outlets where people are spending money to get money, you've got to have a lot of oversight," Sachs said.

Palm Beach Post

Comments

MADDOG10's avatarMADDOG10

And when it happens on your watch, would you be saying it still needs greater scrutiny Sen. Sachs?  Then maybe it would be time for big brother

to step in then? Do all these democratic lawmakers see life as smoke and mirrors? As long as nothing is being done illegally, why would you think they needed more scrutiny? I wonder if the same argument can bve said about your voters Sen. Sachs?

She needs to pay attention to things at hand, instead of trying to gain her 15 minutes of fame.

Gleno's avatarGleno

So how did Florida not have a state gaming commission? Or at least a state lottery commission? 

State Committees seem to be  short lived, as memebrs come and go, very often as the result of newly elected representatives. 

This article raises alot of good points. 

Coffee

noise-gate

Quote: Originally posted by Gleno on Apr 2, 2014

So how did Florida not have a state gaming commission? Or at least a state lottery commission? 

State Committees seem to be  short lived, as memebrs come and go, very often as the result of newly elected representatives. 

This article raises alot of good points. 

Coffee

Good question G.
As always " Store Clerks" are associated with Criminal behavior,  along with other parasites hell- bent on screwing the playing public. .

pickone4me's avatarpickone4me

I also demand it for california and new york too.

LottoMetro's avatarLottoMetro

"The Post found six of the top 10 prolific winners were store clerks or owners."

There's your smoking gun. Think about how many tickets pass through their hands every day. A couple clerks who play, sure, but 6 of the top 10 winners?

noise-gate

Quote: Originally posted by pickone4me on Apr 2, 2014

I also demand it for california and new york too.

Picker..California lottery Commission has its own " Lottery Cops"- they arrest vendor's and pull out their equipment if they play fast & loose with the rules.
The Host of " To catch a Predator" ( Chris Hanson ) did a ride along with some of the enforcers out here to nail some vendors who had crossed over to the dark side. The lottery out here does not mess around with crooked Vendors, its jail time.
They did & still do " sting operations" where they will have the Ca-lottery make a $500.00 scratch off ticket, have one of their young employees present it to the vendor and say " l don't know how much l have won, could you scan it for me"..that vendor BETTER say $500.00
One Indian vendor told the person " you won $50.00"-  in came the enforcers w/ camera's & got their a$$ nailed for fraud.
l would not go so far as to say they all over the place- but they out there.

psykomo's avatarpsykomo

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Get paid's avatarGet paid

I agree owners should,not play at their own store. An workers should not play were they work. I know you heard the story of willis willis.

duckman's avatarduckman

Don't know if this is related to pressure to clean things up:

FLORIDA LOTTERY ANNOUNCES SUSPENSION OF THREE BROWARD COUNTY RETAILERS

TALLAHASSEE -Today the Florida Lottery announced it has suspended the sale of its products at three Pompano Beach retailers after an on-going investigation determined fraudulent activity may have occurred involving the sale of lottery tickets. The Lottery has suspended sales at the following locations:

Akel Market, 502 NW 6th St, Pompano Beach
Georgia Market, 1404 NW 6th Avenue, Pompano Beach
Kwik Stop Food Store, 617 Hammondville Road, Pompano Beach

A Lottery law enforcement agent assisted by the Broward County Sheriff's Office removed all lottery equipment, tickets and other property from each store. The contract suspension of all three retailers is temporary while the Florida Lottery continues its investigation. If the investigation concludes that a crime has taken place, the Florida Lottery would terminate the retailer's contract and owners or employees of the stores could face criminal charges.

"The Florida Lottery will not tolerate fraudulent activity by our players or retailers. The integrity of the Florida Lottery is our top priority," said Florida Lottery Secretary Cynthia O'Connell. "This action is part of our on-going effort to heighten awareness of what we do as an organization to combat illegal activity."


Source: Press Release on Florida Lottery website dated WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

Stack47

"The Post's six-month investigation revealed that roughly 200 people were defying lottery odds over the last decade to cash in tens or hundreds of winning tickets worth $600 or more."

Or the obvious that 200 people are buying and cashing tickets worth $600 or more from the real winners at a reduced cost. The only question should be "is it legal to buy a winning lottery or any ticket from another player?"

"In other states, such winning patterns have been found to be associated with criminal activity. Frequent winners in other states were found to have been store clerks stealing tickets from unsuspecting customers"

This is probably true in every state with a lottery and more likely to happen to players who have no clue how much their ticket is worth. I don't know how a state lottery can make it any more plain when they tell players to sign the back of the tickets before cashing.

To eliminate any possibility of criminal activities, will all Florida player have to prove they actually bought their winning ticket before they can collect?

What about scratch-off and other tickets given as gifts or stocking suffers?

thaencyder

Quote: Originally posted by noise-gate on Apr 2, 2014

Picker..California lottery Commission has its own " Lottery Cops"- they arrest vendor's and pull out their equipment if they play fast & loose with the rules.
The Host of " To catch a Predator" ( Chris Hanson ) did a ride along with some of the enforcers out here to nail some vendors who had crossed over to the dark side. The lottery out here does not mess around with crooked Vendors, its jail time.
They did & still do " sting operations" where they will have the Ca-lottery make a $500.00 scratch off ticket, have one of their young employees present it to the vendor and say " l don't know how much l have won, could you scan it for me"..that vendor BETTER say $500.00
One Indian vendor told the person " you won $50.00"-  in came the enforcers w/ camera's & got their a$$ nailed for fraud.
l would not go so far as to say they all over the place- but they out there.

Don't waste your time on pickoneforme. Dude is tin foil afficiando. He's complainng about poweball and MM which are a nationwide games.

THRIFTY's avatarTHRIFTY

Quote: Originally posted by MADDOG10 on Apr 2, 2014

And when it happens on your watch, would you be saying it still needs greater scrutiny Sen. Sachs?  Then maybe it would be time for big brother

to step in then? Do all these democratic lawmakers see life as smoke and mirrors? As long as nothing is being done illegally, why would you think they needed more scrutiny? I wonder if the same argument can bve said about your voters Sen. Sachs?

She needs to pay attention to things at hand, instead of trying to gain her 15 minutes of fame.

The lottery was created as a revenue source for the government.

THRIFTY's avatarTHRIFTY

Quote: Originally posted by pickone4me on Apr 2, 2014

I also demand it for california and new york too.

It feels great to see lottery players demanding changes from the lottery. Are you still playing the lottery?

THRIFTY's avatarTHRIFTY

Quote: Originally posted by LottoMetro on Apr 2, 2014

"The Post found six of the top 10 prolific winners were store clerks or owners."

There's your smoking gun. Think about how many tickets pass through their hands every day. A couple clerks who play, sure, but 6 of the top 10 winners?

Sell all lottery tickets through the Internet.

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