On This Day in History

February 28

February 28 is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. 306 days remain until the end of the year (307 in leap years).

Lottery News On This Day

2024
Washington woman checks lottery ticket months after draw and discovers $135,000 win. A Washington woman bought a lottery ticket from a vending machine but didn't realize until months later that it was a $135,000 winner.
2022
New York man wins second $10 million lottery prize in three years. Talk about luck — a New York man just won his second top prize worth $10 million in three years.
2020
22-year-old grocery store bagger claims $70M jackpot from a lottery ticket he bought at work. A 22-year-old grocery store employee just won the biggest jackpot in Quebec's history after he purchased a ticket from the store where he works.
2020
S.C. man loses more than $140K to 'you've won the lottery' scam. Deputies say a man lost more than $140,000 to a lottery scam in York County, South Carolina.
2019
Undercover Kentucky Lottery investigation snares three store employees trying to steal prizes. An undercover operation conducted by the Kentucky Lottery has nabbed three store clerks trying to steal winning tickets.
2019
No sales tax on Mississippi lottery tickets, but winnings will still be taxed. The Mississippi Legislature is expected to pass a measure clarifying that tickets for state's soon to be rolling lottery are exempt from sales taxes.
2018
UK's oldest lottery winners claim £18 million jackpot. A couple from Bristol have become the oldest winners of the UK lottery, after claiming an £18 million (US$24.9 million) jackpot.
2017
Tennessee bill advances to remove lottery winners from government assistance. The Tennessee House on Monday passed a bill despite opposition from Democrats that, if it becomes law, would require the names of lottery winners to be cross checked with federal and state government assistance programs.
2017
New Mexico House committee endorses changes in lottery operations. Financial bonuses for state lottery officials and contractors would be tied to increases in scholarship money available to New Mexico college students under a bill that got unanimous bipartisan approval from a House committee Monday.
2017
Pennsylvania Lottery launches new Fast Play Games. The Pennsylvania Lottery today launched Fast Play, a new type of games offering players the chance to win prizes without scratching the ticket or waiting for a drawing.
2016
Florida woman gives away $43 million Lotto jackpot. Florida Lottery officials said a Largo woman was the winner of a $43 million jackpot, and she said she's not keeping a penny of it.
2014
New Georgia Lottery game starts Sunday. Starting Sunday, Georgia lottery players will be able to buy tickets for the latest Georgia Lottery game called All or Nothing.
2014
Winning lottery ticket gets Mass. man off the hook for speeding. A Rockland, Massachusetts, man not only won the lottery Thursday morning, but also used the winning ticket to help him avoid a speeding ticket in Hingham.
2013
Florida to join multi-state Mega Millions lottery. Florida will start selling tickets to the popular Mega Millions game later this year.
2013
Arizona bill to allow anonymity for lottery winners clears panel. A bill that would allow Arizona lottery winners to remain anonymous moved closer to passage Wednesday following a contentious hearing in a state Senate committee that pitted the Republican sponsor against Democrats who argued it would diminish public accountability.
2013
Michigan Lottery gears up for online sales in spring. The Michigan Lottery plans to begin selling online subscriptions for games such as Mega Millions and Powerball starting this spring.
2012
Woman wants part of estranged husband's lotto jackpot. The winner of a $34.5 million Hoosier Lotto jackpot wants to remain anonymous, but a woman who claims to be his estranged wife is demanding a piece of the prize.
2012
Marine credits karma for $2.9 million slots jackpot. A U.S. Marine stationed in Washington, D.C., won a $2.8 million progressive slot machine jackpot at the Bellagio in Las Vegas after being accepted as a bone marrow donor.
2011
Maryland Lottery Pick 4 drawing generates huge payout. Players of the Maryland Lottery's Pick 4 game hit a grand slam of sorts this weekend, and a payout record was tied in the process.
2011
Florida lottery ticket wins $182.1M Powerball jackpot. The winning lottery ticket for Saturday's $182.1 million Powerball jackpot was sold in a Publix store in Kissimmee, Florida, located on a road with a very fitting name.
2009
$212 MILLION: largest Mega Millions lottery jackpot in a year. There has been another rollover in the top prize for the multi-state Mega Millions lottery -- to $212 million. It is the largest Mega Millions jackpot in more than a year.
2007
$267 MILLION: Mega Millions lottery jackpot soars. The Mega Millions lottery drawing produced no jackpot winner last night, sending Friday's jackpot to the highest level in a year.
2007
After alleged lottery ticket theft, store banned from ticket sales. An Ohio convenience store is banned from selling lottery tickets for a month, after the owner and an employee stole part of a Warren woman's jackpot, according to police reports.
2007
Georgia woman nearly forgot about $5M winning lottery ticket. A 60-year-old Georgia woman nearly forgot about a scratch-off lottery ticket in the bottom of her purse, which turned out to be worth $5 million.
2007
N.M. Senate votes to shift more lottery funds to scholarships. The New Mexico State Senate voted 39-1 Tuesday to ensure that more proceeds from the New Mexico Lottery go toward the scholarship fund and less go toward administration.
2007
Lottery winner followed careful spending plan. How one lucky winner spent his new-found fortune, after winning a $220 million Powerball jackpot in 2005.
2007
N.C. Gov. calls for shift of lottery funds. Gov. Mike Easley's spending plan for next year would shift profits from the N.C. Lottery toward a pre-kindergarten program at the expense of school construction and scholarships.
2007
Indiana Senate approves lottery sell-off. Administration officials worked the back of the Senate chamber Tuesday and managed to secure just enough support to pass Gov. Mitch Daniels' plan to privatize the Hoosier Lottery.
2007
Mass. Rep. says lottery funds should go to areas with highest sales. A Massachusetts State Representative says there is an imbalance in the way Lottery proceeds are doled out to cities and towns.
2006
Mega Millions lottery jackpot up-sized to $267 million. Mega Millions sales have once again outpaced the forecast of Mega Millions officials, prompting them to increase tonight's lottery jackpot from $256 million to $267 million.
2006
California man turns in lottery scammers. A California man used common sense to avoid getting nabbed by a very common Canadian lottery scam.
2006
N.D. Lottery director discusses new game possibilities. North Dakota's lottery director talks about adding new games, as well as informal discussions between Mega Millions and Powerball officials over creating a new game bigger than Powerball.
2006
Texas Lottery eliminates Lotto bonus ball. Texas Lottery Commissioners voted today to ditch the unpopular Lotto Texas bonus ball and return to the style abandoned three years ago due to sagging sales.
2005
Mega Millions Jackpot Grows to $112 Million. The jackpot in the multistate Mega Millions lottery has grown to $112 million dollars.
2005
Lottery proposal faces long odds in Nevada. Motivated by a struggling education system, Nevada lawmakers are trying - for the 23rd time since 1975 - to establish a statewide lottery by amending the Nevada Constitution.
2005
Leader who pushed to start the ND lottery can no longer play. The leader of a petition drive to legalize the lottery in North Dakota can no longer play the game.
2005
NJ interim Gov. nominates new lottery director. Michellene Davis, a lawyer and veteran state policy adviser, has been nominated to be the next executive director of the New Jersey Lottery.
2005
New Georgia lottery scratch game popular with players. More expensive tickets and bigger prizes are helping to drive sales of $100 million Cash Spectacular, the Georgia Lottery's latest scratch game.
2005
Self-service lottery machines to be installed in Penn. liquor stores. Officials at two Pennsylvania state agencies are working on introducing player-activated lottery-ticket terminals in state liquor stores.
2005
Florida Lotto winner sued — again. After the winner of a $35 million Florida Lotto jackpot settled with his ex-wife, his ex-wife's sister stepped into the picture and wants a cut, too.
2004
Mega Millions lottery jackpot increases to $20 million. The jackpot in the multi-state Mega Millions lottery drawing grew to $20 million Saturday.

Top 25 Lottery Jackpots On This Day

1.$607 Million
Multi-State
Mega Millions
Draw Date
Mar 1, 2024
2.$414.3 Million
Multi-State
Powerball
Draw Date
Feb 28, 2024
3.$348 Million
Multi-State
Powerball
Draw Date
Mar 2, 2019
4.$293 Million
Multi-State
Powerball
Draw Date
Feb 28, 2018
5.$291.4 Million
Multi-State
Powerball
Draw Date
Mar 2, 2016
6.$275 Million
Multi-State
Mega Millions
Draw Date
Mar 2, 2007
7.$273 Million
Multi-State
Mega Millions
Draw Date
Mar 1, 2019
8.$270 Million
Multi-State
Mega Millions
Draw Date
Feb 28, 2006
9.$243 Million
Multi-State
Mega Millions
Draw Date
Mar 2, 2018
10.$216 Million
Multi-State
Mega Millions
Draw Date
Feb 28, 2014
11.$212 Million
Multi-State
Mega Millions
Draw Date
Mar 3, 2009
12.€164 Million
US$182.83 Million
Draw Date
Mar 1, 2022
13.$173 Million
Multi-State
Powerball
Draw Date
Feb 28, 2009
14.$153 Million
Multi-State
Powerball
Draw Date
Mar 1, 2008
15.$145 Million
Multi-State
Mega Millions
Draw Date
Feb 28, 2023
16.$144 Million
Multi-State
Powerball
Draw Date
Mar 1, 2023
17.€115.17 Million
US$138.87 Million
Draw Date
Mar 2, 2021
18.$135 Million
Multi-State
Mega Millions
Draw Date
Mar 1, 2016
19.€106.58 Million
US$130.25 Million
Draw Date
Mar 1, 2018
20.€112.05 Million
US$127.53 Million
Draw Date
Feb 28, 2019
21.€100 Million
US$126.59 Million
Multi-Country
Euro Millions
Draw Date
Mar 6, 2009
22.$125 Million
Multi-State
Powerball
Draw Date
Mar 3, 2021
23.$114 Million
Multi-State
Powerball
Draw Date
Mar 3, 2010
24.$112 Million
Multi-State
Mega Millions
Draw Date
Mar 1, 2005
24.$112 Million
Multi-State
Mega Millions
Draw Date
Mar 2, 2010

Lottery Post Member Birthdays On This Day

1998
Saturday, Feb 28, 1998
26 years old
1986
Friday, Feb 28, 1986
38 years old
1984
Tuesday, Feb 28, 1984
40 years old
1980
Thursday, Feb 28, 1980
44 years old
1978
Tuesday, Feb 28, 1978
46 years old
1977
Monday, Feb 28, 1977
47 years old
1977
Monday, Feb 28, 1977
47 years old
1974
Thursday, Feb 28, 1974
50 years old
1965
Sunday, Feb 28, 1965
59 years old
1965
Sunday, Feb 28, 1965
59 years old
1962
Wednesday, Feb 28, 1962
62 years old
1955
Monday, Feb 28, 1955
69 years old
1952
Thursday, Feb 28, 1952
72 years old
1951
Wednesday, Feb 28, 1951
73 years old
(year not provided)
(year not provided)
(year not provided)

Worldwide Events On This Day

2023
Two trains collide south of the Vale of Tempe in Greece, leading to the deaths of at least 57 people and leaving 58 missing and 85 injured.
2013
Pope Benedict XVI resigns as the pope of the Catholic Church, becoming the first pope to do so since Pope Gregory XII, in 1415.
2002
During the religious violence in Gujarat, 97 people are killed in the Naroda Patiya massacre and 69 in the Gulbarg Society massacre.
2001
The 2001 Nisqually earthquake, having a moment magnitude of 6.8, with epicenter in the southern Puget Sound, damages Seattle metropolitan area.
1997
An earthquake in northern Iran is responsible for about 1,100 deaths.
1997
A Turkish military memorandum resulted with collapse of the government in Turkey.
1993
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) agents raid the Branch Davidian church in Waco, Texas with a warrant to arrest the group's leader David Koresh starting a 51-day standoff.
1986
Olof Palme, 26th Prime Minister of Sweden, is assassinated in Stockholm.
1985
The Provisional Irish Republican Army carries out a mortar attack on the Royal Ulster Constabulary police station at Newry, killing nine officers.
1983
The final episode of M*A*S*H airs, with almost 110 million viewers.
1975
In London, an underground train fails to stop at Moorgate terminus station and crashes into the end of the tunnel, killing 43 people.
1974
The British election ended in a hung parliament after the Jeremy Thorpe-led Liberal Party achieved their biggest vote.
1969
The 1969 Portugal earthquake hits Portugal, Spain and Morocco.
1966
A NASA T-38 Talon crashes into the McDonnell Aircraft factory while attempting a poor-visibility landing at Lambert Field, St. Louis, killing astronauts Elliot See and Charles Bassett.
1959
Discoverer 1, an American spy satellite that is the first object intended to achieve a polar orbit, is launched but fails to achieve orbit.
1958
A school bus in Floyd County, Kentucky hits a wrecker truck and plunges down an embankment into the rain-swollen Levisa Fork river. The driver and 26 children die in one of the worst school bus accidents in U.S. history.
1947
February 28 Incident: In Taiwan, civil disorder is put down with the death of an estimated 28,000 civilians.
1925
The Charlevoix-Kamouraska earthquake strikes northeastern North America.
1922
The United Kingdom ends its protectorate over Egypt through a Unilateral Declaration of Independence.
1844
A gun explodes on board the steam warship USS Princeton during a pleasure cruise down the Potomac River, killing six, including Secretary of State Abel Upshur. President John Tyler, who was also on board, was not injured from the blast.
1835
Elias Lönnrot signed and dated the first version of the Kalevala, the so-called foreword to the Old Kalevala.
1638
The Scottish National Covenant is signed in Edinburgh.
1525
Aztec king Cuauhtémoc is executed on the order of conquistador Hernán Cortés.
870
The Fourth Council of Constantinople closes.
202 BC
Liu Bang is enthroned as the Emperor of China, beginning four centuries of rule by the Han dynasty.

Births On This Day

1999
Luka Dončić, Slovenian basketball player
1994
Alex Caruso, American basketball player
1994
Arkadiusz Milik, Polish footballer
1990
Takayasu Akira, Japanese sumo wrestler
1989
Carlos Dunlap, American football player
1989
Charles Jenkins, American basketball player
1989
Kevin Proctor, New Zealand rugby league player
1988
Aroldis Chapman, Cuban baseball player
1987
Akito, Japanese professional wrestler
1987
Antonio Candreva, Italian footballer
1985
Tim Bresnan, English cricketer
1985
Jelena Janković, Serbian tennis player
1985
Diego Ribas da Cunha, Brazilian footballer
1984
Karolína Kurková, Czech model and actress
1982
Natalia Vodianova, Russian-French model and actress
1981
Brian Bannister, American baseball player and scout
1980
Pascal Bosschaart, Dutch footballer
1980
Christian Poulsen, Danish footballer
1980
Tayshaun Prince, American basketball player
1979
Sébastien Bourdais, French race car driver
1979
Ivo Karlović, Croatian tennis player
1978
Benjamin Raich, Austrian skier
1978
Jamaal Tinsley, American basketball player
1978
Mariano Zabaleta, Argentinian tennis player
1977
Jason Aldean, American singer-songwriter
1977
Lance Hoyt, American football player and wrestler
1976
Ali Larter, American actress and model
1975
Mike Rucker, American football player
1974
Lee Carsley, English-Irish footballer and manager
1974
Alexander Zickler, German footballer and manager
1973
Eric Lindros, Canadian ice hockey player
1973
Scott McLeod, New Zealand rugby player
1973
Nicolas Minassian, French race car driver
1973
Masato Tanaka, Japanese wrestler
1972
Ville Haapasalo, Finnish actor and screenwriter
1971
Junya Nakano, Japanese pianist and composer
1970
Noureddine Morceli, Algerian runner
1970
Daniel Brochu, Canadian actor
1969
Sean Farrel, English footballer
1969
Butch Leitzinger, American race car driver
1969
Robert Sean Leonard, American actor
1969
Pat Monahan, American singer, songwriter and actor
1967
Colin Cooper, English footballer and manager
1967
Seth Rudetsky, American musician, actor, writer, and radio host
1966
Paulo Futre, Portuguese footballer
1966
Archbishop Jovan VI of Ohrid
1963
Claudio Chiappucci, Italian cyclist
1961
Barry McGuigan, Irish-British boxer
1958
Manuel Torres Félix, Mexican criminal and narcotics trafficker (d. 2012)
1958
David R. Ross, Scottish historian and author (d. 2010)
1957
Ian Smith, New Zealand cricketer and sportscaster
1957
John Turturro, American actor and director
1957
Cindy Wilson, American singer-songwriter
1956
Francis Hughes, Irish Republican, hunger striker (d. 1981)
1956
Terry Leahy, English businessman
1955
Adrian Dantley, American basketball player and coach
1955
Gilbert Gottfried, American comedian, actor, and singer (d. 2022)
1954
Brian Billick, American football player, coach, and sportscaster
1953
Paul Krugman, American economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate
1953
Ricky Steamboat, American professional wrestler
1949
Zoia Ceaușescu, Romanian mathematician, daughter of Communist leader Nicolae Ceaușescu and his wife Elena Ceaușescu (d. 2006)
1948
Steven Chu, American physicist and politician, 12th United States Secretary of Energy, Nobel Prize laureate
1948
Bernadette Peters, American actress, singer, and author
1948
Mercedes Ruehl, American actress
1947
Salvador Flamenco, Salvadorean footballer
1946
Robin Cook, Scottish educator and politician, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (d. 2005)
1946
Syreeta Wright, American singer-songwriter (d. 2004)
1945
Bubba Smith, American football player and actor (d. 2011)
1944
Kelly Bishop, American actress
1944
Edward Greenspan, Canadian lawyer and author (d. 2014)
1944
Sepp Maier, German footballer and manager
1944
Storm Thorgerson, English graphic designer (d. 2013)
1943
Barbara Acklin, American singer-songwriter (d. 1998)
1942
Frank Bonner, American actor and television director (d. 2021)
1942
Brian Jones, English guitarist, songwriter, and producer (d. 1969)
1942
Dino Zoff, Italian footballer
1940
Mario Andretti, Italian-American racing driver
1939
Daniel C. Tsui, Chinese-American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate
1939
Tommy Tune, American actor, dancer, singer, theatre director, producer, and choreographer
1937
Jeff Farrell, American swimmer
1933
Rein Taagepera, Estonian political scientist and politician
1932
Don Francks, Canadian actor, singer, and jazz musician (d. 2016)
1931
Peter Alliss, English golfer and sportscaster (d. 2020)
1931
Gavin MacLeod, American actor, Christian activist, and author (d. 2021)
1931
Len Newcombe, Welsh footballer and scout (d. 1996)
1930
Leon Cooper, American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate
1929
Hayden Fry, American football player and coach (d. 2019)
1929
John Montague, American-Irish poet and academic (d. 2016)
1929
Frank Gehry, Canadian-born American architect and designer
1928
Stanley Baker, Welsh actor and producer (d. 1976)
1928
Tom Aldredge, American actor (d. 2011)
1928
Sylvia del Villard, actress, dancer, choreographer and Afro-Puerto Rican activist (d. 1990)
1925
Harry H. Corbett, Burmese-English actor (d. 1982)
1924
Robert A. Roe, American soldier and politician (d. 2014)
1922
Radu Câmpeanu, Romanian politician (d. 2016)
1921
Marah Halim Harahap, Indonesian military officer, Governor of North Sumatra (d. 2015)
1920
Jadwiga Piłsudska, Polish soldier, pilot, and architect (d. 2014)
1919
Alfred Marshall, American businessman, founded Marshalls (d. 2013)
1915
Ketti Frings, American author, playwright, and screenwriter (d. 1981)
1915
Peter Medawar, Brazilian-English biologist and immunologist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1987)
1909
Stephen Spender, English author and poet (d. 1995)
1908
Billie Bird, American actress (d. 2002)
1907
Milton Caniff, American cartoonist (d. 1988)
1906
Bugsy Siegel, American gangster (d. 1947)
1901
Linus Pauling, American chemist and activist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1994)
1898
Zeki Rıza Sporel, Turkish footballer (d. 1969)
1896
Philip Showalter Hench, American physician and endocrinologist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1965)
1894
Ben Hecht, American director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1964)
1887
William Zorach, Lithuanian-American sculptor and painter (d. 1966)
1884
Ants Piip, Estonian lawyer and politician, 7th Prime Minister of Estonia (d. 1942)
1878
Pierre Fatou, French mathematician and astronomer (d. 1929)
1866
Vyacheslav Ivanov, Russian poet and playwright (d. 1949)
1858
Tore Svennberg, Swedish actor and director (d. 1941)
1848
Arthur Giry, French historian and academic (d. 1899)
1704
Louis Godin, French astronomer and academic (d. 1760)
1683
René Antoine Ferchault de Réaumur, French entomologist and academic (d. 1757)
1675
Guillaume Delisle, French cartographer (d. 1726)
1552
Jost Bürgi, Swiss mathematician and clockmaker (d. 1632)
1535
Cornelius Gemma, Dutch astronomer and astrologer (d. 1578)
1533
Michel de Montaigne, French philosopher and author (d. 1592)
1518
Francis III, Duke of Brittany, Duke of Brittany (d. 1536)
1261
Margaret of Scotland, Queen of Norway (d. 1283)

Deaths On This Day

2020
Joe Coulombe, founder of Trader Joe's (b. 1930)
2020
Freeman Dyson, British-born American physicist and mathematician (b. 1923)
2020
Sir Lenox Hewitt, Australian public servant (b. 1917)
2019
André Previn, German-American pianist, conductor, and composer. (b. 1929)
2016
George Kennedy, American actor (b. 1925)
2015
Yaşar Kemal, Turkish journalist and author (b. 1923)
2014
Hugo Brandt Corstius, Dutch linguist and author (b. 1935)
2013
Donald A. Glaser, American physicist and biologist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1926)
2011
Annie Girardot, French actress (b. 1931)
2009
Paul Harvey, American radio host (b. 1918)
2007
Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. American historian and critic (b. 1917)
2006
Owen Chamberlain, American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1920)
2005
Chris Curtis, English singer and drummer (b. 1941)
2004
Daniel J. Boorstin, American historian and librarian (b. 1914)
2003
Chris Brasher, Guyanese-English runner and journalist, co-founded the London Marathon (b. 1928)
2002
Mary Stuart, American actress and singer (b. 1926)
2002
Helmut Zacharias, German violinist and composer (b. 1920)
1998
Arkady Shevchenko, Ukrainian diplomat (b. 1930)
1993
Ruby Keeler, Canadian-American actress and dancer (b. 1909)
1978
Zara Cully, American actress (b. 1892)
1977
Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, American actor and comedian (b. 1905)
1975
Neville Cardus, English cricket and music writer (b. 1888)
1966
Charles Bassett, American captain, engineer, and astronaut (b. 1931)
1966
Elliot See, American commander, engineer, and astronaut (b. 1927)
1955
Isak Penttala, Finnish politician (b. 1883)
1936
Charles Nicolle, French biologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1866)
1932
Guillaume Bigourdan, French astronomer and academic (b. 1851)
1929
Clemens von Pirquet, Austrian physician and immunologist (b. 1874)
1882
Adolf Zytogorski, Polish-British chess master and translator (b. c. 1811/1812)
1857
André Dumont, Belgian geologist and academic (b. 1809)
1740
Pietro Ottoboni, Italian cardinal and patron of the arts (b. 1667)
1621
Cosimo II de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (b. 1590)
628
Khosrow II, Shah of Iran, Sasanian Empire (b. c. 570)