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Ca Lottery Giveaway

Toolman286
I have a problem with the state giving away lottery tickets to audience members of a specific tv show. If so, they should give everyone a free ticket. But it's Kalipornia.


‘Ellen’ Show’s $212,500 in Scratchers Giveaway Spurs California Lottery ‘Misuse of Funds’ Probe

The California Lottery thought gifting the audience of Ellen DeGeneres’s daytime talk show $212,500 worth of scratcher tickets was a good way to drum up publicity, but now state lawmakers are investigating whether it was a misuse of funds.

A report by The Los Angeles Times Thursday said that State Sen. Ling Ling Chang (R-Diamond Bar) has asked an auditor to look into the California State Lottery’s giveaway after a whistleblower complaint raised concerns about “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” promotion.

In early December, the lottery gifted the show 425 packets that each included 72 scratchers tickets with a face value of $500 per packet for an audience giveaway.


The giveaway was part of DeGeneres’ “12 Days of Giveaways” holiday promotion, during which she was joined by late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel to reveal the gifts. In addition to the scratchers, DeGeneres and Kimmel gave the audience a $500 Visa gift card, $500 in beauty products, $300 in new clothes and a trip to a beach resort.

In 1984, California voters approved the lottery with the stipulation that 34% of sales revenue would go toward education. The whistleblower complaint was filed by employees at the California State Lottery. Chang said the lottery should have been reimbursed by “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” for the tickets.

“This concerns me because, bottom line, the mission of the California Lottery is to provide supplemental funding to California public schools,” Chang said. “I want to know how this contribution affects supplemental funding to California public schools. Does it help? I don’t think so.”

The complaint comes just a week before an auditor is set to release a report into the lottery. Chang requested the audit last year after the state lottery was accused of wasteful spending, improper gifts and nepotism.

Read original story ‘Ellen’ Show’s $212,500 in Scratchers Giveaway Spurs California Lottery ‘Misuse of Funds’ Probe At TheWrap


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Comments

6 comments

Date Votes
  • Henry0Reilly
    Lottery = tax on people who are bad at math.
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  • mac10
    and no one won a nickle
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  • Brookwood
    I have been a lottery sceptic ever since it started. I can count on my 10 (8 fingers and 2 thumbs) fingers all of the tickets I have purchased over the years.  

    Last fall one of my brothers best friends youngest sisters hit the Power Ball for 80 million dollars! :o
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  • jimdeere
    State Senator Ling Ling Chang?
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  • select-fire
    Whistle Blower..
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  • dunbarboyz
    Whistle blower does that mean? We made this s*#t up!
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