States Cheat Lottery Players Out of Millions

USA Today reports that many states have continued selling scratch-off jackpot tickets long after the top prizes emblazoned all over the tickets have already been awarded.  A law professor in Virginia is filing a class action suit claiming the state sold more than $20 million worth of such tickets per year for at least three years.

The states claim that the practice isn't fraudulent because smaller prizes are still available, and because lottery players can check the back of tickets (after they've already bought them) and websites for disclaimers and lists of prizes already claimed.  Despite that weak defense, several states, including Virginia, have since discontinued the practice.

Virginia, by the way, has killed two of its citizens in police actions aimed at protecting residents of the Old Dominion from losing their money while gambling privately.  Because those shady black market bookies might take your money under false pretenses.