Pound man claims Va. Lottery $100,000 prize

POUND — Just one day shy of losing $100,000, Bill Foley of Pound claimed his Virginia Lottery prize.

The Virginia Lottery allows six months for winning tickets to be redeemed. And for the past six months, Foley didn’t redeem his $100,000 winner because he didn’t know he’d won. Two weeks ago, the Virginia Lottery issued a press release on a winning ticket sold in Pound that was set to expire on Friday.

On Thursday, about 25 hours before the ticket would have become worthless, Foley checked the numbers on an old lottery ticket and found out he had the winner.

“We’ve had it all the time,” he told Virginia Lottery officials. “We just weren’t aware it was a winner.”

Read the full report in the print edition or the enhanced electronic version of the Kingsport Times-News.

Record setting lotto sales in Va., Md.

By Washington Post editors

Virginia and Maryland's lotteries racked up record revenue over the past year, providing cash-strapped governments with funding for schools, police and other critical services, the Washington Examiner reports.

Virginia Lottery sales totaled more than $1.4 billion in the last fiscal year and Maryland's topped $1.7 billion -- both new records for the states -- with nearly half that money, a total of about $1 billion, ending up in the states' coffers. The profit from sales is providing a financial boon at a time when many states face significant budget shortfalls.

Read more about record lottery sales in Maryland and Virginia in the Washington Examiner:

W.Va. Lottery to mark 25th anniversary

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - The West Virginia Lottery will be marking its 25th anniversary on Jan. 9.

Lottery Director John Musgrave said a yearlong celebration is in store with more than $18 million in prizes being given away.

The Lottery plans to introduce three instant games with prizes totaling $12.7 million. Instant-game players also can become eligible for six monthly promotional drawings that will award $2.5 million in prizes, including a grand prize of $1 million.

Other promotions will be announced throughout the year.

"It is a time to celebrate the Lottery's good work, as well as the players who have contributed to important projects and programs that have benefited citizens statewide for 25 years," Musgrave said.

Musgrave said the Lottery has had cumulative sales of nearly $16 billion since selling its first ticket in 1986. The Lottery has transferred more than $5.9 billion in profits to state programs.

West Virginia Lottery Bowl Report

ORLANDO, Fla. - A West Virginia Lottery Champs Sports Bowl report on the WVU Mountaineers continuing their preparation for the game against NC State on Tuesday, Dec. 28. This report features interviews with Keith Tandy, Chris Neild, and Head Coach Bill Stewart.

Be sure to catch the Mountaineers360 Champs Sports Bowl Special Monday night at 7 p.m. on MSN affiliates throughout West Virginia. Check your local listings.