Powerball Envy in Alaska

No lottery in our state, but there are bingo and pull-tabs

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By Lacie Grosvold

Story Created: Nov 28, 2012 at 6:04 PM AKDT

Story Updated: Nov 28, 2012 at 7:14 PM AKDT

ANCHORAGE - Wednesday, the Powerball jackpot might make one or a few Americans millionaires. The jackpot is $550 million, and no matter how you slice it, that is a magnificent, life-changing amount of money.

Over 40 states will participate, but Alaska won't be one of them. Alaska is just one of seven states that has no state-sponsored lottery, and it would take a vote by the legislature to change that.

It's a small consolation, but Alaskans can still try their luck at bingo or pull-tabs. In pull-tabs, the maximum prize for a ticket is $500.

Winning a couple of hundred bucks won't change your life, but the owner/operator of Rippie King discussed what pull-tab winners might do with their prize money. He says unlike Powerball winners, their splurges will be prety small. "Now i can go buy groceries, or I'm going to go pay off a bill or something like that. Anything you would do if you found an extra 20 bucks in your pocket," he said.

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jjm said on Sunday, Dec 2 at 11:14 PM

why don't alaska allow power ball lottery? it would be more revenue for the state and schools

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Anonymous said on Thursday, Nov 29 at 11:15 AM

If they are going to spend the money they will. Be it on groceries, pull tabs lottery or on booze. If they are going to waste their money I would rather see them waste it on a lottery that puts money back into the state rather than on booze.

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Anonymous said on Thursday, Nov 29 at 12:13 AM

If people are playing pull tabs with money they need for groceries, probably better we DON'T have powerball. That said, it's legal to win powerball in any state, you just have to travel or have a friend or relative mail you a ticket.

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GboyAK said on Wednesday, Nov 28 at 9:24 PM

Strange state I live in - votes Republican, known for rugged individualism, but limits freedom of choice like banning alcohol sales in many jurisdictions and not allowing powerball lottery sales anywhere.

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Big Dan said on Wednesday, Nov 28 at 7:48 PM

And I can't tell you how many times I have seen people doing pull tabs, writing checks to get more then they just take the cash to buy back their check. I have played a few pull tabs in my day, but always limited myself to 10 bucks. Won one 500 dollar one, so over the years, I guess I may have broke even.

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