The documents invite proposals from vendors to facilitate the lottery’s operation, and they state that the Corporation ‘requires’ that instant ticket sales begin on or before the December 1st deadline. They also state that ticket sales for draw games such as Mega Millions and Powerball are required to begin on or before February 10th, 2020.
This is the first time that a firm date has been set for the lottery’s launch, and it will come as exciting news for residents of the state who have been waiting years for it to happen.
What Else Has Been Revealed?
In addition to the launch dates, the documents released by the Mississippi Lottery Corporation revealed the following:
- The following games will be available when draw games are launched in February: Powerball, Mega Millions, Lotto America, Cash4Life, a 3-digit game, a 4-digit game, and a 5-digit game
- The Corporation expects to have tickets available for sale in 1,500 to 1,700 retailers across the state when it launches, which could expand to 3,000 or more retailers in the future
- There will be approximately three regional claim centers in addition to a central lottery headquarters, which will be situated in the Greater Jackson Metropolitan Area
The biggest news of all these points is that there will be so many draw games (otherwise referred to as ‘online’ games) available upon the lottery’s launch. This will put Mississippi on par with neighboring states, such as Arkansas and Tennessee, which each have a similar catalogue of games.