MS Lottery Ahead of Schedule
A few different dates for the lottery’s launch have been floated in the year since the Alyce G. Clarke Mississippi Lottery Act was passed, until a firm date of December 1st 2019 was settled on by the Mississippi Lottery Corporation (MLC). In a surprise announcement this week, however, the launch has been brought forward to November 25th.
Speaking about the progress made on the lottery, MLC President Tom Shaheen said, "The earlier start date reflects our rapid progress."
In the coming days, retailers that have already successfully applied to sell lottery products will be receiving their acceptance letters and guidance on what to do next.
"We are beyond excited about working with such a great group of retailers," Shaheen added. "The acceptance letter includes next step information addressing retailer training and store preparation for lottery terminals and equipment. Retailers will also receive a lottery certificate, which is required to be visibly posted in their location.
"The pillar of the lottery is having successful retailers on board,” he continued. “We are working with retailers to ensure they are well-prepared for launch."
Retailers that have been approved to sell lottery tickets will be listed on the Mississippi Lottery’s website. The MLC are still inviting applications from retailers that have not yet applied. The range and pricing of scratch-offs that will be available come November 25th are still to be announced.
Powerball and Mega Millions in Mississippi in Early 2020
The news of the launch will be welcomed by advocates who have waited decades to see plans for a state lottery come to fruition. A lot of excitement is still to come, however, as the MS Lottery continues its preparations to launch draw games in the state, including the multi-state giants Mega Millions and Powerball.
In a further announcement, the MLC revealed that Mega Millions and Powerball will launch in Mississippi on January 30th 2020.
Lotto America and Cash 4 Life – two other popular multi-state games – will also be added to the lottery’s roster, although whether they will launch at the same time as Mega Millions and Powerball remains to be seen.
In addition, three more unspecified games will be available: a 3-digit, 4-digit, and a 5-digit game. That will take the lottery’s tally of draw games to seven, making it one of the most complete offers in not just the southern states but in the whole of the US.