State Lottery Commission approves new game

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The Oklahoma Lottery Commission on Tuesday gave formal approval to start an online lottery game on Thursday.<br/><br/>The game, "Pick 3," involves three winning numbers that will

Tuesday, November 8th 2005, 6:27 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The Oklahoma Lottery Commission on Tuesday gave formal approval to start an online lottery game on Thursday.

The game, "Pick 3," involves three winning numbers that will be drawn nightly. The drawing will be televised on WB station Channel 19 in Tulsa.

"With Pick 3, there will be days when we will pay out more than we sell and some days when we have more sales than prizes," Jim Scroggins, executive director of the Oklahoma Lottery Commission, said.

Players who match the three numbers could win up to $500. The prizes will not be divided by the number of winners, Scroggins said. Players can select their numbers or can let them be chosen at random.

Pick 3 proceeds are usually about 12 percent of what is made in scratch-offs, Scroggins said. More than $29 million had been sold in lottery tickets as of late Monday night, he said.

So far, one person has won the grand prize in the $25,000 Jackpot scratch-off and 9 people have won the $1,000 prize. More than 30 people have won the $5,000 prize with Oklahoma Gusher, the commission reported on its Web site Tuesday.

The commission plans to release four holiday-themed scratch-offs on Nov. 17. The tickets will be sold in lesser quantities with hopes of selling out, Scroggins said.

The beginning of online games is the second phase of the lottery that began in October with scratch-off tickets. The lottery is intended to raise money for public schools, which will receive 30 percent of proceeds for the first two years and 35 percent thereafter.