Florida Lottery workers, barred from playing own games, bet on Big Game

Wednesday, May 10, 2000 | 11:30 a.m.

Forty Florida Department of the Lottery employees have pooled their money to buy $200 worth of tickets in the Big Game lottery. That game's current $350 million jackpot is the highest of any lottery jackpot in U.S. history.

The Big Game is played in Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey and Virginia.

Florida Lottery employees are prohibited from playing in their own state's games, as is anybody else living in their households.

"It's just for ethnical and integrity reasons," said Lottery Spokesman Leo DiBenigno.

The Florida Lottery's Tallahassee headquarters are located about 25 minutes from the Georgia state line.

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