8/26/2008 - 3:05 PM

Beware of Lottery Copy Cat Web sites

The Louisiana Lottery Corporation wants those who enjoy our games to be aware of "copy-cat" web sites that contain "louisianalottery" or some variation in the Web address or give the appearance of being sanctioned or operated by the Louisiana Lottery.

Copy-cat Web sites featuring Louisiana Lottery and other state lotteries are gaining in popularity. In fact, many of these Web site domains are so close that if you are not careful of your spelling and typing, you may accidentally visit one of these "unofficial" sites.

Unfortunately, an increasing number of lottery Web sites are appearing on the Internet, leading to confusion among players. One such site offer players the chance to receive daily winning numbers via their cell phone. Once a player opts in, they are automatically signed into a system that will charge them a significant monthly fee. Some companies do not tell players that there is a charge for this service or provide the information in fine print. By the time they discover the monthly fee charged to their account, they've already lost money. In addition, opting out of the service can be difficult or time-consuming.

The Louisiana Lottery does provide players, who are members of its players club- Club Lotteaux, the opportunity to receive daily winning numbers through e-mail at no cost. Winning numbers can also be accessed free of charge by visiting our website, by phone at 225-297-2350 or toll-free in-state at 800-735-5825. At this time, we do not provide winning numbers via cell phones.

Lottery players are encourage to read the fine print on all Web sites visited to avoid being disappointed at best and scammed at worst. In addition, never provide personal financial information by e-mail or on a Web site claiming to offer Lottery prizes or sell you a ticket. The Lottery will not request account numbers or personal financial information from you on our site. Only basic information is needed to enhance your online Club Lotteaux experience. You should also be aware that gambling online or over the Internet is forbidden by federal law.

So, how can you tell whether you are on the Lottery's official site?

Make sure that you type the correct spelling of the Louisiana Lottery Corporation in your search engine or in the address bar, www.louisianalottery.com. If the URL address does NOT start with http(s)://www.louisianalottery.com then it isn't the real thing!