Winning online contests and lottery

Acting on behalf of the team that he is a partial owner of, Jay-Z will represent the New Jersey Nets at the 2008 NBA Draft Lottery. Visit SOHH.com for the complete story.

The Miami Heat have the best chance today to win the right to choose between Michael Beasley and Derrick Rose, but history says they won’t. Only twice, in 2003 and ‘04, has the team with the best odds won under the current lottery format, which began in 1994.

NBA’s non-playoff teams hope to score big Tuesday night at the draft lottery, the NBA’s shortcut to go from loser to winner.

At the N.B.A. draft lottery on Tuesday, a fortunate bounce of the Ping-Pong balls could lend a major boost to the rebuilding efforts of the Knicks? new management.

California’s legislative analyst says Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s plan to pump up lottery sales and borrow against that future revenue is overly optimistic.

The Kansas Lottery Commission heard proposals Monday from the developers interested in securing a contract for possible state-owned casinos.

The Bulls own a 1.7 percent chance of winning the NBA Draft Lottery on Tuesday and a 2.0 percent chance on landing the second pick, so hopes for Derrick Rose or Michael Beasley to come to the Bulls should be tempered.

A federal appeals court upheld Monday the conviction and four-year prison sentence of former North Carolina lottery commissioner Kevin Geddings, ruling unanimously that jurors and the trial court judge acted reasonably in the case.

The state’s legislative analyst says Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s plan to pump up lottery sales and borrow against that future revenue is overly optimistic.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s plan to use the lottery to help balance the state budget relies on rosy revenue projections that ultimately could complicate efforts to fund education, the state’s legislative analyst said Monday.