Lottery pool

[Richwalsh561]

in Florida, is it illegal to purchase lottery tickets myself and charge people to be part of a lottery pool? Meaning that only I am purchasing the tickets, redeeming them, taking the money, but sharing my winnings, no matter what they amount to, evenly with everyone who paid to be a part of the pool?

 

[LdiJ]

in Florida, is it illegal to purchase lottery tickets myself and charge people to be part of a lottery pool? Meaning that only I am purchasing the tickets, redeeming them, taking the money, but sharing my winnings, no matter what they amount to, evenly with everyone who paid to be a part of the pool?

Its not illegal to pool your money to buy lottery tickets. I am pretty sure it would be illegal if you attempted to make a profit doing it.

 

[FlyingRon]

What do you mean "charge people?"

Actually, it's likely illegal no matter which way you weasel it.

You likely can escape problems however if you do all of these things:

1. You are a money-paying contributor to the pool (i.e., you and a bunch of coworkers each throw in $20 towards the pool).
2. You don't take any money from anybody as a "fee" for the effort.
3. You only take any proceeds in proportion to the actual money you contributed.
4. You do this only with your own acquaintances and do not solicit participation from people at large.

Failure to do any of these things looks like you are an illegal lottery agent.

 

[Richwalsh561]

I meant as if I am taking a fee for getting lottery pools together, naming one person then"leader" of the pool and accepts only his or her portion of the cut, distributing equally the winnings among all of the pool, excluding myself. So I would simply be getting people together, someone who is part of the group would buy the lottery tickets and I'd make money for collecting people together