Hit the Road this Summer with up to $15,000 in Free Gasoline from the Illinois Lottery

CHICAGO, June 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Just in time for the summer travel season, the Illinois Lottery has launched a new Free Gas instant lottery game. Under The Good Life family of games, the Free Gas game offers more than 700 Gas Card prizes ranging from $650 to $15,000 worth of gasoline—and the Illinois Lottery will pay state withholding taxes on behalf of winners of any prizes of $1300 or more and federal withholding taxes on behalf of winners of $15,000. In addition, the game offers more than $7 million in cash prizes.

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"The lottery thought that offering an instant game with free gasoline was a great idea for summer," said Lottery Superintendent Michael Jones. "Part of the American Good Life is hitting the highway for a summer vacation, going to a ball game, or visiting friends. Now you can take a chance by purchasing a Free Gas instant ticket to avoid high gas prices knowing that if you don't win one of the lottery gas cards you are helping schools and building roads and bridges in our beautiful state."

"This new ticket is an essential component in our efforts to expand our player base and offer prizes other than cash under our Good Life brand. Free Gas is a new concept and the Illinois Lottery is the only state to have such a ticket. We're looking forward to see how this game performs, especially in light of rising gas prices," said Northstar Lottery Group CEO Marco Tasso.

How it works: The Free Gas instant ticket features a traditional key-number match-play style that allows consumers to easily determine if they win by matching any of their numbers to either of the two winning numbers printed on each ticket. Uncover a fuel pump symbol to win a free gas card up to $15,000. Gas prizes are paid via a Gas Debit Card issued by Bank of America. The gas cards can be used for purchases at fuel providers throughout the United States.

Free Gas does not offer a cash option on gas prizes. Overall odds of winning a prize on the Free Gas instant ticket are 1-in-4.48. This $2 game is now available at more than 8,100 Lottery retailers statewide.

For more information on Free Gas, please visit www.illinoislottery.com

About Illinois Lottery
Founded in 1974, the Illinois Lottery has contributed more than $17.5 billion to the state's Common School Fund to assist K-12 public schools, as well as millions to the Capital Projects Fund. The Lottery encourages responsible play. All players must be at least 18 years old.

About The Good Life Family of games
The Good Life instant tickets are offered at four different price points--$1, $2, $5 and $10. And with top prizes of $1,000, $2,000, $5,000 and $10,000 a week for 20 years, grand prize Good Life winners will receive their prize in quarterly payments during each of the 20 years. There are no cash options available for top prizes under The Good Life games.

SOURCE Illinois Lottery