State lottery revenues exceeding expectations: ; Officials anticipate drop after Ohio finishes building delayed casinos

West Virginia Lottery revenues are running nearly $50 millionabove expectations halfway through the fiscal year as constructiondelays at Ohio casinos have kept new competition from affecting thestate.

Overall revenues were running 7.5 percent above expectationsthrough the end of December, Finance Director Jim Toney said.

The state's two northern casinos - Mountaineer and WheelingIsland - had expected to face some tough competition from newlyconstructed casinos in neighboring Ohio by now.

"We had expected Ohio to begin competition in December, and itlooks like they're kind of delayed until late February or March,"Toney said. "They've got four of the seven casino racetracks in theprocess of building construction."

Budget officials have been advising lawmakers to anticipate adrop in lottery revenues over the coming years as those casinos comeonline. That is still the forecast, but it just isn't clear when thetables will start to turn.

"They're coming down the road, but exactly when they'll get onboard we're not sure yet," he said.

The Lottery brought in more than $706.4 million in instantticket, online, racetrack, table game and video lottery revenue fromJuly 1 to Dec. 31, $49.3 million above the agency's forecast of$657.1 million.

The Lottery has transferred $303.9 million to the various stateagencies it supports so far this fiscal year.

"We're in good shape," Toney said. "The most important thing isthat all of the revenue lines of the lottery are in positive trendsas they relate to the forecasts."

Instant ticket and online sales - including Powerball,MegaMillions and Keno - are running 3.6 percent above forecasts at$96 million through December, and table game revenue has come in46.5 percent above forecasts at $38.2 million.

The online sales figures do not include the new $2 Powerballprice. That new price level went into effect Jan. 15.

Limited video lottery is running 4.7 percent above expectationsof $185.4 million, bringing in $194.2 million in revenue so far thisfiscal year.

The biggest driver of the surplus revenue is the $24.5 milliongenerated by racetrack revenue beating estimates by 7 percent.Officials had forecast mid-year revenue of $350.1 million, butracetracks have brought in $374.6 million so far.

Toney said warm winter weather has helped encourage more peopleto get out.

Lottery Power Play odds When lottery players buy a Powerballticket for $2, they have the option of purchasing the Power Play foran additional $1. Instead of another drawing to determine the amountof the prize, the Power Play is now set at certain factors for thevarious prize levels. The chart shows the odds and payout forwinning Powerball lottery tickets: Match Win Odds Power Playwins 5 plus Powerball Jackpot 1:175,233,510 Jackpot only* 5without Powerball $1 Million 1:5,153,633 $2 million 4 plusPowerball $10,000 1:648,976 $40,000 4 without Powerball $1001:19,088 $200 3 plus Powerball $100 1:12,245 $200 3without Powerball $7 1:360 $14 2 plus Powerball $7 1:706 $14 1 plus Powerball $4 1:111 $12 Powerball $41:55 $12 Overall odds of winning a prize are 1 in 31.85. TheJackpot may have multiple winners, and prizes may be reduced ifclaims exceed available funds. *Not eligible for Power Play option.Source: West Virginia Lottery office

Contact writer Jared Hunt at jared.hunt@dailymail.com or 304-348-5148.