Paying for prizes that aren't there

St. Petersburg, Florida - Lottery players in Florida spent more than $4 billion buying tickets, but some of them were trying to win a prize that was no longer there.

Florida is among more than 20 states that still sell scratch off tickets, even after the big prizes have been awarded. Although scratch off tickets have a warning on the front and the back in small print that the top prizes might be gone when the ticket is purchased, most people we talked to had no idea it was happening.

Donna Burnett says "It doesn't seem fair, but the state does cover itself with the small print, nobody ever reads that."

The lottery defends the practice by saying there are still plenty of second tier prizes available, even if the big prizes are gone. The state also updates its web site each day with what prizes are still available for each game.

The publisher of Lotto News, Dawn Nettles, says the states are backed into a corner. If they end the scratch when the big prizes are gone, then they might have to eat the cost of the tickets that have been printed but not sold.

Some states have been forced by lawsuits to end the games when the big prizes are gone. Nettles says those state's don't put out tickets with the big prizes until 70 percent of the scratch offs are sold.

While consumers don't like idea of playing the games when the big prizes are gone, some say the pain is eased because the money goes for education.

While lottery money does go for education some complain it is part of a bait and switch plan. Before the lottery, Florida spent almost 60 percent of its budget on education. This past year the state spent 48 percent on education.

If you want to find out more about the lottery here is the link to the

Florida Lottery and to Dawn Nettles' Lotto News.