Ohio Lottery halts sales of 2000 numbers to prevent huge payout

The lottery got lucky in the midday drawing, when the numbers 0-1-0-5 were selected. Players who managed to get bets down early on 2000 had another chance in Saturday evening's drawing.

Because it is required by law to pay out 30 percent of its sales to education, the lottery occasionally halts betting on heavily played numbers, according to lottery spokeswoman Sandy Lesko Mounts.

The betting on 2-0-0-0 and combinations like 0-2-0-0 was halted for both drawings about 9 a.m. Saturday when a computer indicated a payout on those numbers had reached the liability limit, Mounts said.

Friday, the lottery halted betting on 2000, 1999 and 1231 (for 12th month, 31st day, or Dec. 31). None of those numbers or combinations was selected in Friday's drawings.

In the past year, the lottery also halted betting on the number 9999 (for the date 9-9-99) on Sept. 9 and a perennial St. Patrick's Day favorite, 0317, on March 17, and the Pick 3 version, 317.

Such betting is exciting for players, Mounts said. "People love to play dates," she said.

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