Scratch-off lotteries under fire

TRENTON, N.J., June 30 (UPI) -- A lottery spokesman says New Jersey is still selling scratch-off tickets even though the top prizes in the game ending July 21 have been awarded.

Dominick DeMarco admits most tickets are gone for the state's "$1,000,000 Explosion" game and the best prize remaining is $10,000, USA Today reported Monday.

New Jersey is among a number of states coming under fire for selling scratch-off tickets after the top prizes have been won.

After lawsuits generated bad publicity, California, New York and Massachusetts stopped selling scratch-off tickets once top prizes were gone

Scott Hoover, a business professor at Washington and Lee University, says he calculates that Virginia made some $20 million annually for three years by continuing to sell tickets when a top prize wasn't available. Hoover told USA Today he plans to sue the state.

Paula Otto, Virginia lottery director, says the state ended the practice last year.