SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Illinois is going to sell Powerball lottery tickets on the Internet, and at least one lawmaker predicts a big payday.

Sen. Jeff Schoenberg says online sales could produce an additional $25 million a year for state government. The Evanston Democrat says the money will pay for public works projects and create jobs around the state.

Illinois became the first state to sell lottery tickets online when it started offering Lotto and Mega Millions tickets in March. A new law adds Powerball to that mix.

The law also requires the state lottery to come up with a way of limiting online purchases by problem gamblers, and the state has to study how it affects convenience stores and other places that physically sell lottery tickets.

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