Dec. 13--Illinois Lottery drawings are going dark on national cable channel WGN America beginning Monday, lottery officials said late Friday.
The drawings will continue to air on WGN-Ch. 9's midday and evening newscasts but will no longer be seen on WGN America, which is converting from a superstation to a cable network. Viewers will still be able to see the drawings nationally via live streaming at WGNtv.com.
"The Lottery drawings being held at WGN-TV studios in Chicago will continue into the new year with the same drawing talent and the same sets of auditors that currently accompany each and every drawing there," Lottery Director Michael Jones said in a statement.
Tribune Media's WGN-TV has been the television home for the Illinois Lottery since 1994. Under the current one-year agreement, which took effect in July, the lottery pays WGN-TV about $905,000 to air two live broadcasts each day.
WGN America stopped carrying the evening drawings in February after replacing the "News at Nine" with national programming.
rchannick@tribpub.com
Twitter @RobertChannick
