That's what they think.  The people who only play Powerball will be the only ones not going to SC and that will not generate enough money for what the officials expect. 

People who play the pick 3 and pick 4 will be going to SC as usually and they may even just buy their powerball ticket in SC to save a stop. 

The Red Rocket and all of those bordeline stores are full of NC people playing pick 3 mostly and full of Powerball people when the jackpot is high.   

If NC want the lottery to start with a bang, they need to bring pick 3 and Powerball first.  If not they will take a dive.  That will keep all of their people in NC.  The maroons.

It's the "price" you pay when you have a store on the state line.

I saw the same thing happen in 1993 when GA started their lottery and the Florida stores along the state line cried, but guess what ? They are still there  and still selling FL lotto tickets....

They need to give it time before whining.

In any situation where a state bordering other already active lottery states starts up their own lottery, someone will always be unhappy.  Before NC started the lottery, NC complained that all of that eduation money was going towards SC's schools and programs.  Now SC is complaining that their sales will plummet because NC players won't cross the borders for tickets anymore. 

I think people just like to complain.  It gives them something to talk about at the water cooler.

"The state of South Carolina is preparing to lose $150 million to North Carolina when its lottery gets going."

That statement should have read "The state of South Carolina is preparing for the people of North Carolina to start spending their $150 millions at home instead of giving it to them when they get their lottery going."

I agree with Tenaj - the Pick 3'ers and Pick 4'ers will still go to SC because there is none here in NC. And what else will they do while they're there? That's right...they will buy Powerball there instead of having to go to 2 different places. And they also will play scratchers there.

 It won't be until the NC lottery wakes up and puts all available games here in NC before they see money coming away from SC. Until then, which sounds like it could be a while with these dopes in office, SC has nothing to worry about in the forseeable future.

Kinda of makes it a fact that the lottery is about how much a person can make off the players.  As soon as SC found something they didn't like, they start complaining about NC doing something they didn't agree with.  NC should have taken SC feelings into consideration before thinking for themselves and acting on what they believe in.  If NC had learned it is better to get along then exercise freedom, every one in SC would have been happier.  I never thought people would do something like that. 

I live on the VA borderline of NC, I was hoping NC would get Powerball and my thought was on this end it would draw VA players who have Mega Millions.  I had heard that Powerball would be like later close to summer but the other games like scratch will be this coming spring.  I agree with the other posters people will always find something to complain about but we all know in this game there are winners and for every winner there are losers! Oh yea, speaking of loser, i lost today looking for those 5's in Va.

The complaint is not about Powerball versus MM.  It is about having the opportunity of play pick 3 and pick 4.  NC officials stated that there will be one or the other.  It's about the opportunity to play at all.  Who gives a damn whether it's Powerball or Mega Milliions.  NC lottery startup is so screwed up, I don't blame MM for not wanting to touch it with a ten foot pole.  Nobody brings Powerball before pick 3 and 4.  That's a red flag in itself.

If you live on the VA stateline then you have had the convenience of playing a state lottery for many years.  We had not.  We can't say "I wish we could play both."  We say "I wish we can play at all." or "let me hide my lottery tickets on the way home." 

So it's more than just people complaining.  It's about one of the only states in the union without a lottery and who have fought very very hard for 20 years to get one that represents everyone and not eliminate the favorite of a certain group. 

So you privilege people who have had a lottery for many years remember the feeling of NC people who want to have a fair one.

I do agree with you, but my bad I thought they were bringing the scratch and numbers game first this spring.Yea our state have been jacked-up with getting this lottery going. What I don't understand is why  it took so long, and why the opponents worry about it if you not going to play, just because its legal don't mean you have to play. The poor people they are so called worried about will gamble on something if they want to.