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Rising Gas Prices Not Helping Lottery Ticket Sales
North Carolina Lottery: Rising Gas Prices Not Helping Lottery Ticket Sales
People have spent more than $100 million in the past month buying lottery tickets in North Carolina. The state is pleased with the results, but officials say the take could be even bigger. So, what's holding things back? Some believe it's high gas prices. Actually, these days it seems like you have to win the lottery just to be able to afford gas. Reginald Williams drives all the time for his home improvement business. He's keeping expenses down by not buying non-necessities like lottery tickets.
"I spend $30 everyday just for $10 of gas," Williams told NBC17. Lottery Director Tom Shaheen said the state doesn't have any solid numbers, but it doesn't take a genius to see that high gas prices have consumers holding off on buying other things. "(Gas prices) are certainly affecting sales a bit," Shaheen said. "Somebody goes in there and puts down $50 to fill up a tank of gas, are they going to buy a lottery ticket? We hope so, but maybe not. They may not buy anything else in the store either." The average price of gas in North Carolina is around $3. You can get three lottery tickets for that. So, which is it, gas or lottery tickets? "Three lottery tickets or a gallon of gas?" John Malloy, a Raleigh resident said. "I have six children and six grandchildren, who has the money leftover?" Lottery officials said their sales figures of $100 million in a little more than a month is on target, despite the high gas prices. Officials hope the upcoming Powerball game, which gets underway at the end of May, will help perk up interest in the lottery. After prize payouts and expenses, the lottery is expected to return around 35 perent of its sales to education.
NBC17
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31 comments. Last comment 3 years ago by .
New Member  Godwin, NC United States Member #39059 May 2, 2006 8 Posts Offline |
| Posted: May 4, 2006, 12:44 pm - IP Logged |
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I have not bought tickets since the first couple of days due to lack or wins. Like the many thousands who are waiting for a REAL chance for "riches" I'll only play the powerball when it arrives. I can't see playing $20.00+ a week with no return at all. I'll take my chances in SC or VA until powerball come here. More hay Trigger? "No thanks Roy, I'm stuffed."
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United States
Member #380
June 5, 2002
11297 Posts
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| Posted: May 4, 2006, 1:12 pm - IP Logged |
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I have not bought tickets since the first couple of days due to lack or wins. Like the many thousands who are waiting for a REAL chance for "riches" I'll only play the powerball when it arrives. I can't see playing $20.00+ a week with no return at all. I'll take my chances in SC or VA until powerball come here. The NC Lottery won't admit DIRECTLY that their scratch payout % is lower than the surrounding states.
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United States Member #12856 March 18, 2005 2060 Posts Offline |
| Posted: May 4, 2006, 1:44 pm - IP Logged |
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There is a store down a couple of blocks were I live. I can just walk there to get tickets. =)  Dance like no one is watching.
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charlotte nc United States Member #3308 January 6, 2004 27 Posts Offline |
| Posted: May 4, 2006, 2:57 pm - IP Logged |
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I really don't think its the price of gas but the availabilty of games that has slowed the lottery in NC. I personally don't bother with instant tickets but I do play the powerball and Cash5 when I cross the border to get my gas in SC. Once NC gets both a powerball and cash 5 game I'm sure they'll see an increase in sales. I've noticed that when the jackpot is large there are still alot fo Nc license plates at the store where I buy my tickets.
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Sunny SW Florida United States Member #25708 November 5, 2005 4339 Posts Offline |
| Posted: May 4, 2006, 2:57 pm - IP Logged |
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There is a store down a couple of blocks were I live. I can just walk there to get tickets. =) I can walk to 7-11 to buy tickets. However, I don't think they were saying people don't want to drive to a store to buy tickets. After all, everyone needs to stop at the market for food and a gas station for gas and most of those retailers have lottery terminals. I think the point was that, if someone has a tight budget and was spending $40 a week for gas at $2.19/gal and and now pays $55, that $15 has to come from somewhere, so people will normally give up things they don't consider necessities. For example, I had acrylic nails for about 7 years and would have what is called a "fill" every 3 weeks for around $16 plus tip ($20 bucks) Last year when my hours were cut, I also cut my nails.
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memphis,tennessee United States Member #8005 October 15, 2004 11236 Posts Offline |
| Posted: May 4, 2006, 3:44 pm - IP Logged |
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I have not bought tickets since the first couple of days due to lack or wins. Like the many thousands who are waiting for a REAL chance for "riches" I'll only play the powerball when it arrives. I can't see playing $20.00+ a week with no return at all. I'll take my chances in SC or VA until powerball come here. The NC Lottery won't admit DIRECTLY that their scratch payout % is lower than the surrounding states. its screwing the players is what it boils down to.......
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memphis,tennessee United States Member #8005 October 15, 2004 11236 Posts Offline |
| Posted: May 4, 2006, 3:45 pm - IP Logged |
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why not play online?
the methods of playing are cheaper and payouts are greater........
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Slide It In United States Member #4842 May 23, 2004 1070 Posts Online |
| Posted: May 4, 2006, 10:01 pm - IP Logged |
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why not play online?
the methods of playing are cheaper and payouts are greater........ I agree LottoMike, when you get twice as many plays for your money, with a better payoff, it's a no-brainer! And you don't have to drive any where to get the tickets. That saves gas! Great concept! 
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United States Member #2380 September 17, 2003 2064 Posts Offline |
| Posted: May 4, 2006, 10:55 pm - IP Logged |
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If you feel you have to win the lottery to pay for gas than get a better car. Even older diesels can get close to 30.
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Charlotte NC United States Member #17704 June 18, 2005 3432 Posts Offline |
| Posted: May 4, 2006, 11:10 pm - IP Logged |
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I have not bought tickets since the first couple of days due to lack or wins. Like the many thousands who are waiting for a REAL chance for "riches" I'll only play the powerball when it arrives. I can't see playing $20.00+ a week with no return at all. I'll take my chances in SC or VA until powerball come here. The NC Lottery won't admit DIRECTLY that their scratch payout % is lower than the surrounding states. its screwing the players is what it boils down to.......  The NC Lottery has admitted and directly that their scratch payout % is lower than the surrounding states. It was in the papers, the news and there's a news article right here on LP about it. It's due to the 35% going to education.
They wrote it into Lottery law when there was so much pressure from everybody and I think maybe it had to be in order to even get the commission members yes vote to pass the NC Lottery. I rather that scratch offs are lower than pick 3 and 4 and I rather have low scratcher than no lottery at all. Right after it was announced I went down to SC and there were posters on all the registers that NC had lower scratch payout %. 
TakeemtotheBank
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mid-Ohio United States Member #9 March 24, 2001 10028 Posts Offline |
| Posted: May 4, 2006, 11:36 pm - IP Logged |
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As I see it, $3/gal. gas makes a $1 lottery ticket look better. I use to feel bad about buying $10 worth of lottery tickets when $10 worth of gas would fill my tank half way. The last time I almost filled my pickup and stopped at $50 to have $10 left from three twenties for lottery tickets, I didn't feel as bad (about the lottery tickets). * What happens most *
* will most likely happen again *
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memphis,tennessee United States Member #8005 October 15, 2004 11236 Posts Offline |
| Posted: May 4, 2006, 11:39 pm - IP Logged |
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RJOH...you winning anything on all those long drives?
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Miss Kitty georgia United States Member #14 November 9, 2001 20096 Posts Offline |
| Posted: May 4, 2006, 11:50 pm - IP Logged |
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As I see it, $3/gal. gas makes a $1 lottery ticket look better. I use to feel bad about buying $10 worth of lottery tickets when $10 worth of gas would fill my tank half way. The last time I almost filled my pickup and stopped at $50 to have $10 left from three twenties for lottery tickets, I didn't feel as bad (about the lottery tickets). get a prius. love to nibble those micey feet.
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mid-Ohio United States Member #9 March 24, 2001 10028 Posts Offline |
| Posted: May 5, 2006, 12:11 am - IP Logged |
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RJOH...you winning anything on all those long drives?
Mike, I only made a trip when the PowerBall jackpot was $200 plus(2-3 times yearly) and the MegaMillions jackpot was low but lately the MM and PB cash values have been about the same so I haven't had a good reason to drive to Indiana for tickets. If my 2 winning tickets from February expire, I probably won't ever make a trip again because every month MM seem to have a $100M+ jackpot and someone in Ohio is winning them. RJOh * What happens most *
* will most likely happen again *
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