Arkansas Lottery Director says they are not surprised about potential dip in sales
By Kate Northrop
With gas prices on the rise, players may be cutting back on their lottery spending in the near future.
State lotteries may begin to see a downward trend in their revenue stream in the upcoming months should lottery players start to rethink their budget to accommodate for rising gas prices.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette interviewed Vicki Skaggs of Benton, Arkansas, an office manager who says she's planning on reducing her lottery ticket purchases as a result of higher gas prices.
"You are going to be only able to afford to go to work and home," the player surmised on Thursday. She had just bought several scratch-off tickets totaling $20 at the Casey's gas station convenience store on North Reynolds Road in Bryant.
Normally, Skaggs will buy about $20 worth of lottery tickets every other day. However, her spending habits might change since she anticipates gas prices will soon surpass $5 a gallon.
According to the AAA Arkansas Weekend Gas Watch, the price of regular unleaded fuel in Arkansas was on average $3.90 per gallon. The record for the highest average price for the same type of fuel was seven cents higher, recorded in July 2008.
The Arkansas Lottery says they are prepared for the potential dip in sales revenue and that a decrease was to be expected.
"As gas prices continue to, quite literally, jump daily, we expect to see additional taper," Lottery Director Eric Hagler told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on Thursday. "This was forecasted in our budget, so we are not completely surprised."
At least for the Lottery, there is a silver lining amidst the timing of hiking prices at the gas pump.
"On a positive note, tax returns are in the mail, and spring is around the corner," Hagler continued. "Historically, March delivers the highest performance, and we are seeking good sell-through of our games."
In February alone, the eighth month in the 2022 fiscal year, the Arkansas Lottery generated $42.3 million in sales, about $300,000 more than the same month last year. Online records made public by the Lottery show that the year-to-date sales top nearly $380 million. That's down from $388.1 million compared to the same time in 2021. So far this fiscal year, the Lottery has transferred $61.9 million to the state scholarship fund.
So the lottery is banking on tax refund checks to boost their revenue? How about paying out ALL the grand prizes on all the scratch off games? Instead of canceling them before. Not to worry, they'll just make 3 other $30 scratch off tickets to go along with the 5 they already have. Forget about the $2 scratchers, they're not even on the shelves anymore...I think people should worry more about real bills....ah dare to dream. ..
Lotteries hav some nerve complaining about decreased sales. They increased the purchase price on jackpot games, they increase the number of balls to make it harder to win. Thier greed forces them to add a midday draw in addition to the evening draw. They justify it by saying "We find that the betting public likes being cheated"
Mega Millions and Powerball starting jackpot to be 10 million now? Lol.
Instead of a Dollar and a Dream, It'll be Broke and:
https://cartoonmovement.com/cartoon/dreaming-freedom
I think people would rather give up cigarettes and chewing tobacco rather than to give up buying scratch-off lottery tickets.
Briefly and I mean briefly went to their website. Did not see anywhere where customers might enjoy the convenience of playing ON-LINE!
Last week they had an update to mobile app and my phone wouldn't work with it anymore. On the phone with IGT over the weekend to try to fix it. Last night deleted the App, called IGT again and gal talked me though it. The KLC website really needs updating as Android doesn't even have the features they screen shotted anymore! Be that as it may so glad we have the convenience of mobile shopping!
Ironically as much as I griped with the lower starting jackpots on MM & PB still playing as much as ever. So tired of everything being blamed Covid-19, those lotteries know folks will still play. So let's screw the players and make it less appealing to play.
Hopefully all the lotteries will use this as an excuse to dump all their crappier games (like Poker Lotto here).
Michigan has 6 Jackpot games. The Two multi state games plus the Fantasy Five, Classic 47, Fast Cash and the "Jack".
Hopefully those will get weeded also. If they cut down on the number of Jackpot games the ones that are remaining will roll higher faster!
Off topic -
Andy nuther thing, how about dumping the gasoline taxes for awhile...the revenue is going to obviously drop anyway from the reduced sales so the governments should at least consider that too!
The lottery is a rip-off they make so much money and they are complaining how about sales being down, come on man y'all are killing us. Sales are down because people are not winning! That's the main reason why sales are down people are not playing as much because they are losing their money!
Soledad, I so agree. You're right.
Some nerve they have.
hmmm.
i didn't look at it that way. I think the "less" playing, they will start to produce more winner's in ALL games.
G-luck to you, Too badd$
I will not be that upset if I win only a 10 million dollar jackpot. I can make do with that even after taxes.
"regular unleaded fuel in Arkansas was on average $3.90 per gallon"
I only know per liter.
american dry gallon = 4,40488377 liter
gallon (USA) = 3,78541178 liter
brittish gallon = 4,546092 liter
So that would be the second?
round2(3.9/3.78541178,5)"$ / liter"
=1.03027"$ / liter"
round2(1.03027/1.09,5)"EUR / liter"
=0.94520"EUR / liter"
Haven't seen anything under 1 euro for years I believe.