N.C. Lottery lagging behind revenue estimates

Comment #9

Jbee! — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 22:47:15 GMT

NC is now advertising the upcoming games:

In October, the lottery expects to add a Pick 3 game with a top prize of $500.

In November, the lottery intends to add a Pick 5 game that has a top prize of at least $50,000.

CAROLINA PICK 3 HOW TO PLAY: Players choose a three-digit number from 000 to 999. The lottery draws three individual numbers to form the winning number.

HOW TO WIN: Matching the drawn numbers in the exact order drawn or in any order.

TICKET COST: 50 cents and $1.

Comment #8

thinreality — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 09:12:08 GMT

Yeah, I was funding the elementary school careers of several kids over the course of the last 3 draws or so, but I'm taking a break. Not winning much does have a stifling effect on one's enthusiasm for playing. All things in moderation.

The lottery critics need to back off. $79 million dollars a month isn't chicken scratch. As for running education on a constantly fluctuating budget, state-run colleges have been operating that way for a very long time. I know of one college here in NC w... [ More ]

Comment #7

CASH Only — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 16:59:42 GMT

I'm not a numbers player, but I don't understand why Colorado has NEVER offered a pick-3 or pick-4. And CO has been selling tickets for over two decades.

Comment #6

Drivedabizness — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 16:33:19 GMT

If they do numbers correctly, it should help - though I am not at all confident they can make up the shortfall in projected sales.

It doesn't do any good now - but sales projections are often (and apparently here in NC were) made by people with no background in lottery. They take a recent start-up and say here's what so-and-so did and adjust for population and Viola! here is your set-in-stone sales goal.

The other issues already raised (game mix, prize payout) are critical as... [ More ]

Comment #5

cps10 — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 16:11:34 GMT

Without a doubt, the lack of a Daily Numbers game is going to keep a lot of people away. The high jackpot in Powerball recently helped sales a little bit, but also the discouraging news of no jackpot wins in NC and AGAIN in the Midwest keeps many people away from the lottery lines here in Charlotte, and that is based on people I have talked to around here.

A daily numbers game is what players want here, and until they see that come to fruition, players will not spend so much on the lottery he... [ More ]

Comment #4

bellyache — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 20:11:56 GMT

I also think sales will improve once they get a Pick 3 game.

Comment #3

NCPicks — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 17:46:54 GMT

The NC lottery is currently accepting bids on the drawing machines and ball sets for the Pick 3 and Pick 5 games.The bids must be in before the end of September.The first game,Pick 3(I think) is scheduled to start in Oct.

The info can be found on the lottery.nc.gov website.

Comment #2

DoubleDown — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 17:05:42 GMT

I gotta believe the lack of pick 3 and 4 games is hurting the NC Lottery as well.

What are they waiting for

Comment #1

CASH Only — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 16:14:36 GMT

A low payout percentage hurts lottery sales, and the state makes less money than anticipated. The NY Lottery is finally finding out the hard way, via the 40% payout in NY Lotto.

N.C. Lottery lagging behind revenue estimates

Lottery Post — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 16:11:59 GMT

Even with the big Powerball game, North Carolina lottery sales are still lagging behind state estimates.

Willie Scott is the state lottery's latest success story.

I was praying for a financial blessing, and it came, he said.

Scott, a Roxboro father of six who just took a job as a prison guard, won an $800,000 jackpot Wednesday night. He says he does not throw much money in the lottery. In fact, Scott rarely plays.

I've played the Powerball three times before that, he said.... [ More ]