N.C. Lottery sales fall short

Comment #25

Tenaj — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 04:59:19 GMT

And the schools never get better.

Comment #24

Coin Toss — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 04:37:17 GMT

Lottery money appears to go to education, but the state just plays checkers with it.

Rread the following, all states do this:

For every dollar that the Illinois State Lottery provides for education, the State of Illinois takes one of their dollars out of the education budget to use wherever they like.....

According to the site, they have raised a total of $1.7 billion in Fiscal Year 2004, with $570 million going directly towards schools. According to them, 33 cents from every $1 spe... [ More ]

Comment #23

sfilippo — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 00:22:33 GMT

I was wondering if there was a correlation between conservative states and liberal states who have lotteries.

To use a Rumsfeld word... we had a dickens of a time getting the lottery passed here in Oklahoma, and now there is news about it's shortfall toward the Education fund.

Oklahoma is sort of a fickle state in that it is largely Democrat with a Christian Conservative base. It's just strange. Hard to explain.

Anyway, yeah the lottery isn't doing as well as projected here either.... [ More ]

Comment #22

Todd — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 00:10:38 GMT

So the Non-Religious Left has virtually all the influence then

Comment #21

nc6string — Wed, 27 Dec 2006 21:10:23 GMT

North Carolina, to beat a dead horse, had the chance to learn from over 40 other states mistakes when we started our lottery. Because we hired the same bozos that ran other lotteries in the past, the same mistakes were repeated by said bozos. A1 problem, already stated by others before in this thread, is spending (or planning to spend) money we haven't earned or booked. Based on projections from said bozos, who actually already had the nerve to ask for bonuses. We ran the state, and educati... [ More ]

Comment #20

Drivedabizness — Wed, 27 Dec 2006 18:15:14 GMT

Todd:

First - I hope you had a great Christmas and will have a happy, prosperous 2007!

The revenue estimates were way too optimistic but that doesn't mean they can't or shouldn't do better than they have. Budgeting proceeds before they are produced will set the lottery and the good causes it supports up for failure.

I know Shaheen - and your comments could not be more on the button.

He doesn't go after top talent because he wants people in his organization who will kowtow and... [ More ]

Comment #19

CASH Only — Wed, 27 Dec 2006 14:48:53 GMT

The NY Lottery is successful because of a) its large population base (plus the people who live in the Connecticut and New Jersey suburbs); b) it's the second-oldest lottery in the country; and c) NYers are gamblers (the Religious Right has virtually no influence in NY state.)

But IMO there is a very significant difference between a 40% payout and a 50% payout, and NYers are starting to take notice. I predict a change in NY Lotto in 2007.

Comment #18

cps10 — Wed, 27 Dec 2006 14:26:47 GMT

I tend to agree with Janet here too. I think that the NC player is a lot smarter than most people give credit to. For a bunch of hillbillies, we are hitting that Pick-3 with regularity.

Now, in all seriousness, Janet is right with the lousy scratch offs, which I have not known one person to hit for more than $20, and believe me, I know a lot of players around here. My office itself has some lotto nuts in it. The Carolina 5, whereby a good idea at its outset, has been a grandiose failure with

Comment #17

Tenaj — Wed, 27 Dec 2006 05:24:28 GMT

The average NC lottery player knows the prize percentages. They played in SC, Virginia and the most experience -underground - and they know what the prizes should be. SC lottery made the most money in the border towns from NC people. We have anti-lottery leaders with their thumbs on the Lottery Commission head that's making the lottery unsuccessful but there are some damn good lottery players in this state - not to have never had a state lottery before.

I think lottery officials were... [ More ]

Comment #16

Todd — Wed, 27 Dec 2006 04:47:11 GMT

I disagree about the prize percentage thing. The average player has no clue about such small differences in prize payouts. You are part of a relatively small percentage of players who cares about such things. Think about how Cash Only goes around complaining non-stop about the prize payouts of the NY Lottery, and then how successful that lottery is.

Comment #15

JimmySand9 — Wed, 27 Dec 2006 04:06:13 GMT

I think both CO and Todd are right.

Tood had a point about the logos. The logos for the in-state games look extremely amateurish, and may cause players to believe, subconsciencely, that the entire operation is amateurish. As a freelance graphic designer, I can tell you a good logo is paramount if a medium to large-sized company like a lottery wants a good public image.

But CashOnly probably has the best point. Time and again, it has been proven that the more you put into prizes, the more

Comment #14

Coin Toss — Wed, 27 Dec 2006 02:11:01 GMT

In actuality the money really doesn't go to eduaction.

Via voodoo bookkepping it's plugged into the state's education system in one place, and an equal or even larger amount comes out of the education system in another place.

Otherwise, every state that has had a lottery for years would have the finest schools anywhere. We all know that's definitley not the case.

Comment #13

Pick3forSC — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 22:39:47 GMT

Thanks Cash

I found it under Notice of public meetings Curious to see where it goes.

Comment #12

CASH Only — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 22:22:23 GMT

Go back. There is a link at the bottom.

Comment #11

Pick3forSC — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 22:18:07 GMT

Hi Cash

Where did i miss that on SC's website? I looked under NEWS GAMES but did'nt see anything concerning a Carolinas Plus 6.

Comment #10

CASH Only — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 21:29:14 GMT

There is a Carolina Plus 6 in the works, according to South Carolina www.sceducationlottery.com Don't know whether it would SC only, or both Carolinas.

Comment #9

wizeguy — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 20:16:00 GMT

I tend to tune out commercials but I can't remember the last lottery commercial I saw. Increase the payouts on the scratchers too. NC is losing sales because of it, especially on the borders. I still buy gas and smokes across the border and see a lot of NC plates.

Comment #8

cps10 — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 19:53:05 GMT

Another thing I see wrong is the fact that the State, granted at least they are currently working on the education system for which the lottery is named, is that they are spending the money before they have it. That is poor budgeting, and you should never count your chickens before they hatch. If I were the Comptroller, I would budget assuming I had NO lottery funds coming, and then if and when the lottery funds come through, use that to IMPROVE areas of the education system.

For example, if

Comment #7

cps10 — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 19:50:34 GMT

I would like to see the midday games as well; and also play the Pick-5 like how SC models it. I also think a Classic P6 would benefit a lot of North Carolinians with a game to call their own instead of following the leader with Powerball. Many people around here that I've talked to are very unhappy with the low jackpots thus far in NC's limited Powerball history.

Granted, playing the PB is a terrible proposition, but sales spike when the jackpots swell. Right now, at $75 million, that's hardl... [ More ]

Comment #6

Tenaj — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 19:43:54 GMT

I'd like to see midday pick 3 and pick 4.

Comment #5

wpb — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 19:37:39 GMT

I think NC should revamp the pick 5 and add pick 4. The pick 5 game is a joke, you have to hit all 5 numbers for a good payout. 4 out of 5 wins has never been $500.

Just my opinion.

Comment #4

Todd — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 17:34:52 GMT

That's your opinion. I don't agree.

Comment #3

CASH Only — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 17:17:36 GMT

I've heard that North Carolina's scratches pay only 52%. Some stores in South Carolina have posted signs telling that SC's scratches pay better than in NC.

This is one example where players have noticed the significant differences in payout percentage.

Comment #2

DoubleDown — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 16:52:03 GMT

I agree, Todd. Marketing is extremely important and NC has certainly lacked in this area.

There have been several Powerball second prize winners and even a huge jackpot winner, so excitement should drive sales...

What's wrong with the scratchers ? I am told the NC has a very poor payout percentage.

I have never bought one, but this is just what I'm told..

I have the opportunity to buy them, but pass them by for SC tickets...

DD

Comment #1

Todd — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 15:47:52 GMT

This is a disaster for North Carolina -- $75 million is a huge percentage of the $425 million they were projecting for education.

Blaming the shortfall on gas prices is a pretty dumb argument. I think Shaheen needs to do a little more soul-searching to figure out what's not working.

My hunch is that it's something to do with marketing. I don't buy the argument that the limits on TV ads are causing the sales problems. I don't think TV ads generate a lot of scratch ticket sales, and the p... [ More ]

N.C. Lottery sales fall short

Lottery Post — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 15:46:51 GMT

North Carolina's lottery sales have tumbled since July, and the game's director predicts that under the best scenario the lottery will generate $75 million less for education than projected in the current state budget.

The sales of numbers games, such as Powerball and Cash 5, are up slightly since July, but scratch-and-win ticket sales have plummeted. Scratch, or instant, tickets are supposed to provide the growth in lotteries nationally, but in North Carolina, sales shrank from $52 milli... [ More ]