you have to change the pick3 ticket in the same convenient store that you bought it
Although any retailer can payout your prize, it doesn't mean that they have the money on hand at all times. I don't live in GA, but I'm sure it's the same everywhere. Just go to a large supermarket or busy convenient store or gas station. If this happens again, you could probably report the retailer, but they could also claim that they had just made a bank deposit. I can understand their attitude, however, if you weren't a regular customer if it was more than a few bucks, although working in stores, I've usually gone out of my way to help people.
if they buy 10 different tickets, perception takes over and it makes it seem that you bought a few,
Interesting, Pumpi. To me a pile of 10 tickets looks like a lot more than 2 tickets with 5 bets each. Anyway, I always know exactly how much I spend, but that's just me. Right now I don't spend too much, but even when I played more, I always preferred getting separate slips for each bet. I know you're talking about the Pick-3, but when I buy my 6/53 tickets, I always use separate cards even though I can get up to 5 lines. If you win $599 or less you don't need to go to a lottery office and can cash the ticket at a local retailer. If you are very lucky and win on more than one line, then maybe you'll go over $600 which would be very inconvenient if there isn't a district lottery office near you.
it comes the old touble of "searching" for the tickets, and the reminder, of "you don't know where you left it" or "is in my purse"
As far as losing or misplacing tickets go, I don't see why a person would have a greater chance of losing 10 or 15 tickets as he would 2 or 3. Please don't think I'm arguing, but it's just the way I look at this, since you asked. I think it would be a lot easier to forget about a single ticket than a pile of them. I use one of those dorky plastic lottery sleeves they give out for free at most lottery retailers in Florida and then I throw them in a shoebox I keep under my desk. In over 30 years of playing lotteries, I don't think I ever once put my ticket in a pocket. Maybe I'm too neurotic because I look at each ticket as "maybe this is a winner" and I certainly wouldn't misplace or lose $500. If possible I always check the numbers the same night I buy a ticket anyway which I think is a good idea if you're going to bother playing.