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Spincognito

Mass
United States
Member #68,071
December 12, 2008
221 Posts
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Apr 18, 2011, 5:13 pm

This is the very reason I have always wanted a part-time job as a clerk. Any money earned would be spent on "higher-probability" tickets. It is also a good reason to be as friendly as possible with the clerks in the stores that you frequent. they are a wealth of knowledge! They know which tix have "hit" and are usually willing to share the info. Clerks are not employees of the lottery so it would be up to the store owners to ban employees from playing while on duty. In Mass, there are many obstacles to keep clerks from cheating. If a clerk scans more than one non-winning ticket, the machine will go into safe mode, requiring a 16 digit number be entered for all tickets afterward.

So, I guess I am more envious that aggrivated by clerks who take advantage of their position. Let's face it, these folks are likely making minimum wage and hafta put up with alls kinds of idiots, drunks, potential criminal robbers and us scrath-addicts! For those of you who are aggrivated, simply buy a ticket or two, scratch it in the store and run outta there gasping for air and screaming, " I can't believe it!". That oughtta throw them off a bit!
RJOh

100

mid-Ohio
United States
Member #9
March 24, 2001
20,272 Posts
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Apr 18, 2011, 5:36 pm

Quote: Originally posted by Spincognito on Apr 18, 2011
This is the very reason I have always wanted a part-time job as a clerk. Any money earned would be spent on "higher-probability" tickets. It is also a good reason to be as friendly as possible with the clerks in the stores that you frequent. they are a wealth of knowledge! They know which tix have "hit" and are usually willing to share the info. Clerks are not employees of the lottery so it would be up to the store owners to ban employees from playing while on duty. In Mass, there are many obstacles to keep clerks from cheating. If a clerk scans more than one non-winning ticket, the machine will go into safe mode, requiring a 16 digit number be entered for all tickets afterward.

So, I guess I am more envious that aggrivated by clerks who take advantage of their position. Let's face it, these folks are likely making minimum wage and hafta put up with alls kinds of idiots, drunks, potential criminal robbers and us scrath-addicts! For those of you who are aggrivated, simply buy a ticket or two, scratch it in the store and run outta there gasping for air and screaming, " I can't believe it!". That oughtta throw them off a bit!

It is also a good reason to be as friendly as possible with the clerks in the stores that you frequent. they are a wealth of knowledge!

Some folks take that even farther by being friendly with everyone coming into the store to buy tickets. Nothing erks me more than folks hanging out at a store near the counter saying "Remember me if you have the big winner" to everyone buying tickets. I'm usually courteous and just smile and move on when I really feel like saying "Who in the h.......... are you? I don't know you and I don't want to know you even if I lose".

* you don't need to buy every combination, just the winning ones *
James1

Florida
United States
Member #104,431
January 14, 2011
2,267 Posts
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Apr 18, 2011, 5:53 pm

I got asked the other day "arent you gonna tip me, you have been winning so much".

Are some people just so arrogant or what ?

2018 Biggest Win: $500 (multiple times but who cares about $500 right?)

All time Biggest Win: $4K ($5 Green & Gold)
MattfromPA

SE PA
United States
Member #93,578
July 3, 2010
1,950 Posts
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Apr 18, 2011, 7:57 pm

Quote: Originally posted by James1 on Apr 18, 2011
I got asked the other day "arent you gonna tip me, you have been winning so much".

Are some people just so arrogant or what ?

There's a clerk I really like at Giant who has helped me with a lot of cash-ins. I asked her if she'd let me tip her, but although she was flattered, she wasn't allowed to take a tip. I got asked by this other clerk for a tip at Giant then when I shouldn't have been asked. I wonder how many clerks go against policy. I'd have no problem tipping on $200 or more winnings, but at Giant I will say no.
dr65

50

Pennsylvania
United States
Member #74,094
May 2, 2009
24,135 Posts
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Apr 18, 2011, 8:29 pm

Quote: Originally posted by James1 on Apr 18, 2011
I got asked the other day "arent you gonna tip me, you have been winning so much".

Are some people just so arrogant or what ?

Opportunists. They'll smile at you like they are joking but it's the eyes...it's all in the eyes.

There IS something not right about employees playing, selling, handling, activating and cashing tickets.

This has been discussed before. Even if their only advantage is knowing who bought how many of what,

who lost on what tickets and who turned in bigger winners then that is an advantage that should preclude

them from being able to play while on their shift. Anyone who handles, activates, stocks, cashes should

not be allowed to play while on shift PERIOD.

The lottery does not care because a sale is a sale until the integrity of the lottery is at stake. Cheating

clerks scratching enough latex to see a code? That is a no no..what kind of picture does that paint for the

instant ticket buyer? That they're buying a useless piece of paper that has been tampered with...do you

think the lottery wants their image comprimised? That would affect sales. But really, for sales purposes,

what do THEY care who is buying the tickets or winning on them for that matter? A clerk? Nah, their

money is as good as the next guys.

They have to seem upstanding in fraud control...even though they may not be upstanding in other areas.

Take the codes for instance. It's impossible to tell just how many winners were thrown away due to

lack of getting word out about a new change....which by the way for PA is a change AGAIN in a couple

years. Sure, sure, the player must be informed BUT the Lottery must at least be an effective, active

participant that is responsible for informing players of changes to something they are accustomed to

seeing....and that means getting word out about it.

Each sales site needs notification posted ON PAPER WHERE IT CAN BE SEEN. They rely too much on

the website and think a little is enough.

Back to the scratching salesmen/women - I agree with anyone who thinks it is wrong for them to play/buy

/scratch while at work. Wouldn't it be nice to have one say....in the first hour of their shift especially, 'Hey

I just won $100 on that one - don't buy it'. He*ll, if they're playing and keeping track themselves, do you

really think they're going to tip you off as to what to buy...that just may be the slot their focus is on next..

why do they want YOU to buy THEIR winner?
time*treat

United States
Member #13,130
March 30, 2005
2,171 Posts
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Apr 19, 2011, 5:35 pm

Quote: Originally posted by chinalinda143 on Apr 17, 2011
Hello Everyone,

Ok I wanted to ask everyone's opinion on this. I have stopped going to a store that I used to go to here locally close to me, becasue one day I was playing my normal lottery tickets and I saw the clerk and the security guard working there getting scratch off tickets the clerk would give him 4 scratch off tickets he scratched it in the bottom and then she would just check it for him, it's clear to me they were looking for a winner, this got me upset. Becasue I believe this was not right. NOw shortly after a couple of month's after a big winner from this store arose in one of the $5 scratchers of the Cruise ship Games as it just had come out, it was a $500K winner and who won I believe when I saw in the gallery on fl lott. website was a store employee could this be coinsidence or unfair play by that store clerk and combinations to ouytwin the customers?

Not every state allows the retailer to buy tickets at their own store.

https://www.lotterypost.com/news/206553

In neo-conned Amerika, bank robs you.
Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms should be the name of a convenience store, not a govnoment agency.
rdgrnr

100

The Hall Of The Mountain Kings Tennessee
United States
Member #73,902
April 28, 2009
15,378 Posts
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Apr 21, 2011, 10:57 pm

Cashiers or other employees should not be allowed to buy or cash tickets for themselves in their own places of employment.

I know that it would be hard to enforce but if the punishment was somewhat more undesirable than usual it might work.

Like public flogging in front of their convenience stores if caught disobeying the law. With customers allowed to give a few lashes with a $10 purchase.

And any money they won would be given to the multi-millionaires retirement fund.
dallascowboyfan

Oklahoma
United States
Member #82,389
November 12, 2009
6,374 Posts
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Apr 30, 2011, 6:16 am

Quote: Originally posted by MattfromPA on Apr 17, 2011
Agree 100%, Ralphie! Store clerks should be able to buy, but not from their own store.

with you both.....
ameriken

Denver, Co
United States
Member #103,042
December 29, 2010
547 Posts
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Apr 30, 2011, 8:37 am

I've never seen or heard of any of this before. I guess I'm living too sheltered of a lottery life. I buy my tickets from a machine inside a busy King Soopers grocery store. The clerks are always too busy helping customers, and the machine is in a fairly high traffic area which is too conspicuous for any would-be lurkers.

Give someone a fish and feed them for a day. Teach them to use the internet and they won't bother you for weeks.
ohhhnoomrbill

Toledo, Ohio
United States
Member #111,024
May 17, 2011
8 Posts
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May 17, 2011, 11:48 am

...that's why there's push to use vending machines to sell tickets. I never disclose losing tickets for that reason (at least to a strange store-clerk).....the odds go up for a win after a run---of losers. Heck the odds are posted on the back of the ticket---but lol... I heard about clerks getting the fever---buying odds-favored tickets---and losing their job with a cash-short register .

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