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GiveFive

Florida - West Coast
United States
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June 10, 2010
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May 14, 2011, 7:20 am

Here at The Lottery Post, it's all about us players. Everybody writes their post from a players perspective, but what about the lottery retailer's perspective? Are there any retailers out there that are willing to share what it's like selling lottery tickets to the general public?

I know someone that owned a deli and sold both online and scratch-off tickets. They told me, just like everything else, there are pros and cons to being an "agent" for the state. For instance, this person said they "Ended up being The State's book keeper, and that takes a lot of time."

I know there's got to be some interesting and funny stories out there. Let's hear 'em!

Play Smart!
JosephusMinimus

United States
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January 29, 2011
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May 14, 2011, 10:57 am

Quote: Originally posted by GiveFive on May 14, 2011
Here at The Lottery Post, it's all about us players. Everybody writes their post from a players perspective, but what about the lottery retailer's perspective? Are there any retailers out there that are willing to share what it's like selling lottery tickets to the general public?

I know someone that owned a deli and sold both online and scratch-off tickets. They told me, just like everything else, there are pros and cons to being an "agent" for the state. For instance, this person said they "Ended up being The State's book keeper, and that takes a lot of time."

I know there's got to be some interesting and funny stories out there. Let's hear 'em!

I've talked with the lady who owns one of the two convenience stores in the village of Harper, Texas about it a few times. She has a wall to the side of the register and above the door papered with winning tickets sold or cashed in there over the years. She says it's a pain dealing with the commission, that the LC employees are inconsiderate when they visit, and that it's 'just one more thing to have to do'. My impression is that she mightn't do it if she had it to do over.

The other store there sells tickets, but it's not obvious and you have to ask the clerk for betslips.

15 miles up the road in the village of Doss there's a convenience store/livestock feedstore with tables and always a lot of locals having coffee or sandwiches, but the lady who owns it doesn't and she says, never, will sell lottery tickets. The nearest place to buy tickets is Harper or Fredericksburg, 40-or-so miles away.

The lady at Doss is firm in her opinion, based on the testimonies of the Harper retailers, that it's not worth the trouble.

But that's rural Texas and the Texas Lottery Commission.
Spincognito

Mass
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December 12, 2008
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May 14, 2011, 12:43 pm

I know some store owners and they rely on lottery earnings from sales to survive. In Massachusetts, lottery agents get 1% of all sales and 5% of all cashed tickets. That makes for an excellent payout to agents with high lottery sales. Yes, they do get frustrated with the difficult customers and paperwork they need to maintain but the profits are well worth it.
JWBlue

San Diego, CA
United States
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February 12, 2008
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May 14, 2011, 1:05 pm

If I sold the tickets, I would limit my work.

I am the type of person that trusts computers. The odds of a computer making an error with how much I would be owed would be so small, it would not be worth the bookkeeping.
B$Rizzle

The Ville, FL
United States
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August 19, 2010
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May 14, 2011, 2:06 pm

Thats an interesting topic to bring up. I know several retailers in my area and after speaking with them, I would probably sell lotto if I had a store.

About 1.5 years ago I had a skateboard shop opening up and pondered the idea of selling lottery since it would add to the uniqeness of the store. If you build good raport with regular customers, that usually makes them come back. If those same customers buy a winning PowerBall or FL Lottery ticket you get a decent commision. Plus having lottery does bring in additional customers.

Unfortunately, the builder of the shopping center where my store was slated to go backed out of the construction 50% of the way through so its been on hold ever since, due to the economy. But anyways I always thought it would bring in business.

Hopefully one of these days the builder will come back for the recession and finish the complex so I can get back to business.
rdgrnr

100

The Hall Of The Mountain Kings Tennessee
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May 14, 2011, 2:29 pm

There was a convenience store in a town a few miles from me whose main business was drive-up beer and lottery ticket sales and they had a ton of regular customers lined up at the drive-up window and a great business. The business sold and the new owners decided not to sell lottery tickets.

The place is like a ghost town now. All their beer customers go to the filling station down the road now where you have to park and walk in to get your beer because they still want their lottery tickets too.

The place is for sale again.
sully16

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Ringleader

Michigan
United States
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October 28, 2009
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May 15, 2011, 10:13 am

Quote: Originally posted by GiveFive on May 14, 2011
Here at The Lottery Post, it's all about us players. Everybody writes their post from a players perspective, but what about the lottery retailer's perspective? Are there any retailers out there that are willing to share what it's like selling lottery tickets to the general public?

I know someone that owned a deli and sold both online and scratch-off tickets. They told me, just like everything else, there are pros and cons to being an "agent" for the state. For instance, this person said they "Ended up being The State's book keeper, and that takes a lot of time."

I know there's got to be some interesting and funny stories out there. Let's hear 'em!

After some of the non-sense I've witnessed, Does drop kicking customers through plate glass count as assult?
Litebets27

Maryland
United States
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January 14, 2005
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May 15, 2011, 10:47 am

Interesting subject...

I often make comments to the owners of the convenient store where I buy the majority of my lottery tickets, about how much money they are pulling in. Mind you... their convenient store resembles a miniture casino, which is a comment many people make when they first come into the store. Both the previous and the present owners state, they make very little money from selling lottery. But, let it be a rainy day or some big event is happening else where, they will always ask...."where is everybody, I'm not making any money." True.

I also believed, at one time, this retailer was being swindled out of their cut of the bonuses and benefits they should have been getting from the lottery. I think the problem has been resolved, but I'm not on the inside of their daily business.

They seem happy to sell lottery, but seem to be frustrated at times with some of the crazy customers that come in who are nasty or who try to swindle them out of tickets and/or money.

Feeling, PRICELESS!!!

Come on Jackpot!!!
jimjwright

Crested Butte, CO
United States
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January 18, 2009
1,394 Posts
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May 15, 2011, 3:29 pm

If by selling lottery tickets it also increased sales on other merchandise then yes, otherwise it wouldn't be worth the trouble if the increased customer traffic only bought lottery tickets.

I worked as a night clerk at a convenient store as a way to work my way thru college and by far the most sales I saw during my shift was beer/gas/cigarettes/ big gulp from 10:30 p.m. until 2:00 a.m. and gas/coffee/cigarettes/big gulp from 5:00 a.m to 7:00 am.

Other than gas, selling addictive products is the way to go so I guesss selling lottery tickets fits nicely into that category.

Jimmy
GamerMom

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April 21, 2008
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May 15, 2011, 4:21 pm

Quote: Originally posted by rdgrnr on May 14, 2011
There was a convenience store in a town a few miles from me whose main business was drive-up beer and lottery ticket sales and they had a ton of regular customers lined up at the drive-up window and a great business. The business sold and the new owners decided not to sell lottery tickets.

The place is like a ghost town now. All their beer customers go to the filling station down the road now where you have to park and walk in to get your beer because they still want their lottery tickets too.

The place is for sale again.

wow NOT a good move..wonder why they decided not to sell tix?

I refuse to buy anything at a store that doesn't sell them!!
danyo1332

Akron, ohio
United States
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July 22, 2010
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May 15, 2011, 7:30 pm

I'm a manager at a gas station and deal with lottery. As you all probably know, if you want to play an online ticket again, you can scan the top barcode. Well one of the employees at my work had to go outside to assist someone at a pump. When he came back in, there were $67 worth of powerball tickets and all the same exact ticket! When he went outside, he had a powerball ticket under the scanner that just kept scanning. Oh, and you can't cancel powerball tickets

https://www.lotterypost.com/thread/325223/5825074 Triple Top Tips

https://www.lotterypost.com/thread/330673 Tracking Triples/False Triples In Real Time

https://www.lotterypost.com/thread/325603/5847177 More From Pick Four (HOT Pick 3 pair system)

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