S.C. Laments N.C.'s Move To Powerball

Dec 21, 2005, 6:27 am (16 comments)

Powerball

North Carolina announced that it will be a part of the Powerball lottery. Lottery stores in South Carolina said they will lose half of their business, not to mention there won't be as much cash for education.

It's never been easy for Red Rocket manager Ken Shoultes to keep the floors of his store clean. Usually, lottery foot traffic dulls the polish quickly.

But now, the shine might be wearing off the lottery business because Powerball is crossing the border.

"North Carolina people have no reason to come to South Carolina to play Powerball," said Shoultes.

He said 80 to 90 percent of all lottery players who visit his Carowinds Boulevard location are from North Carolina.

But once North Carolina joins Powerball in July, you won't be seeing players such as Rodney Taylor buying tickets in the Palmetto State.

"You've got to be an idiot to come down here, if it's right in your neighborhood," said Taylor.

Billy Braces said he will quit taking a bus down from Charlotte.

"It means I won't have to spend so much money to go anywhere to get it," said Braces.

All of the state's top lottery ticket sellers are on the state line, and for store employees, less traffic will impact more than ticket sales.

"It's really going to affect our inside sales, and our gas sales a lot. And, as I said, eventually it affects paychecks, because I'm going to have hours cut from me," said store employee Becky Harbert.

Shoultes said he was counting on the Tar Heel State to join a different multi-state game. He said that would have softened the blow.

"I was surprised, and pretty disappointed they didn't go with the mega-millions. But we'll have to deal with it as best we can with them having Powerball," said Shoultes.

The state of South Carolina is preparing to lose $150 million to North Carolina when its lottery gets going.

North Carolina just hired five more people for its new education lottery. The executive director has permission to hire about 60 senior managers and staff to help get the lottery up and running.

North Carolina's lottery starts in April with scratch-off tickets. Powerball should be up and running by July.

WSOCTV

Tags for this story

Other popular tags

Comments

Tenaj's avatarTenaj

What?That's what they think.  The people who only play Powerball will be the only ones not going to SC and that will not generate enough money for what the officials expect. 

People who play the pick 3 and pick 4 will be going to SC as usually and they may even just buy their powerball ticket in SC to save a stop. 

The Red Rocket and all of those bordeline stores are full of NC people playing pick 3 mostly and full of Powerball people when the jackpot is high.   

If NC want the lottery to start with a bang, they need to bring pick 3 and Powerball first.  If not they will take a dive.  That will keep all of their people in NC.  The maroons.

 

DoubleDown

It's the "price" you pay when you have a store on the state line.

I saw the same thing happen in 1993 when GA started their lottery and the Florida stores along the state line cried, but guess what ? They are still there  and still selling FL lotto tickets....

They need to give it time before whining.

lottolady24's avatarlottolady24

In any situation where a state bordering other already active lottery states starts up their own lottery, someone will always be unhappy.  Before NC started the lottery, NC complained that all of that eduation money was going towards SC's schools and programs.  Now SC is complaining that their sales will plummet because NC players won't cross the borders for tickets anymore. 

I think people just like to complain.  It gives them something to talk about at the water cooler.

 

RJOh's avatarRJOh

"The state of South Carolina is preparing to lose $150 million to North Carolina when its lottery gets going."

That statement should have read "The state of South Carolina is preparing for the people of North Carolina to start spending their $150 millions at home instead of giving it to them when they get their lottery going."

 

cps10's avatarcps10

I agree with Tenaj - the Pick 3'ers and Pick 4'ers will still go to SC because there is none here in NC. And what else will they do while they're there? That's right...they will buy Powerball there instead of having to go to 2 different places. And they also will play scratchers there.

 It won't be until the NC lottery wakes up and puts all available games here in NC before they see money coming away from SC. Until then, which sounds like it could be a while with these dopes in office, SC has nothing to worry about in the forseeable future.

Chewie

Kinda of makes it a fact that the lottery is about how much a person can make off the players.  As soon as SC found something they didn't like, they start complaining about NC doing something they didn't agree with.  NC should have taken SC feelings into consideration before thinking for themselves and acting on what they believe in.  If NC had learned it is better to get along then exercise freedom, every one in SC would have been happier.  I never thought people would do something like that. 

pamelab

I live on the VA borderline of NC, I was hoping NC would get Powerball and my thought was on this end it would draw VA players who have Mega Millions.  I had heard that Powerball would be like later close to summer but the other games like scratch will be this coming spring.  I agree with the other posters people will always find something to complain about but we all know in this game there are winners and for every winner there are losers! Oh yea, speaking of loser, i lost today looking for those 5's in Va.

Tenaj's avatarTenaj

I live on the VA borderline of NC, I was hoping NC would get Powerball and my thought was on this end it would draw VA players who have Mega Millions.  I had heard that Powerball would be like later close to summer but the other games like scratch will be this coming spring.  I agree with the other posters people will always find something to complain about but we all know in this game there are winners and for every winner there are losers! Oh yea, speaking of loser, i lost today looking for those 5's in Va.

SmashThe complaint is not about Powerball versus MM.  It is about having the opportunity of play pick 3 and pick 4.  NC officials stated that there will be one or the other.  It's about the opportunity to play at all.  Who gives a damn whether it's Powerball or Mega Milliions.  NC lottery startup is so screwed up, I don't blame MM for not wanting to touch it with a ten foot pole.  Nobody brings Powerball before pick 3 and 4.  That's a red flag in itself.

If you live on the VA stateline then you have had the convenience of playing a state lottery for many years.  We had not.  We can't say "I wish we could play both."  We say "I wish we can play at all." or "let me hide my lottery tickets on the way home." 

So it's more than just people complaining.  It's about one of the only states in the union without a lottery and who have fought very very hard for 20 years to get one that represents everyone and not eliminate the favorite of a certain group. 

So you privilege people who have had a lottery for many years remember the feeling of NC people who want to have a fair one.

pamelab

I do agree with you, but my bad I thought they were bringing the scratch and numbers game first this spring.Yea our state have been jacked-up with getting this lottery going. What I don't understand is why  it took so long, and why the opponents worry about it if you not going to play, just because its legal don't mean you have to play. The poor people they are so called worried about will gamble on something if they want to.

othertrucker's avatarothertrucker

I don't give a fat rats a$$ what game I play as long as they start the damned thing.What are they waiting for? Invitation? Nation Anthem? Lunch?I WANNA PLAY!!!!! 

Tenaj's avatarTenaj

I don't give a fat rats a$$ what game I play as long as they start the damned thing.What are they waiting for? Invitation? Nation Anthem? Lunch?I WANNA PLAY!!!!! 

ConfusedI think most of us have that attitude in NC and that's the reason we are so vulunable to whatever they give us. 

megagrl's avatarmegagrl

I Agree!  Tenja! We have waited so long for this to happen & are happy with whatever we can get .It's fine with me !!!Maybe they will wake up & throw in the 3's & 4's for us.

I am tired of running from SC TO VA-

We are in the middle so they can buy from us nowThumbs Up

MADDOG10's avatarMADDOG10

Good lord, whats all the fuss about.? After all that has happened to get the lottery in NC,and people are still complaining.There is really not a lot of difference what game they have first it's about getting the lottery up and running.

people have a way of being negative about whats going to be first. Who cares as long as the lottery starts, thats the main objective here...!

All the negativity makes me want to ask, would you like a little cheese with that whine?

Tenaj's avatarTenaj

Good lord, whats all the fuss about.? After all that has happened to get the lottery in NC,and people are still complaining.There is really not a lot of difference what game they have first it's about getting the lottery up and running.

people have a way of being negative about whats going to be first. Who cares as long as the lottery starts, thats the main objective here...!

All the negativity makes me want to ask, would you like a little cheese with that whine?

FrownLet us eat cake. Right?

Subscribe to this news story
Guest