They showed up for the cake, juice and prizes. But most of all, they came out of convenience.
About 20 people celebrated the grand opening of the South Carolina Education Lottery claims center in Fort Mill on Wednesday morning. The new claims center, located at 377 Carowinds Blvd., will make it easier for local lottery players to cash in their winnings. Before, winners had to travel to Columbia, Greenville or Charleston to claim their prizes.
Wandra Hoffman, 41, of Charlotte said she was excited about having a claims center close by.
"Now we don't have to travel all the way to Columbia to cash out," Hoffman said at the center's opening. "We can stay close to home."
Tara Robertson, a lottery spokeswoman, said opening a center in Fort Mill "just made sense" geographically.
"We've been planning to open this claims center for between three-and-a-half to four years," Robertson said.
The center was opened as a response to the requests of local lottery players, said Ernie Passailaigue, the lottery's executive director.
He said he expects the center to attract hundreds of thousands of users.
York County is home to eight of the state's top 10 lottery retailers, with several of those located in the Fort Mill area. But lottery experts have said they expect that to change when North Carolina joins Powerball in May. The Tar Heel State launched its own lottery last month.
Passailaigue also announced that the S.C. lottery has "upped the ante" by increasing the amount of money that can be cashed at claims centers in Greenville, Charleston and Fort Mill from $75,000 to $200,000.
Prizes greater than $200,000 must be claimed in Columbia.
Passailaigue said the lottery had generated $8.4 million to York County's schools in the past fiscal year. The lottery averages more than $3 million in ticket sales per day.
The Fort Mill Claims Center is open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
if north carolina lottery officials have any kind of sense they'll offer the same games as south carolina so all their people don't keep crossing the border.that means adding a pick 4 and pick 5 game too not just a pick 3.oh and by the way don't sneak computerized draws in there either......
NC already have a claims center on Clanton Road in Charlotte, NC. You can claim up to $100,000. All over that amount you will have to travel to Raleigh.
It's about time SC made it easier to collect over $600 without having to travel to Columbia.
Ah, another reason for me to move to SC. I think all states should have a few centers where a winner can claim his prize. Here we can go to the local office in Fort Myers if we win less than $250,000. For the bigger jackpots, it's necessary to go all the way to Tallahassee.
Speaking of Cash or Annuity, I wonder if that makes a difference? I think it's the size of the prize not the payout that determines where it has to be claimed. Probably every state has different rules.
Will the new claims office offer Cash only or annuity ?
Oh, man... I just sounded like someone else we know....
my bad...
LOL
OK, Ya'll <<<<<<NEWBIE... I want the scoop dangit Did everyone miss us while we were out vacationing in the yummmmmy sunshine felt so nice!! but congrats on getting a closer spot to get PAID Ya'll!!
Will the new claims office offer Cash only or annuity ?
Oh, man... I just sounded like someone else we know....
my bad...
LOL
OK, Ya'll <<<<< Did everyone miss us while we were out vacationing in the yummmmmy sunshine felt so nice!! but congrats on getting a closer spot to get PAID Ya'll!!
Of course we missed yall...I thought you'uns dun hit that MM Jackpot that was purchased in OH and took off for the hills !!!!
Sunshine is a good thing , too much of it is bad.....
Did you remember your sunscreen ? or else you would look like this >
Will the new claims office offer Cash only or annuity ?
Oh, man... I just sounded like someone else we know....
my bad...
LOL
OK, Ya'll <<<<< Did everyone miss us while we were out vacationing in the yummmmmy sunshine felt so nice!! but congrats on getting a closer spot to get PAID Ya'll!!
Of course we missed yall...I thought you'uns dun hit that MM Jackpot that was purchased in OH and took off for the hills !!!!
Sunshine is a good thing , too much of it is bad.....
Did you remember your sunscreen ? or else you would look like this >
DD
HAHA yeah we did we Good and Brown we got our Cali Tans HAHA ... no I wish that it was us DD KILLS when its that close to home!! Lately its been hitting all around us I keep yelling OVER HERE DANGIT LMAO .. but trust me WHEN we do hit we sure gonna let all our friends at the post know !! Always good to help keep the dream alive! Good Luck tonight everyone!
if north carolina lottery officials have any kind of sense they'll offer the same games as south carolina so all their people don't keep crossing the border.that means adding a pick 4 and pick 5 game too not just a pick 3.oh and by the way don't sneak computerized draws in there either......
It's about time SC made it easier to collect over $600 without having to travel to Columbia.
They should have just called it the Charlotte claims center.LOL
Will the new claims office offer Cash only or annuity ?
Oh, man... I just sounded like someone else we know....
my bad...
Ah, another reason for me to move to SC. I think all states should have a few centers where a winner can claim his prize. Here we can go to the local office in Fort Myers if we win less than $250,000. For the bigger jackpots, it's necessary to go all the way to Tallahassee.
Speaking of Cash or Annuity, I wonder if that makes a difference? I think it's the size of the prize not the payout that determines where it has to be claimed. Probably every state has different rules.
Will the new claims office offer Cash only or annuity ?
Oh, man... I just sounded like someone else we know....
my bad...
LOL
Will the new claims office offer Cash only or annuity ?
Oh, man... I just sounded like someone else we know....
my bad...
LOL
OK, Ya'll <<<<<<NEWBIE... I want the scoop dangit
Did everyone miss us while we were out vacationing in the yummmmmy sunshine felt so nice!! but congrats on getting a closer spot to get PAID Ya'll!!
Will the new claims office offer Cash only or annuity ?
Oh, man... I just sounded like someone else we know....
my bad...
LOL
OK, Ya'll <<<<<
Of course we missed yall...I thought you'uns dun hit that MM Jackpot that was purchased in OH and took off for the hills !!!!
Sunshine is a good thing
, too much of it is bad.....
Did you remember your sunscreen ? or else you would look like this >
DD
Will the new claims office offer Cash only or annuity ?
Oh, man... I just sounded like someone else we know....
my bad...
LOL
OK, Ya'll <<<<<
Of course we missed yall...I thought you'uns dun hit that MM Jackpot that was purchased in OH and took off for the hills !!!!
Sunshine is a good thing
, too much of it is bad.....
Did you remember your sunscreen ? or else you would look like this >
DD
HAHA yeah we did we Good and Brown we got our Cali Tans HAHA ... no I wish that it was us DD
KILLS when its that close to home!! Lately its been hitting all around us I keep yelling OVER HERE DANGIT 
LMAO .. but trust me WHEN we do hit we sure gonna let all our friends at the post know !! 
Always good to help keep the dream alive! Good Luck tonight everyone!