Lottery Equipment Arriving in Stores, Tickets on Their Way

You may not be able to use it for another 2 weeks but workers are busy installing lottery equipment at Arkansas convenience stores. Lottery officials estimate 1,500 machines will be installed by September 28th.

A Fox16 crew watched as piece by piece a little box surrendered the components: a scan gun, a printout machine and cords by the score. Before we knew it, it was up and running inviting people to play. Steve Owens played the lottery when he lived in Virginia and can't wait to do the same here in Arkansas. "Just the chance, the chance of getting ahead," Owens said, "hopefully it will be millions to win."
But not everyone plans to join him in line for a ticket. Some told us they don't have the money to play. Still, Julie Baldridge with Arkansas Scholarship Lottery believes the games will be successful in bringing money to Arkansas college students since Americans spend 38 percent of entertainment dollars on lottery purchases. "We do expect to get a healthy share of the entertainment dollar in Arkansas," Baldridge said.

While about 1,200 stores are lined up now, Baldridge estimates 1,500 businesses will be selling tickets by the time scratch-off launches September 28th. In fact, any business that applies by September 14th will have equipment installed by the launch date. So after the equipment is installed what about tickets? Well that part comes Monday when a semi will bring thousands of them to a warehouse on Colonel Glenn.

So what can we expect where the scratchoffs are concerned? Baldridge says there will be one $1 version, two $2 versions and one $5 version. Then Powerball launches October 31st. Baldridge said, "I know economic development follows education so I'm really excited about the prospects in Arkansas."

Those with the lottery commission expect 2,500 stores to be selling tickets across the state in the near future. Incidentally, Monday you'll start to see ads show up on the airwaves promoting the lottery.