Issue: April, 2013 - Pennsylvania Lottery

RSL-502 (03-13)
Tom Corbett, Governor
VOLUME 1 • NO. 5 • APRIL 2013
palottery.com
Pennsylvania Lottery News
For Our Corporate Partners
IN THIS ISSUE:
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
Page 1
Dear valued corporate partners,
NEW TERMINAL REPORTS AND
REMINDERS COMING IN
LATE-APRIL
Page 2
PA LOTTERY HOSTS WORKSHOPS
FOR CORPORATE PARTNERS
Page 3
RETAILER COOPERATION IN
COUPON MISPRINTS
SINCERELY APPRECIATED
Page 3
PAYING WINNING TICKETS HELPS
RETAILER’S BOTTOM LINE
Page 4
We’re glad you are part of the Pennsylvania Lottery’s continuing success.
SECURITY BEGINS
WITH RETAILERS
Page 4
ACCESSIBILITY CORNER
Page 5
MILLIONAIRE RAFFLE
COMING SOON
Page 5
NEW INSTANT GAMES
COMING SOON
Page 6
NEW INSTANT TICKET AUTOMATIC
SETTLEMENT POLICY
Page 7
INSTANT GAME CLOSING DATES
Page 7
IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS
Page 7
BIG WINNERS FROM OUR
CORPORATE PARTNERS
Page 8
WHEN A STORE SELLS
A WINNING TICKET
Page 8
I was pleased to be able to meet many representatives of our retailer
network during our Corporate Partner Workshops in January. I appreciated
hearing your suggestions for ways in which we can foster even stronger
working relationships and generate new revenues to benefit older
Pennsylvanians.
One significant improvement to our business practices for 2013 is a change
in our automatic-settlement policy for instant games. We have begun
automatically settling packs 60 days after they are activated, which
conforms to the business practices of the vast majority of our retail network.
Ticket sales begin April 26 for Millionaire Raffle. We are hoping for our
16th-straight sell-out for the game, prior to the July 6 drawing. These
$20 tickets are very popular and should help boost both your important
Memorial Day and Independence Day sales. Remember to ask for the sale
– this tactic really works.
Our nightly televised drawing show has a new look and sound. We recently
introduced a new set and updated our popular Lottery jingle. Watch one
of our six broadcast partners at 6:59 p.m. to see our new show; we hope
you’ll like what you see.
The Lottery team welcomes your input and invites you to communicate
with us. With your help, the Pennsylvania Lottery is making a huge
difference in the lives of countless older Pennsylvanians. Thank you!
Best in selling,
Todd Rucci
Executive Director, Pennsylvania Lottery
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Pennsylvania Lottery | 1200 Fulling Mill Rd., Suite 1 | Middletown, PA 17057 I 1.800.692.7481
Tom Corbett, Governor
VOLUME 1 • NO. 5 • APRIL 2013
palottery.com
NEW TERMINAL REPORTS AND REMINDERS COMING IN LATE-APRIL
New Claim Form Reminder:
A message will appear on the screen when a retailer begins to process a winning ticket valued at $600.01 to $2,500
through the WAVE terminal. The message will display the following instruction: “Check the claimant’s photo ID and
verify all information on the claim form AND scan ticket again to pay.” This is to ensure the retailer follows
proper procedures when filing a claim form, as the IRS needs to obtain the correct taxpayer information for prizes won.
The same message will print on the Claim Receipt and Cash Receipt. By adding “Scan ticket again to pay,” we are
ensuring clerks run tickets through a second time in order to receive credit for paying a claim.
New WAVE Terminal Reports:
• Winner Statistics:
Displays terminal-based and instant game
winning tickets sold at the location by payout
category ($1-$99, $100-$999, $1,000- $9,999
and $10,000 and above).
• Benefit Statistic Report: Shows profits
generated for senior programs per month,
given a particular retailer’s sales. This is
valuable information in advertising a store or
chain’s support for Lottery’s benefit programs,
which include the PACE/PACENET low-cost
prescription drug programs, property tax/rent
rebates, free transit and reduced-fare shared
rides, long-term living services, 52 Area Agencies on Aging and hundreds of senior centers
across Pennsylvania.
• Outstanding Packs Report: Highlights all
outstanding partial packs processed through
the WAVE terminal and assigned to the individual retailer. These packs are considered
ready for pickup by the District Lottery Representative.
PCT Update:
Promotion data will be added to the PCT Shift Report by the end
of April. This new information will show both terminal-based
and instant game promotions, as well as the total promotions
validated during the timeframe of the shift.
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Tom Corbett, Governor
VOLUME 1 • NO. 5 • APRIL 2013
palottery.com
PA LOTTERY HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR CORPORATE PARTNERS
The Pennsylvania Lottery hosted three Corporate Partner Workshops in January that focused on building
relationships and continuing to build upon the impressive corporate partner sales growth from this past
fiscal year.
Representatives from 28 Pennsylvania Lottery corporate partners joined PA Lottery staff and representatives from Scientific Games in day-long sessions held
at Lottery headquarters in Middletown, PA.
Participants gave feedback during the sessions that
led to ideas on improving the Retailer Portal website,
suggestions to best communicate information to
chain locations and future plans for the Lottery to
host a workshop focusing on accounting practices
and inventory.
RETAILER COOPERATION IN COUPON MISPRINTS SINCERELY APPRECIATED
The Pennsylvania Lottery thanks its retail partners for their understanding and cooperation as Lottery
addressed a printing error beyond its control that resulted in customers presenting coupons that could not
be scanned at retail.
Players who originally received coupons with an incorrect 15-digit barcode instead of the correct 16-digit
barcode have received new, replacement coupons from Lottery.
However, Lottery was unable to identify the players who received coupons that had zeros or missing
numbers above the barcode in order to provide replacement coupons to this limited number of players.
Please continue to assist these customers using the instructions the Lottery provided in March via terminal
messages to retailers.
The Lottery sincerely apologizes for any inconvenience.
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Tom Corbett, Governor
VOLUME 1 • NO. 5 • APRIL 2013
palottery.com
PAYING WINNING TICKETS HELPS RETAILERS’ BOTTOM LINE
It is to retailers’ advantage to pay players for winning tickets, as our data shows that retailers
that pay winning tickets benefit by increasing customer service and satisfaction.
Benefits of being “The Place That Pays” include:
• Increased Lottery sales. Research shows that average sales for retailers who have the highest payout ratios (ratio of payout dollars to sales dollars) are almost 450 percent higher than
those with the lowest payout ratios. Retailers that pay reap the benefit of higher Lottery
commissions by turning payouts into additional Lottery sales.
• Customer retention. Paying winning tickets encourages loyal Lottery customers to purchase
all of their tickets from a favorite store rather than from a competitor.
• Putting cash in the hands of customers. When retailers pay winning tickets, customers are
stimulated to make additional purchases in the store.
More than 90 percent of prizes cashed at Lottery retailers are $100 or less, and reimbursement
from Lottery occurs regularly. The Pennsylvania Lottery strongly encourages all retailers to pay
winning tickets up to $2,500.
SECURITY BEGINS WITH RETAILERS
The following tips can help retailers prevent ticket
loss or theft:
• Immediately report stolen or missing instant
tickets weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. to a
PA Lottery instant tickets representative by calling
1-800-692-7481, Option 1 and then Option 4.
After work hours and on weekends, call the SGI
hotline at 1-800-692-7353.
• Display instant tickets out of customers’ reach.
• Audit the inventory of active tickets on a regular
basis. If discrepancies are found, inventory ticket
numbers at each shift change to discover any
trends.
• Hire reputable employees, and ensure full
pre-employment screenings are completed prior
to date of hire.
• Install in-store surveillance systems to discourage
internal theft, and provide surveillance evidence
in the event of theft.
• Upon receipt, receive and confirm receipt of all
Lottery instant ticket packs and terminal-based
ticket stock via the WAVE terminal, and then
place tickets and stock in a safe location until they
are to be utilized.
• Report any suspicious activity, such as questionable
cancellations and sales patterns, to PA Lottery
Security as soon as possible.
The Pennsylvania Lottery is dedicated to ensuring
that all aspects of games meet or exceed industry
standards for quality, fairness and integrity. Retailers
are encouraged to contact Pennsylvania Lottery
Security at 1-800-692-7481, Option 6, with
any security/loss prevention questions.
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Tom Corbett, Governor
VOLUME 1 • NO. 5 • APRIL 2013
palottery.com
ACCESSIBILITY CORNER
The spring and summer months provide a perfect time to re-stripe parking
lots to provide disabled parking spaces that meet Lottery accessibility
standards. These standards are as follows:
• A marked, disabled parking space must be 96 inches wide, and a clearly
painted van-access aisle 96 inches in width must be next to the disabled
parking space and indicated by clearly painted diagonal stripes on the
ground.
• A sign picturing the international symbol of accessibility must be in front
of each disabled parking spot at least 60 inches above the ground.
• The van-accessible space must also have additional signage below the
sign displaying the international symbol of accessibility indicating the space is van-accessible.
• A crosswalk at least 36 inches wide and marked with diagonal lines must extend from the disabled
accessible parking space to the disabled-accessible entrance when someone must travel across a
vehicular path from the parking space to the entrance.
• One of the marked disabled parking spaces must be a van-accessible space.
Please contact Lottery Accessibility Manager Ryan Gesell at 717-702-8086 or Lottery Accessibility Coordinator
Sheila Craigwell at 717-702-8087 if you have any questions regarding accessibility.
MILLIONAIRE RAFFLE COMING SOON
The next Millionaire Raffle goes on sale April 26! A limited
number of $20 tickets (500,000) will offer a 1-in-125,000
chance of winning $1 million, which are the best odds offered
by the Pennsylvania Lottery for winning a $1 million prize.
There will be 6,000 prizes awarded totaling over $5 million.
Retailers can win big, too, with Millionaire Raffle. A commission
of $1 will be earned for the sale of each Millionaire Raffle
ticket, and the four retailers that sell the $1 million top-prizewinning tickets will each receive a $5,000 bonus.
Retail associates should be encouraged to ask for the Millionaire Raffle sale, because once the 500,000
tickets are gone, they are GONE. Retailers can also remind customers that the best way to guarantee
participation is to purchase tickets early. Winners will be drawn on Saturday, July 6 at 6:59 p.m.
COMMENTS? SUGGESTIONS?
If you have comments, questions or suggestions
for content you would like to see in a future
newsletter, please contact Staci Coombs in our
Corporate Accounts Section at [email protected]
or 717-702-8092.
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Tom Corbett, Governor
VOLUME 1 • NO. 5 • APRIL 2013
palottery.com
NEW INSTANT GAMES
COMING SOON
Stores should activate and display
these games upon receipt.
April 23 Release:
Million $$ Match ($20), #1027
7-11-21® ($5), #1028
Crossword Time ($3), #1029
$1,000 A Week For
Life ($2), #1030
Mustache Cash ($1), #1031
May 21 Release:
Neon 9s ($10), #1032
$500 Frenzy ($5), #1033
I Heart Cash ($2), #1034
Golden Goose ($1), #1035
June 25 Release:
$1,000,000 Diamond
Dazzler ($20), #1036
Wheel of Fortune® ($5), #1037
Pyramid Riches ($3), #1038
Double Match ($2), #1039
Cherry Doubler ($1), #1040
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Tom Corbett, Governor
VOLUME 1 • NO. 5 • APRIL 2013
palottery.com
NEW INSTANT TICKET AUTOMATIC SETTLEMENT POLICY
Effective with games released on March 25 and later,
packs of instant tickets will now automatically settle
60 days after activation. Packs that went on sale
prior to March 25 will continue to automatically settle
after they have been active for 120 days. As a
reminder, retailers will continue to receive terminal
messages alerting them to packs that will soon
automatically settle.
This change reflects the current business practices
of Lottery retailers and will help ensure the latest
instant games are available for sale at retailers
throughout the state. Retailers should not see a
significant impact on day-to-day pack management,
as the vast majority of packs were historically
settled within 60 days of activation.
INSTANT GAME CLOSING DATES
Sales have recently ended for the following PA Lottery instant games:
Closed on March 12:
0944 - The Price Is Right® ($3)
Closed on April 1:
0929 - Word O Rama ($3)
Closed on March 15:
0895 - Big Money ($5)
0903 - Triple Winning 3s ($1)
0937 - Harley-Davidson® ($5)
0941 - $pot $ome Ca$h ($5)
1003 - Merry Millions ($20)
1004 - Trim The Tree ($10)
1005 - Fro$ty Ca$h ($5)
1006 - Snowball Bucks ($3)
1007 - Sweet Winnings ($2)
1008 - Stocking Stuff Doubler ($1)
Closed on April 24:
0938 – Triple Dynamite ($2)
1011 – Lucky In Love ($5)
These games should be removed from display
immediately, activated packs should be settled and
procedures for returning partial packs should be
executed. Returns may be held for District Lottery
Representative pick up during the next visit.
IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS:
PA Lottery Retailer Services
1-800-692-7481
Equipment Service & Repair (Scientific Games Systems)
1-800-692-7353
Tel-Sell Team
(Instant ticket, playslip and terminal ticket stock ordering)
1-888-393-4744
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Tom Corbett, Governor
VOLUME 1 • NO. 5 • APRIL 2013
palottery.com
BIG WINNERS FROM OUR CORPORATE PARTNERS:
• A Cash 5 jackpot-winning ticket worth more than
• A Cash 5 jackpot-winning ticket worth $250,000
$728,000 from the March 4 drawing was sold at
Wawa 00254 in Essington, Delaware County. For
selling the ticket, the store receives a $5,000
bonus.
from the Feb. 17 drawing was sold at Rite Aid
02798 on Butler St. in Pittsburgh. For selling the
ticket, the store receives a $500 bonus.
• A Cash 5 jackpot-winning ticket worth $325,000
from the Feb. 27 drawing was sold at Boyer’s
Food Market 03568 in Womelsdorf, Berks County.
For selling the ticket, the store receives a $500
bonus.
• A Pennsylvania Millionaire instant ticket worth $1
million was sold at Turkey Hill 228 in Windgap,
Northampton County. For selling the ticket, the
store receives a $5,000 bonus.
WHEN A STORE SELLS A WINNING TICKET
When a store sells a winning terminal-based
game ticket worth $200,000 or more, the
Lottery’s Press Office will issue a news release to
announce the selling location.
When the selling location is part of a chain or
corporate partner, Lottery staff will contact
corporate headquarters and the individual selling
location before the news release is issued. After
seeing the news release, local media may wish to
visit the store to take photos or video or conduct
interviews. The Lottery recommends cooperating
with local media requests whenever possible,
because media exposure can lead to increased
store traffic.
To help make customers aware of a store’s
winning sale, Lottery will display a special
message on the selling location’s flat panel
monitor for a week. This “We Sold a Winner!”
message includes the game, date and amount.
Depending on the size of the prize won, a store
may receive a selling bonus ranging from $500 to
$100,000.
Corporate partners are encouraged to contact the
Lottery Press Office at 717-702-8008 with any
questions or concerns.
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