> 'Scratch' Lottery Games (Part 1)

Published in the Lawrence, MA Eagle-Tribune (c)

Friday, August 14, 1998

   ... and just as important today.

By Steve Whipple
Eagle-Tribune Writer

Players of Massachusetts instant lottery games would get better information -- and perhaps better odds of winning -- under a bill filed yesterday by state Rep. Donna Fournier Cuomo, R-North Andover.

The legislation was filed in response to a Sunday Eagle-Tribune report that said ''scratch tickets'' for some Massachusetts and New Hampshire lottery games remain on sale long after most -- or even all -- of the top prizes have been claimed.

Under Rep. Cuomo's bill:

Complete, weekly updates showing the number of grand prizes left in each game would have to be provided to lottery agents by the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission.

Lottery agents would be required to post that list in a conspicuous location. Agents that fail to post it could lose their right to sell tickets.

Games would have to be discontinued within 60 days once they are down to their last grand prize and within seven days once all grand prizes are claimed.

Rep. Cuomo said she was unaware, until reading Sunday's story, that the state sells tickets that promise, for example, 50 prizes of $1 million when only one remains.

''I wasn't aware of it and I think most people weren't aware that tickets were being sold and most big prizes were gone. I think three to six months is too long to wait for that final ticket to be claimed,'' she said. ''It's not fair. We have to be more responsible.''

She was also unaware that the lottery provides periodic updates on the number of big prizes left in million-dollar games but that tickets sellers are not required to post the updates.

Many bettors are unaware they can ask for the information. In addition, some ticket agents said the updates are sporadic at best, and lottery officials said they do not keep track of prizes left in games with prizes of less than $50,000.

Susan Figoletto, director of communications at the lottery commission, said the report has caused an uproar throughout the state. It was picked up by TV news reports and was featured prominently for four days on America Online's ''Digital City Boston'' Internet site.

But Ms. Figoletto contended that the odds of winning a big prize are not necessarily worse once a game is down to its last jackpot and, in some cases, they are better.

''Overall, when you get to the end of the life of the ticket, the odds will be the same as the beginning of the game because the quantity of tickets is decreasing,'' said Ms. Figoletto.

She said the lottery discontinues a game once all the top prizes are gone.

''If all the grand prizes were claimed, we would pull the ticket. We're not in the business of selling tickets where the grand prizes wouldn't be won,'' she said.

However, the lottery has no way of knowing the last prize has been scratched until the ticket has been turned in to claim the prize -- which may be weeks later.

William Vernon, director of public affairs for the lottery, said some changes may be needed but disagrees with Rep. Cuomo's proposal to require the lottery to end a game within 60 days when only one jackpot remains.

''We'd like to work with legislators to come up with something that satisfies their and the consumers' concerns,'' he said. ''I'm not sure setting a time is the best way of going about it.''

Gary Hammond, the owner of Howe Street Superette in Methuen, said he does not object to being required to post the prize update.

''If this is something that will help the customers better, then I'm all for it,'' he said.

Since the Eagle-Tribune report, he said, ''the customers are more aware of the scratch tickets than ever before. The percentage of people asking about the prizes has risen very dramatically.''

But he also noted an interesting phenomenon: ''Ever since that report, scratch ticket sales have gone up. If they think there's no winners (drawn) they're going after them.''

Susan Wlodyka of Tower Hill Variety in Lawrence said she regularly posts the prize update.

''But a lot of customers take it to bring to work. We can only request that report for a certain time, then it's wiped out of the computer's memory,'' she said. ''I don't believe in having the license revoked if someone takes the report.''

No scratch ticket legislation has been filed in New Hampshire, which allows agents to sell some instant tickets even after all the top prizes of $50,000 are gone. Lottery officials argue that bettors are content with lesser prizes, ranging from free tickets to $100.

Rep. David W. Hess, chairman of the New Hampshire House Local and Regulated Revenues Committee, which oversees gambling in that state, said he was not aware of any controversy surrounding scratch tickets.