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
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PA LOTTERY HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR CORPORATE PARTNERS
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RETAILER COOPERATION IN COUPON MISPRINTS SINCERELY APPRECIATED
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PAYING WINNING TICKETS HELPS RETAILER’S BOTTOM LINE
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We’re glad you are part of the Pennsylvania Lottery’s continuing success.
SECURITY BEGINS WITH RETAILERS
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ACCESSIBILITY CORNER
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MILLIONAIRE RAFFLE COMING SOON
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NEW INSTANT GAMES COMING SOON
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NEW INSTANT TICKET AUTOMATIC SETTLEMENT POLICY
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INSTANT GAME CLOSING DATES
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IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS
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BIG WINNERS FROM OUR CORPORATE PARTNERS
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WHEN A STORE SELLS A WINNING TICKET
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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
Page 1 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. Page 3
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. Page 4
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 Page 7
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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