Retailer Questions

 

My Terminal is not printing tickets correctly.  The paper is jamming and sometimes the selected numbers are not printed correctly.  What should I do?

Call GTECH Hotline (1.800.950.5686) and report the problem. 

Immediately produce a reprint ticket.  Attach the reprint ticket to the questionable on-line ticket and send with an explanation in the “adjustment envelope” (provided by GTECH) to the Lottery.  The Lottery will make the determination as to the adjustment of your account.  Watch your BILLING STATEMENT for this adjustment.  It will be for the amount of the “unreadable ticket” minus your commission. 

Can I sell a reprint ticket?

NO.  Reprint tickets can not be sold or used to collect winnings.

I produced an On-Line ticket in error and would like to cancel the ticket and receive credit.  What can I do?

There is a “No Cancellation Policy” for any On-Line tickets produced in error. We recommend selling the ticket to another player. As a good business practice, always verify ticket requests with player, get the money and then press SEND.

How do I get an Altura Terminal?

All Retailers in the “waiting pool” are reviewed on a quarterly basis.  Retailers will be considered based upon a variety of factors, including Instant Scratch Ticket and On-Line sales at your place of business.

I am remodeling the store and need to relocate the Terminal. What is the procedure?

Call the Lottery at least 13 business days in advance of work to coordinate the inside wiring move.  Inform GTECH (1.800.950.5686) before you unplug the Terminal.  The Lottery Terminal must be plugged into a dedicated electric outlet.

What is Dedicated Electric and why is it necessary?

The Altura Terminal requires a dedicated electric line.  This means a special electric line that has nothing else plugged into it, except the Terminal and LED message board.  If other equipment is plugged into this line, it could adversely affect your Terminal with down time and lost sales.  You may jeopardize your Lottery license if the dedicated electric regulation is abused.

Do I need to leave the Terminal plugged in all the time?

YES.  Power to the Terminal must remain ON at all times.  DO NOT UNPLUG.  The central computer system communicates important information to the Terminal during “off hours.”  The Terminal should only be unplugged upon instructions from a GTECH Hotline operator.  If you have Terminal problems, call the GTECH Hotline (1.800.950.5686).

When do On-Line and Instant Scratch games expire?

180 DAYS.  Instant scratch games expire 180 days following the declared game ending date.  On-Line game tickets expire 180 days from date of the draw for which the ticket was purchased.

When validating an Instant Ticket and I get the message “previously cashed by other” what do I do?

DO NOT PAY.  Credit cannot be given as the ticket has been previously cashed at another Retailer location.  The previous Retailer did not tear the ticket and the player is trying to cash again.  Do not confront the player. Suggest he send the ticket to the Lottery for payment.  Always remember to scan the ticket to validate, then tear winning tickets in half  through the validation barcode, and staple one half to the Cash Authorization Receipt.  The Lottery policy states “whoever has the ticket last gets the credit."

Where do the Lottery profits go?

Since 1988, the Wisconsin Lottery has managed the Lottery fund with the following results (current as of 2/10/06 using sales through 2004)):

What is an annuity prize?

An annuity is a sum of money payable annually or at regular intervals.  Powerball and Megabucks have top prizes that provide an annually annuity option.  The Lottery uses the money in the prize pool to purchase zero-coupon bonds.  Each of the bonds matures annually so the winner receives a check each year.  By buying bonds the Lottery can offer larger prizes than a single, lump sum cash payment.  The jackpot prize is paid in 25 annual installments for Megabucks and 30 annual installments for Powerball.  The estimated jackpot is the approximate value of the 25 or 30-year annuity prize.

What is a Cash Option?

The cash option jackpot prize is paid in one lump sum cash payment equal to the amount of cash available to the Lottery in the jackpot prize pool, which will be less than the estimated jackpot.  This cash payment may be approximately one-half of the estimated annuitized jackpot as advertised by the Lottery.

What if I am presented an Instant Scratch Ticket that cannot be scanned?

You may manually enter the ticket serial number.  Touch INSTANT CASH, then manually enter the numbers on the back of the ticket, followed by the numbers on the front of the ticket (but not the three boxed digits) and finally, enter the three boxed digits.

Do not redeem tickets that you suspect have been tampered with or that are mutilated.  Give the player a Claim Form and instruct them to send the ticket to the Lottery.

What reports are available from the Terminal?

• Balancing Report, which summarize a day or week’s activities.
• Billing Report, which is your weekly billing invoice (last 52 weeks available).
• Winning Numbers Report, all games or a specific game and date.
• Jackpot Report for Powerball, Megabucks and Badger 5.
• Top Prize Won Report
• News message report repeats the Sign-on message.
• Retailer Performance Program and Sales reports.

Why am I required to pay out prizes up to $599?

According to your signed contract you are required to pay all winning tickets up to $599.  Winners tend to tell friends where they won and will spend some or all of their winnings in your store.  Each store may determine the maximum prize amount they will cash.  Please post this information. 

May I return unopened packs of Instant Scratch tickets at any time?

YES.  See your Lottery Field Marketing Representative or call the Retailer Hotline (1.800.242.7782) to request a Ticket Return Form.

How do I get the In-Counter Instant Ticket Dispenser, Play Center or other Point of Sale items?

Please see your Lottery Field Marketing Representative or call the Retailer Hotline at 1.800.242.7782.

Can a customer use a credit card to pay for a lottery ticket?

NO.  Credit cards may not be used to purchase lottery tickets.  Wisconsin Statutes allow for only cash purchases of lottery tickets. 

What happens if I don’t have enough money in the bank account for the EFT?

Insufficient funds in a retailer bank account at the scheduled time of an EFT results in a Non-Transfer of Funds (NFT).  NFT's that occur within a 12-month period, other than those caused by Lottery error, will result in the following actions:  First and Second NFT - $25 service fee; Second with a previous NFT balance - $25 service fee and suspension of ordering and waging; Third NFT - $50 service fee and suspension of ordering and wagering; Fourth or more NFT - $75 service fee and suspension of ordering and wagering for each occurrence.  The Lottery reserves the right to terminate the contract of any retailer who incurs three or more NFT's within a 12-month period.  This policy reflects the results of improvements made to the NFT collection process now being used by the Wisconsin Lottery.  The policy ensures that service fees and suspensions are administered uniformly.  Please call the Retailer Hotline (1.800.242.7782) with any questions.

Can players buy tickets through a subscription, by mail or by using a computer?

NO, Wisconsin Lottery tickets may only be purchased with cash and only at a participating Wisconsin Lottery retailer.

How can players find out the winning numbers?

You may print and post Winning Number reports.  They may look on the Lottery's website or call the Lottery Player Hotline (1.608.266.7777).  They may read the numbers in the local news media.  All past historical numbers may be obtained by sending a request and a self-addressed, stamped envelope to:  Wisconsin Lottery, attention Player Relations, PO  Box 8941, Madison, Wisconsin 53708-8941.

How old do you have to be to buy a Wisconsin Lottery ticket?

Tickets can only be sold to persons at least 18 years of age,  but minors may receive tickets as gifts.

How do players collect a big prize?

Winning tickets of $600 or more must be claimed at a Lottery office or by mail.  Lottery offices are located in Madison and Milwaukee.  To claim by mail the player should sign the back of the ticket, complete a Winner Claim Form and mail them to:  Prize Payment, Wisconsin Lottery, Madison, WI  53774. We recommend that you utilize a mailing method that provides you with proof of mailing. Please keep copies of your submissions.

All Powerball and Megabucks jackpot prizes must be claimed in Madison.  For jackpot prizes players may call 608.261.4916 to make arrangements to come in to validate the ticket.

Can winners remain anonymous?

NO, not in the true sense of the word.  Wisconsin has "Open Records" law.  Virtually any information state government produces, or controls, is available to any person requesting.  The statutes are specific in determining what individual information may be subject to this law.  Only information "in the public's interest" may be released by a government agency.  For Lottery winners this means that it has (1) been determined that it is in the public's interest to know there have been Lottery winners (as the proceeds of the Lottery are for public use, i.e. Property Tax Relief) and (2) the Lottery must, upon request,  release the name and hometown of winners.  Any other information about the winner, their future plans or any background information will only be released with the winner's consent.  The winner may or may not speak to the media.  It is not required, nor can it be prevented.

Do winners have to pay taxes on their winnings?

All lottery winnings are taxable.  The Lottery automatically deducts 25% federal income tax withholding for winnings $5,001 or greater and 6.25% state income tax withholding for winners over $1,999.

If the overall odds of winning a prize on an instant scratch ticket are 1 in 10, how come someone bought ten tickets and didn't win?

The odds are calculated by taking the total number of tickets printed divided by the total number of prizes available.  Where the prizes end up when the tickets are printed is determined by random, computer generated formulas.  Although any particular string of ten tickets may not produce a winner, there is just as much possibility that another string of ten tickets could produce several winning tickets.

Are most of the winning numbers "Quick-Picks" or "Personally Selected?"

Of the first 59 winners in the Powerball game, there were 41 winners (about 70%) who won using "Quick-Pick" or computer generated numbers.  The remaining 18 winners (30%) used their personally-selected numbers.

If a player wins a jackpot prize, but dies before getting all of the scheduled payments, what happens to the remaining payments?

The remaining payments are given to the estate of the winner (Wis. Stats. 565.30 (1).)

What happens to prizes that are not claimed?

The value of unclaimed prizes is credited to the Lottery Property Tax Relief Fund.

Can I cash tickets for more than $49?

YES.  You may cash winning tickets up to $599.  Be sure to scan the ticket and verify that it is a winner.