RALEIGH, N.C. -- Motorists can now purchase lottery tickets at the gasoline dispenser in North Carolina.
The purchases are possible through a new service offered by the N.C. Education Lottery that provides lottery players the convenience of entering a drawing in one of the jackpot games—Powerball, Mega Millions or Carolina Cash 5—while pumping gas.
The service is optional to lottery retailers. Currently, Play at the Pump is available at 120 locations across the state, including all Murphy Express stores.
The Education Lottery is the fourth state lottery to provide this option using technology developed by an Atlanta-based company, Linq3. The other states are California, Missouri and Minnesota.
“Every business must stay on top of changes in technology to remain relevant in today’s marketplace,” said Alice Garland, executive director of the Education Lottery. “Many lottery players will continue to buy tickets inside their favorite stores, but Play at the Pump makes it convenient for others to participate. By staying up with the times, we can attract new customers and build on our success raising money for a good cause.”
To use the service, customers swipe a debit card at the gas pump to get Quick Pick numbers for the next drawing in one of the jackpot games. They get a receipt with their numbers and also can get a text of their numbers and a text if they win. Small wins, up to $599, are credited to their debit card. Players pay a flat $1 transaction fee to Linq3 to cover these services. Larger wins must be claimed at a lottery office.
Several features ensure purchases are made responsibly. They include:
- Only debit cards can be used in Play at the Pump purchases. Credit cards are not allowed.
- Customers must be 18 years old or older. The service quickly checks the age of the owner of the debit card before a purchase can happen.
- Limits placed on purchases. A customer can spend no more than $70 per debit card per week.
“Lotteries and retailers have a new opportunity to grow sales and profits by selling lottery draw games at the pump,” said Daniel Cage, CEO of Linq3. “Our Play at the Pump service is interactive and designed as a convenience for fuel customers to add a lottery ticket when filling up.”
The Linq3 solution works in partnership with the existing lottery networks, allowing lotteries to reach a greater market.
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