ST. LOUIS -- Welch ATM has partnered with the Missouri Lottery and select convenience stores to provide "even faster and more convenient" access to lottery games via ATMs. Units at 50 locations, including Mobil On the Run, U-Gas and Dirt Cheap will offer Powerball and Mega Millions quick-pick purchases by March 7, 2014.
Another 50 machines will launch in Kansas City by the end of the month.
"We are starting this program in St. Louis and Kansas City," said Jeff Hewitt, CEO of Welch ATM, "but plans to launch Missouri Lottery enabled ATMs throughout the state are well underway."
"We are very excited to be able to offer lottery at our machines in Missouri," said Adam Hobelmann, senior vice president at Welch ATM.
The program is likely to drive more foot traffic and transactions at the machines, a potential benefit for Welch's financial institution branding customers, but also produces some incremental revenue for the retailers.
"Stores that typically utilized lottery machines will also see a reduction in store real estate through consolidation of equipment," he said. "Locations that still sell lottery at the counter will likely have shorter lines as lottery customers are diverted to the ATM."
Welch ATM said it sees this Missouri launch as only the beginning of their relationship with the Lottery program. "With our nationwide reach, we hope to be able to bring the benefits and added convenience of lottery-enabled ATMs to all of our partners throughout the U.S.," Hewitt said.
Chesterfield, Mo.-based Welch ATM manages more than 22,000 machines nationwide, performing more than 90 million transactions per year and dispensing more than $5 billion annually.
The Missouri Lottery was created in 1985, and since 1994 has used its proceeds to help fund the state's public education programs.
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