LJWorld.com / Confidence in game shaken

Archive for Saturday, September 16, 2000

Customers think twice about buying tickets; seller doubts slowdown

September 16, 2000

Carol Thompson wasn't surprised when she heard about the scandal involving the Kansas Lottery.

The 45-year-old Lawrence woman said she often plays the lottery, but next time she may think twice before trading another dollar bill for a lottery ticket.

"I always thought it was crooked," Thompson said Friday as she made a quick stop at the Site Service Station and convenience store, 946 E. 23rd. "This might make me stop (buying)."

If Thompson and others like her do stop buying tickets, it could erase millions of dollars in state lottery sales. In Douglas County, $4.18 million was spent during fiscal year 2000 on the lottery, according to the Kansas Lottery Commission.

Other customers Friday afternoon at Site had similar sentiments even if they don't regularly buy lottery tickets.

"That's why I never buy them," said Lyle Kindred, 56, Eudora. "You don't know if that money is going where it's supposed to or not."

Ed Van Petten, deputy director of the lottery, tried to ease the fears of lottery players.

"No players' chances of winning have been compromised and the prize has not been compromised," he said in an interview. "So we want players to know this does not affect their ability to win or be paid."

That didn't carry much weight with Tracy Stielow, 39, Lawrence. He said he buys tickets every two or three months. Stielow, too, will think twice next time.

"It does make you question what's going on," he said as he pumped gas. "In some ways I think it gives the state a black eye. I don't like things that are corrupt."

Gregg Norwood, 42, Lawrence, said he now questioned the entire lottery system.

"If this is going on at the top end, what's going on at the bottom?" he asked. "You don't know whether the whole thing is rigged or not."

Despite customers' reactions, Claude Mears, 68, shift manager at Site, didn't think the scandal would slow ticket sales.

"People are still going to buy them no matter what happens," he said.