Lotto Vending Machines to Roll Out Today

The instant gratification of scratch-off lottery tickets is getting a bit more instant.

The instant gratification of scratch-off lottery tickets is getting a bit more instant.

The state is installing 1,000 vending machines to sell the tickets across Florida, primarily in supermarkets. The machines could begin showing up in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties as early as Monday.

Lottery machines were previously installed in Florida from 1997 to 2001, and most of them were unprofitable. Scratch-off ticket sales are down a bit from last year, but lottery officials are forecasting the machines will generate another $3.4 million in annual revenue.

Florida launched a pilot program with 500 instant ticket vending machines in the Orlando area in 1997. That experiment was pronounced a success and the state's inventory grew to 797 machines scattered around Florida three years later.

A Lottery inspector general's review in 2000, though, indicated only 20 of the leased machines were bringing in enough money to pay for themselves. The rest were losers.

The next year, lottery officials planned to cut the number of machines in half and relocate some to make them more profitable. Before that could happen, though, then-Governor Jeb Bush vetoed a $2.9 million budget line-item to continue leasing the machines from Interlott Technologies of Mason, Ohio. Bush thought it was improper to name a contractor in the budget.

That's not an issue this time. The Florida Lottery's existing contract with GTech Corp. of Providence, R.I., to provide its gaming systems includes a provision to lease vending machines at the state's option for $329 a month each.

One difference this time is that the machines will be placed only in supermarkets. Five supermarket chains, including Publix and Winn-Dixie, have committed to take them.


 

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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