5 ms·

yes, but if you work at/own a gas station, you can pretty much pick the winners and sell the losing tickets.

by alokt_ 16y ago

eftpotrm 16y ago
Not in the UK lottery; all the tickets get dispensed from clear containers and have to be the next one on the roll (which comes out at the back so you can't see what the next one will be). They've tried educating their customers* about not buying tickets that aren't on the roll. This to me seemed to be the core of the problem; not that the cards were crackable, but that it was possible for a user to select what card to purchase rather than just what game to play. Remove that and the problem largely goes away through simple education about valid play procedures as I suggested. (* I say educated, but there's the infamous 'Winter temperatures' scratchcard which rather undermines that concept - http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1022757_cool_cash_card_confusion http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1022757_c...)
- dhyasama 16y ago
  Exactly. Force players to buy the next ticket on the roll (without seeing it) and don't allow unused tickets to be returned. Problem solved. I grew up in Maine and tickets are dispensed this way. Not sure about returning tickets, but knowing Mainers, I'd be surprised if they would take them back. It doesn't pass the straight-face test.
  - BrandonM 16y ago
    Problem not solved. A savvy attendant just checks the tickets on the end of each roll. If it's a winner, go ahead and buy it. Otherwise, wait until a customer buys the loser first.
    - Luyt 16y ago
      Disallow attendants to buy tickets while they're on the job. [However, they could signal accomplices to buy it for them. It would take a team, then.]
      - rtghnyhjm 16y ago
        Most lottery tickets are sold from small convenience stores, either family owned or with just a couple of staff - hard to enforce this. There is a crackdown on relatives of store owners winning the lottery - but is normally them defrauding winners who come in to check the ticket.

yes, but if you work at/own a gas station, you can pretty much pick the winners and sell the losing tickets.

by alokt_ 16y ago

yes, but if you work at/own a gas station, you can pretty much pick the winners and sell the losing tickets.

Not in the UK lottery; all the tickets get dispensed from clear containers and have to be the next one on the roll (which comes out at the back so you can't see what the next one will be). They've tried educating their customers* about not buying tickets that aren't on the roll. This to me seemed to be the core of the problem; not that the cards were crackable, but that it was possible for a user to select what card to purchase rather than just what game to play. Remove that and the problem largely goes away through simple education about valid play procedures as I suggested. (* I say educated, but there's the infamous 'Winter temperatures' scratchcard which rather undermines that concept - http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1022757_cool_cash_card_confusion http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1022757_c...)

dhyasama 16y ago
Exactly. Force players to buy the next ticket on the roll (without seeing it) and don't allow unused tickets to be returned. Problem solved. I grew up in Maine and tickets are dispensed this way. Not sure about returning tickets, but knowing Mainers, I'd be surprised if they would take them back. It doesn't pass the straight-face test.
- BrandonM 16y ago
  Problem not solved. A savvy attendant just checks the tickets on the end of each roll. If it's a winner, go ahead and buy it. Otherwise, wait until a customer buys the loser first.
  - Luyt 16y ago
    Disallow attendants to buy tickets while they're on the job. [However, they could signal accomplices to buy it for them. It would take a team, then.]
    - rtghnyhjm 16y ago
      Most lottery tickets are sold from small convenience stores, either family owned or with just a couple of staff - hard to enforce this. There is a crackdown on relatives of store owners winning the lottery - but is normally them defrauding winners who come in to check the ticket.