news-record.com

RALEIGH (AP) — North Carolina's lottery has dodged a sales slowdown that has struck other states, thanks in part to a low-stakes game that lets the superstitious play their hunches on lucky numbers twice a day.

State lottery officials say they have been surprised by the sustained 40 percent increase in ticket sales for the Pick 3 game since adding a second daily drawing in March 2008. Players bought $209 million worth of tickets in the most recent fiscal year, about what was spent on the big-payout Powerball, The News & Observer of Raleigh reported today. Instant scratch-off tickets are by far the lottery's biggest seller, accounting for more than 61 percent of total sales.

In the Pick 3 game, which costs just 50 cents or $1, gamblers pick a three-digit number. The maximum win is $500, the smallest of any of the lottery's drawing games.

Lottery executive director Tom Shaheen said he expected a 10 percent increase in sales when the Pick 3 game expanded. He said he can't explain why sales were better than expected.

"The Pick 3 player is a different type of player," Shaheen said. "They like their two-times-a-day draws."

Some players prefer the odds with Pick 3. The odds of matching three randomly selected digits from 0 to 9 in exact order to win $500 are 1 in 1,000. The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are roughly 1 in 195 million, according to the North Carolina Education Lottery's Web site.

"The chances are better," said Anthony Leach, 46, of Raleigh, who plays Pick 3 at least three times a week. "It's sort of a pattern."

Pick 3 players rarely let the computer select numbers for them. Lottery officials say 8 percent choose the "quick pick" option compared to 71 percent of Powerball players. Some like to bet on triples such as 7-7-7.

On a recent afternoon, a steady stream of customers came into the C Mini Mart in eastern Raleigh and headed to the store's dedicated lottery ticket register. Sam Snell, 31, came to claim his $80 win from that afternoon's drawing. One of his regular numbers, 2-6-1, had hit.

"If I win, I win," said Snell, who works for a parking lot company and plays Pick 3 at least three times a week.

Lottery profits go to four educational programs, but critics of state-sanctioned gambling are not happy that sales are strong. Running a game twice a day is designed to attract serious gamblers, said Bill Brooks, president of the North Carolina Family Policy Council.

"I'm sure if they drew every hour they would get more action than they do with twice a day," Brooks said. "So we can go out and get a few more million from more of North Carolina citizens who are addicted to gambling and become more addicted. What's to celebrate here? Nothing."