Pa. makes lottery sales more convenient

Pennsylvania just made it easier to spend money on lottery tickets. Self-service machines dispensing scratch-off tickets are now in 68 Wawa convenience stores across the state.

A string band, a dancing Wawa goose and trays of free “Rendeli” hoagies helped usher in the new lottery machines. Gov. Ed Rendell said Wawa alone will generate $37 million dollars in lottery sales — that’s about $11 million dollars in profits for the state.

“When it’s easier to play, more people play, it’s as simple as that. And these are high-traffic stores, as you know,” said Rendell during a stop at a Wawa at 10th and Arch in Philadelphia yesterday. “And people have a tendency in a high-traffic store …  they see the machine, they know it’s a scratch-off , so they play.”

Some say lottery tickets are the poor people’s tax. But Rendell said there’s no down side to the program, which helps fund health care for senior citizens.

Wawa expects to have the machines at all 210 stores by spring.