Wyo lotto draws business in Green River

By DAVID MARTIN

Editor

A month after sales of Powerball and MegaMillions tickets started in Wyoming, a few Green River businesses are saying the tickets are drawing more customers.

Rebecca Eusek, director of the Green River Chamber of Commerce said the tickets have given participating businesses a method of attracting more customers.

“It is something to bring people to the businesses that offer it,” she said.

Two bars have reported increased sales as a result of offering lottery tickets.

At Club 86, tickets have become popular with the bar’s regulars and brought in a few new customers as well.

“I think it has (increased business.)” bartender Jeanine McNeel said.

McNeel said she’s noticed people come in to have their tickets scanned at the lottery terminal and hang out afterward. At the Red Feather, bartender Willy Lucero reported seeing similar activity with people visiting the business.

Additionally, she said the tickets have become a popular item sold to people passing through Green River.

“They come in to the liquor store and go ‘oh, you guys got the lotto now,’ and buy a ticket,” she said.

During the last month, Green River was one of four cities in Wyoming to have sold a winning ticket.

The Wyoming Lottery Corporation in Cheyenne announced the Tollgate Station sold a winning MegaMillions ticket valued at $1,000 prior to the Aug. 29 drawing.

A release from the lottery corporation states the ticket matched four of the five winning numbers and had the Megaplier option purchased.

The Megaplier multiplies winnings, which in that case resulted in a $500 win doubling.

The popularity of the lottery has resulted in a couple of scams being attempted throughout the state.

According to the Wyoming Lottery Corporation, one scam involves an individual calling a resident claiming they’ve won a $2.5 million prize and asks for $800 in processing and tax fees.

“The Wyoming Lottery never asks winners for money in order to claim their prize,” Jon Clontz, CEO of the Wyoming Lottery Corporation said in a release. “We don’t notify people if they’ve won, they notify us.”