Lottery's new look is about more than a makeover

September 29, 2016 Posted by NC Lottery at 11:32 AM

After 10 years and billions of dollars in prizes and support for education, we're getting a new look. But it's about more than a make-over.

Over the next six months you're going to see state-of-the-art equipment upgrades at stores and online. Every retail location will have a self-scanner or vending machine where you can check your tickets.

Our redesigned website will be optimized for your mobile device. And while we don't have a date yet, an updated version of the mobile app will have a scanning feature that indicates if you have a winning ticket.

You can see that the new logo still pays tribute to our state's treasured mountains and coastline. We arrived at the brighter, cleaner look after talking with folks - some who play lottery games, others who don't - all across North Carolina.

The lottery has always been and will always be about possibilities. And we're grateful to all of you and all the local businesses who offer our games. That's what changes the future for lucky winners and education in our state.

We hope you enjoy the new features coming your way in the coming months.

46 COMMENTS

10/11/2016 04:52 - Ricky S.

any word yet on the scan app to check scratch offs using the phone ?NC Lottery
We don't have a date for the release of the new scanning feature. Just wanted to share with you guys that it's coming because so many have asked for it.

10/02/2016 09:58 - Donzwella D.

In response to Turbo on 09/29/16, you're so right about people fishing and watching as you buy tickets. I had a retailer ask me to make sure I let him know what I won because it would let him know if he should buy the next ticket. I never went back. As a matter of fact, I won't go back. Then I had another retailer discover that I won $100 then told me I needed to give him so since I didn't know I had won. I took my money and left. SMH!!! I don't trust a lot of store clerks. Some who are a little more busy than others, don't pay attention and I frequent them instead. Just waiting my turn to hit a jackpot. Good luck to EVERYONE!!! NC Lottery
If you ever see something that concerns you at a retailer, please call our security team: 888-732-6235

10/02/2016 09:53 - Roger K.

Logo looks ok, but i think the lighthouse was what really made NC lottery logo look better! All you see now is, mountains and ocean, plus the lottery star!NC Lottery
When we talked with players and non-players across the state, one thing they told us about the original logo is that they thought there was a little too much going on. It's nothing against our iconic lighthouses - we still tip our cap to the coastline with the waves :-)

10/02/2016 08:01 - michael e.

The new logo for N C is OK it doesn't dazzle me but it will do for now ? just wish I could get a win sometime ?

10/01/2016 08:51 - Judy W.

Hey, how come the NC lottery is not at the Dixie Classic fair in Winston Salem NC this year. I always buy tickets there but couldn't find the booth.NC Lottery
Our event sponsorship program has undergone some changes. Sorry you were hoping to find us there. Hope you had a good time at the fair, and that you have good luck on your next lottery ticket! :)

10/01/2016 08:44 - carolyn b.

THIS NEW LOOK TOTALLY STINKS !!!! THE LIGHT HOUSE WAS MUCH BETTER....THE GREEN BACK GROUND MAES YOUR EYES HURT....

10/01/2016 02:44 - don s.

Finally, it's about time ncel listen to reward players about the app checking tickets for win or lose hopefully this occurs with each ticket entered. Thank you so much. Please do not change any think about how you view previous numbed drawings or type in draw game numbers to search for wins. Ncel has the best method of this by far over other. Thank you

10/01/2016 08:06 - Chester W.

Waiting for the app update! I've said this before, need to set up a debit card and all winnings load to it as an option. Then you can use the card at atms or for whatever. One wouldn't have to worry about the stores paying out. Is this part of the update???NC Lottery
We'll have more details to share as we get closer to introducing the new version of the app.

10/01/2016 02:17 - Konisa R.

I'm wondering why no one else is bringing up the fact that the 10x for the POWERBALL has NEVER dropped!!! Did you think we forgot about that Lottery commission??? I have asked before how the multiplier is chosen and I've never gotten a reply. Because I find it quite odd how rarely 5x drops... NC Lottery
The multiplier is picked in a random drawing. The 10X multiplier is just available when the jackpot is $150 million or less. Here are the odds for each multiplier being drawn: 10X, 1 in 43; 5X, 1 in 21.5; 4X, 1 in 14.33; 3X, 1 in 3.31; and 2X, 1 in 1.79.

9/30/2016 10:30 - GREGORY H.

Would be nice if you could purchase pick 3 and pick 4 subscriptions online also...you could skip the long store lines!

9/30/2016 08:19 - Tony T.

turbo said Hey Ricky, if you are going to critique others, I think you should have used the word whether, not weather. Sorry pal, I couldn't pass that one up. ***************************** Yep, it's that ole pot kettle thang, lol

9/30/2016 08:14 - Phyllis N.

ON 9/30/2016 07:02, (DEFAULT = PLAYER) SAID "I agree on the scratch tickets, Odds are ridiculous...I and at least 15 of my friends do not even play those games anymore because of that fact! We drive into SC and buy tickets if we play scratch games." Another bonus is, if you win big, you can remain anonymous. Therefore, lessening the risk of someone tracking you down to rob and or cause bodily harm ;-)

9/30/2016 02:14 - Jeff J.

Improving the logo does not help with the odds of winning. Work on that instead. When one has to spend hundreds of dollars just to win $20, there's something wrong with that situation. But then again, if I did not play at all then I would not have to worry about blowing hundreds of dollars just to win $20. Sounds smart. Others should think the way I think. NC Lottery
We wish every ticket could be a winning ticket. But lottery games work the same way in North Carolina as they do anywhere else - it takes luck to beat the odds and turn $1 into $1,000 or $10 into $1 million. We wish you and everyone the best of luck.

9/30/2016 01:42 - Denver G.

Hey Ricky, if you are going to critique others, I think you should have used the word whether, not weather. Sorry pal, I couldn't pass that one up.

9/30/2016 09:46 - walter b.

Please do not improve your website as much as Virginia Lottery improved their website. It went from user friendly to one that it so complex and difficult to navigate, I rarely check it anymore. NC site must be easy, quick and mobile friendly I

9/30/2016 08:08 - SHIRLEY M.

I too drive to SC and GA to buy scratch offs because the odds of winning are better. More winners equate to more lottery buyers and thus more money for education!

9/30/2016 07:02 - Johnny B.

I agree on the scratch tickets, Odds are ridiculous...I and at least 15 of my friends do not even play those games anymore because of that fact! We drive into SC and buy tickets if we play scratch games.

9/30/2016 06:20 - Chester W.

Has the visa/master card debit issues solved yet? Still cannot my target visa debit gift card and was able to use it before. Also used walmart and secu visa debit cards.NC Lottery
Please call customer service at 877-962-7529 between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Thanks.

9/30/2016 01:05 - Jeffrey H.

That sounds fantastic! I love the idea of using the mobile app to check for winning tickets! Love the new logo.

9/30/2016 12:36 - Matthew P.

Employees should not be allowed to buy tickets where they work. I've seen a lot of shady things around waxhaw nc!! Cashiers winning $1000 on treasure hunt, $2500 on Carolina Black and store clerks picking out tickets to buy when their shift is over. Store owners holding a group of $30 tickets for regular customers when someone has played and lost several tickets in a row. I like to scratch but not around my town. I wouldn't be surprised to find this is common all over the state. Not fair...NC Lottery
Our security practices are as strong as any lottery in the country. Security measures in place designed to look for retailers who could be stealing lottery prizes from players. If you ever see anything that concerns you, please help the lottery protect other players by calling our security team at 1-888-732-6235.

9/30/2016 12:30 - Patricia K.

I have to say, as a former Mass. resident where the lottery has been in existence much longer than NC, I am impressed with the newer technology and features that NC offers. Mass. still uses the same antiquated machines since day 1 that takes up a massive amount of counter space. Though I do think the odds of winning in Mass. are greater.

9/30/2016 12:12 - Deborah P.

It sure would be nice to have more winners. The NC Lottery takes in lots of money each day, but few winners. We spend lots of money but not winning. The scratch offs need to have more winners as well.NC Lottery
Last year players statewide won on average $4 million a day in prizes, for a total of $1.5 billion in prizes for the year. We wish every ticket could be a winning ticket. But with games of chance, prize money comes from the fact that you have to be lucky :-)

9/29/2016 11:48 - Gavin G.

Several months ago I wrote asking if it would be possible to be alerted while scanning tickets to tell you if it was a winner. Before you started allowing winning tickets to be entered it would not accept it if it was a winner and it caught a couple of winners I had missed. With your new changes does that now mean it will tell you while scanning them as usual, or will there be another and separate scan required to see if a ticket is a winner? Hopefully it's the former, but either way I offer kudos to you for the upgrades and new features! Nice improvements. Thanks!NC Lottery
The original app was not meant to be a "ticket checker" -- just a way to scan tickets to enter them here. When we added instant games to the rewards program, we got lots of feedback from people who had been using the scanning feature as a ticket checker. The new app will indicate if a ticket you have scanned is a winner or not. We'll have more details as we get closer to the new app coming out.

9/29/2016 10:31 - Tony T.

The vending machines currently in stores, are rhey stocked by lottery personnel and not retailers themselves? Lucke-Zone Replied Just as it is the store's responsibility to keep their countertop ticket dispensers filled, it is also up to them to keep their vending machines stocked.***************************** There you go C' store employees, you will still be able to work the system, sheeze.

9/29/2016 09:59 - Chris A.

Glad we will be able to check our tickets on app for winner. Now we just got to get a winning ticket!!!!! Please tell the printer to stop putting $1 for prizes when you get the win all that is really getting old.NC Lottery
An updated version of the mobile app will have a scanning feature that indicates if you have a winning ticket.

9/29/2016 09:42 - Rita C.

I agree with NOTSHARON! Self-scanners in all stores! NC Lottery
Every retail location will have a self-scanner or vending machine where you can check your tickets.

9/29/2016 09:05 - Cathy K.

On pick 3 & pick 4 tickets put up to 10 picks on a play slip. This will save you a lot of money over time.

9/29/2016 08:46 - Ricky S.

One question, is it possible for you all to put pressure on these stores selling scratch offs to pay out on a $300 or $400 or $500 hit ? What fun is it to finally win something nice just to have the store tell us they don't have the money in their register!NC Lottery
We encourage retailers to pay out prizes up to $599, but we cannot make them. Grocery stores are often a good option to get a larger prize up to $599.

9/29/2016 08:18 - Ricky S.

I personally would like for the website to go back to old way where a person could choose weather to see numbers listed as they were drawn, ie, cash 5. And also someone should had proof read this article for misspelled words before posting.

9/29/2016 08:15 - Victoria S.

Im having trouble with the svanner. Is this due to the new makeover NC Lottery
No. These changes are not in place, they will be coming out in the coming months. If you have a technical issue, please click the HELP link at the top of the screen and either fill out an ONLINE SUPPORT form, or call customer service for help :)

9/29/2016 05:51 - William G.

i would like to know the lottery commissions thoughts on the Charlotte Observer article about how it is statistically impossible for certain repeat winners to keep doing so without inside information...I believe it was one in a trillion? They even post a list of the winners and show how certain stores are favored in the shipments that the NCEL sends them. I would like to know as well because I feel the tickets sitting in the boxes are not randomly sent out as they should be. But without more transparency, the NCEL can never prove it is fair because no one audits the ticket distribution.NC Lottery
Thanks for the opportunity to respond. We have put together some information at this link that speaks to your concerns: http://bit.ly/2dxc73r

9/29/2016 05:17 - Sheila L.

Lovin the new logo

9/29/2016 04:09 - Courtney S.

AWESOME!!! I am so happy to have read about the equipment update, its so greatly needed. One suggestion: when you using the vending machine for online pick 3 and 4 games, I think we should be able to place a $0.50 bet just as long as the total amount rounds up to a full dollar amount and have the ability to make paper change. Also the ability to use debit cards. I am patiently waiting for that "BIG WIN!!!!

9/29/2016 03:49 - Charles H.

How about bringing back the games the way they used to be. $1 tickets that required matching 3 like symbols or dollar amounts used to give 9 chances per-ticket, now it's only 6. $5 tickets had 15 chances to win, now it's 12. Also, stop putting $1 & $2 prizes on $5 tickets & up with multipliers. It's stupid paying $10 for ticket then scratching a 50x multiplier only to find a ridiculous amount. Granted, it's still a winner, but I'd rather win that amount on a $10 ticket by matching numbers. The minimum amount on a multiplier scratcher should be equal to the cost of the ticket.

9/29/2016 03:36 - Denver G.

Lucke-Zone Replied The retailer is eligible for an incentive for selling a big-winning ticket for a draw game even if the prize goes unclaimed.********** LZ, thank u 4 that answer from a previous blog! Now I can go back to my favorite retailor & tell him to stop giving me misinformation. I truly am just trying to help my fellow members as most of them know from all my comments over the years. LZ, you guys do a great job. Could u do better? Yep! Can we as members ? H#$& yes! We just have to cowboy up and B less reliant on others for all the answers. MOST OF THE ANSWERS R JUST A CLICK AWAY!

9/29/2016 03:15 - Denver G.

I like the up coming improvements. As players we must remember to not only monitor the retailers but also monitor ourselves & be responsible for how we handle our tickets. Scratch your tickets at home! Don't let anyone know you just got a bunch of non winners in a row, some one might be watching & fishing. Enter all your tickets in the LZ b4 u cash them in or trash them!!!

9/29/2016 03:13 - jason r.

So it will tell us if we enter a winning ticket within 6 months?or is it a different app that just tells us if it is a winning ticket ,that will still need to be entered into our account?NC Lottery
We'll have more details when we get closer to the new version of the app coming out. We just wanted to share a preview with our players club members now :-)

9/29/2016 03:06 - James C.

we need to be able to scan tickets on our phones to tell if it's a winner or not and prize amount.. NC Lottery
As we mentioned in the blog, a feature that tells you whether or not you have a winning ticket is coming your way in the coming months. As we get closer to it coming out, we'll have more details for you.

9/29/2016 02:52 - Tony T.

"Every retail location will have a self-scanner or vending machine where you can check your tickets."************************* YES, very good idea...especially when it comes to some questionable C store employee's actions !!

9/29/2016 02:44 - Terry S.

Nice look now let me win

9/29/2016 02:38 - Norm C.

sure are tight about the payoff's... would like to see more winners

9/29/2016 01:34 - Latisha s.

Good that we have new changes but I'm ready to WIN!!!!! Maybe the new changes will bring me luck!!! Ready for a BIG PAYOUT!??

9/29/2016 01:18 - Beverly J.

I like the new logo, It,s N.C

9/29/2016 12:15 - Allen F.

NC's lottery website's number search/history feature crushes every other state's lottery website. Please don't change that. It would be nice to see each night how much that draw took in sales and total payouts.

9/29/2016 12:13 - Yvonne F.

The vending machines currently in stores, are rhey stocked by lottery personnel and not retailers themselves? NC Lottery
Just as it is the store's responsibility to keep their countertop ticket dispensers filled, it is also up to them to keep their vending machines stocked.

9/29/2016 12:00 - Chester W.

Sounds great! But the odds on the scratch off tickets must change. Tired of buying 10 tickets off a roll and luck to get one break even prize. Your profits will go up. I've said this before.

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Lottery's new look is about more than a makeover

September 29, 2016 Posted by NC Lottery at 11:32 AM

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