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Raffle's chances

Published: Fri, Feb. 16, 2007 12:00AM

Modified Fri, Feb. 16, 2007 02:45AM

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Was your Feb. 12 article ("Lottery idea: $20 a play for $1 million") on the upcoming state raffle a math test for us, or was it to see if we were paying attention?

Recently you reported that the lottery might be falling short of expected revenues, and some noted that North Carolina pays a smaller percentage back to the players (about 52 percent) than many states, including South Carolina (59.9 percent) and Virginia (58.1 percent). According to your article on the raffle, it will pay even less than that -- 50 percent. It would take another $200,000 given out in prizes to meet the 52 percent return (I would suggest 2,000 winners of $100 each).

You also reported that if all tickets are sold [the plan is to sell 500,000 tickets at $20 each], the game will generate $3.5 million for education. Granted, that is the 35 percent designated for education, but that leaves $1.5 million left over. Is that the expense of printing up the tickets and promoting the raffle?

Russell Catania

Apex

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