General Discussion

Tab

(11,093 posts) Thu Apr 2, 2015, 09:33 AM Apr 2015

Can you buy lottery tickets at Wal-Mart?

I can't. At least in my state in northern New England I've yet to see a Wal-Mart selling lottery tickets. I rarely go in anyway, but on the few occasions I do I want to combine some errands. Is this a Wal-mart policy, or perhaps something established by the state lottery commission so they don't take everything away from the little mom and pops (although some good sized supermarkets are allowed to sell them) or a Wal-Mart internal policy (unlikely). Anyone know?

5 replies

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Highlight:

Can you buy lottery tickets at Wal-Mart? (Original Post) Tab Apr 2015 OP

Sometimes you find strange things like this. Should not be allowed! Paper Roses Apr 2015 #1

Laws vary by state, and you can check retailer policies online. Brickbat Apr 2015 #2

Northern Illinois. WillowTree Apr 2015 #3

Western Kentucky... Tom_Foolery Apr 2015 #5

It's Walmart policy. Ms. Toad Apr 2015 #4

Paper Roses

(7,473 posts)

1. Sometimes you find strange things like this. Should not be allowed!

Reply to Tab (Original post)

Thu Apr 2, 2015, 09:36 AM

Apr 2015

The latest in my area: USPS in our fairly local Staples. Can't figure that out. I thought UPS picked up their parcels. A little too much competition there, I think.

Brickbat

(19,339 posts)

2. Laws vary by state, and you can check retailer policies online.

Reply to Tab (Original post)

Thu Apr 2, 2015, 09:38 AM

Apr 2015

WillowTree

(5,325 posts)

3. Northern Illinois.

Reply to Tab (Original post)

Thu Apr 2, 2015, 09:44 AM

Apr 2015

Lottery ticket machines are in virtually all grocery stores in this area, and tickets are on sale at most, if not all, gas stations, but I've never seen a machine at WalMart.

Edited to add, nor have I seen one at Target or K-Mart, for that matter.

Tom_Foolery

(4,691 posts)

5. Western Kentucky...

Reply to WillowTree (Reply #3)

Thu Apr 2, 2015, 11:02 AM

Apr 2015

The K-Mart in my town has a lottery machine in it, but I've never seen one in Wal-Mart.

Ms. Toad

(34,073 posts)

4. It's Walmart policy.

Reply to Tab (Original post)

Thu Apr 2, 2015, 09:46 AM

Apr 2015

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20110928/wire/110929551

Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, has agreed to end its long-standing refusal to sell lottery tickets in its U.S. stores after reaching a deal with the Florida Lottery.

. . .

The move into Walmart stores represents a major victory for the Florida Lottery given the resistance that the retailer had in the past to lottery sales. Walmart stores in other countries sell lottery tickets but not in this country.

They apparently expanded in Florida, and in 2014 were slated to sell them in a single store in Arkansas. http://www.thecitywire.com/node/33574#.VR1HjvnF-So

Don't know if that one ever went live (since it was a leak).

But - it is Walmart's decision, and apparently a sore point with the lottery commission.

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