It's a lotto work for a little dough.

• Author: Maley, Frank
• Position: TAR HEEL TATTLER - North Carolina Education Lottery marketing

In their first year of selling tickets for the North Carolina lottery, retailers are learning to leave little to chance. To get the games to pay off for them, they're finding ways to turn losers into winners, even if it means peddling tickets for nothing to customers who buy something.

Barry Everhart, owner of Parker's News in High Point, thought selling tickets and scratch cards was a sure thing. Sales started strong last spring when the state launched the games but withered during the summer. The result: Everhart says his 7% commission on ticket sales doesn't cover his costs--which include having to pay for tickets he doesn't sell within 21 days and hiring an additional clerk. But, he says, the games do lure customers who make other purchases.

He hopes a couple of promotions he's running will people playing the lottery--and shopping. Since the games started last March, he has been holding a weekly drawing of losing tickets, with the winner getting $10 worth of new tickets. About three months later, he started giving five tickets to individuals or groups that buy $100 worth of tickets. Beyond that, he has made it a point to pay off winning tickets--even if they weren't bought at his store. Though reimbursed by the state, not all retailers want to be bothered with that, he says.

At Quick Snack in Greensboro, co-owner Rishy...