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Retailer FAQs & Tips
Players must
sign their tickets
Beginning March 15, 2008, players presenting Iowa Lottery tickets to retailers
must sign the backs of their tickets before they can be checked or cashed by clerks.
In May 2008, software updates to Iowa Lottery terminals will result in the printing of
paper receipts for every instant-scratch or lotto ticket that is checked or cashed. Two
receipts will be printed - one for the retailer and one for the customer - that will show the
results of the particular ticket and whether it has won a prize.
Retailers should be aware that this requirement is part of their signed agreement
with the lottery to sell our products. Any failure to follow the lottery's terms and
conditions may result in revocation, suspension or termination of their license or
limitations on their ability to sell Iowa Lottery tickets.
We appreciate retailers' help and cooperation in implementing this and all lottery
regulations.
Further questions? Check out Sign Your Ticket
FAQs.
Restock
your terminal's paper supply
Check your paper stock often to prevent running
out. All supplies for your lotto terminal are
provided by Scientific Games. You may order paper
and other supplies through the terminal using the
"Special Functions." Or, you may dial
1-800-858-4744 to reach the Scientific Games
hotline.
Canceling Lotto Games
Powerball and Hot Lotto tickets can not be
cancelled.
The $100,000 Cash Game, Pick 3, and Pick 4
games can be cancelled. However, the ticket must
be cancelled the same day in the same store where
it was sold and before the sales cutoff for the
game.
In order cancel a ticket, follow the procedure
below for your terminal to get proper credit:
On the Extrema, touch "Cancel" at the
bottom of the main screen. Insert the ticket into
the scanner or enter the serial number. The
terminal will print a "Cancel" ticket.
Staple the "Cancel" ticket to the
cancelled play and return to the lottery in the
retailer settlement envelope.
Get proper credit
for Powerball or Hot Lotto mistakes
The Iowa Lottery recently implemented a new
procedure for requesting credit for mistake
Powerball and Hot Lotto tickets. Remember, if
you don't follow the steps outlined below, you
can't get credit!
If the ticket is printed correctly by the
Extrema terminal, but the clerk or the player
makes an error, follow this new procedure:
To request credit for a mistake Powerball or
Hot Lotto ticket, press CANCEL on the main
screen and then either scan or enter the serial
number on the ticket manually on the Cancel
screen and press OK. You do not need to call the
Scientific Games hot line.
Press YES to request credit for the ticket,
then choose a reason for the credit request on
the next screen and press NEXT.
Review the Summary screen and press SUBMIT
to print a Credit Request Retailer Receipt.
Remember, the ticket is still valid and can
be sold. If you can't sell the ticket, validate
it for any prizes won on the ticket after all
draws have passed. Then send the ticket and the
Credit Request receipt to the lottery in the
retailer settlement envelope. The lottery will
credit you for the cost of the ticket less any
winnings.
If the ticket did not print or the ticket is
misprinted or mutilated so it can't be
validated, the procedure is still the same:
The defective play must be confirmed by
immediately producing a Reprint ticket.
Call the Scientific Games (SGI) hot line at
800-858-4744. They will provide you with a
Control Number. They’ll also help you get the
information needed to report the problem to the
lottery and, if necessary, help you produce the
Reprint ticket.
Any or all parts of the defective ticket,
along with the Reprint ticket and Control
Number, must be returned to the lottery in the
retailer settlement envelope.
When the lottery receives the defective
ticket and the Reprint ticket, we'll examine it
and then issue credit to the retailer for the
cost of the ticket. You can't receive credit if
you don’t follow the first three steps!
Everybody makes mistakes. Even if your
mistake happens to be a Powerball or Hot Lotto
play made in error, it doesn't have to be the
end of the world!
Think about this: why not sell the ticket?
Unless the problem ticket is a mutilated ticket,
why not try to sell it to one of your other
customers? Especially during busy, high-jackpot
times, your customers may be more willing to
take that ticket than stand in line.
Save
time during high Powerball jackpots
Fill out a Powerball play slip for a $5 easy
pick. Each time a player requests $5 worth of
Powerball easy picks, just run it through the
scanner on the Extrema. For larger ticket orders,
run the play slip through as many times as needed.
Close
out customer after each sale
After each sale on the Extrema terminal, close
out the customer by touching "Close Out
Customer" at the bottom of the Customer
Settlement screen.
When you close out the customer, the total is
erased from the Customer Display Unit and the
Powerball and Hot Lotto jackpot messages are
displayed for your customers to see.
800
number is for retailers only
The Iowa Lottery's 800 number is for retailer
use only. It should not be given out to the public
because the extra volume of calls can prevent us
from responding as quickly to retail issues.
Watch
lotto ticket expiration dates
Tickets for Iowa-only games ($100,000 Cash
Game, Pick 3, and Pick 4) expire 90 days after the
drawing for which they are eligible. Tickets for
multi-state games (Powerball and Hot Lotto) expire
365 days after the drawing for which they are
eligible.
Credit
card vs debit card
If a lottery player hand you a card, it's
important to ask the player which kind of card
they have before you make the transaction. Lottery
players can use debit cards to purchase lottery
products. However, state law prohibits the use of
a credit card to make a lottery purchase.
Using
proper coupon procedure
On the Extrema: Make the play the customer has
requested. Touch "Coupon" on the main
screen. Enter the three-digit coupon number on the
keypad. Touch "OK."
On the Sci-Scan: Make the play the customer has requested. Select
Option 3 from the main display. Enter the
three-digit coupon number.
Also remember: Coupon entry must be done before the customer is closed
out and within 10 transactions of the play the
coupon is good for. The computer system will make
sure the right type of play was made. Put all
coupons in the Weekly Settlement Envelope. When a
coupon expires, it must be returned in the Weekly
Settlement Envelope for the week it expired or the
next two weeks.
Amber
Alert
Iowa's Amber Alert system is activated when the
State Patrol reports that a child has been
abducted and is in danger of being harmed. When an
Amber Alert is issued, the Iowa Lottery will
provide information to the public through three
sources: A message will be printed on lotto
tickets. The customer display units at lottery
retailers will show information about the case.
Messages about the case will be sent to lottery
retailer sales and validation terminals. For more
information about Iowa's Amber Alert System, visit
www.iowaamberalert.org.
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