Pennsylvania Governor Helps Celebrate Lottery Service Success

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania – (PRESS RELEASE) -- Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell and Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Lottery Ed Mahlman today celebrated the success of a new Player Activated Terminal (PAT) by participating in a ribbon-cutting ceremony at a local restaurant, The Spot. Governor Rendell congratulated restaurant owner Billy Kaldes on the recent installation of his PAT, and applauded the record, weekly sales achieved by the self-service, standalone terminal.

The Spot's PAT was activated on March 1, and in its first week of business, the new Lottery retailer achieved sales of $4,297, the highest weekly sales from any PAT in the state to date.

"People have been coming to The Spot for its great food for many years," said Governor Rendell. "In recent days, they have also been coming here because they are great fans of the Pennsylvania Lottery.

"The Spot's Player Activated Terminal is a terrific example of how these state-of-the-art machines are helping businesses that can't support traditional Lottery sales operations become successful Lottery retailers."

Governor Rendell also noted that The Spot is participating in a Lottery program that encourages retailers' compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. To attract businesses to become new retailers, the Lottery offers financial incentives for businesses to make renovations to their retail locations so that all residents may access the stores. With help from the Lottery, Kaldes expects that his restaurant will be fully accessible to disabled patrons by this time next year.

PATs are user-friendly, touch-screen terminals that offer all Pennsylvania Lottery numbers games and 16 instant games. In addition to selling Lottery games, PATs also validate winning tickets for numbers games and pay prizes up to $500 in the form of vouchers. Vouchers can be inserted into a PAT to purchase more Lottery tickets, or they can be cashed at a Lottery retailer. Instant tickets must be processed and paid by a clerk at a Lottery retailer.

The Pennsylvania Lottery was the first in the country to introduce PATs - which sell both instant and numbers games - in May 2004. The Lottery continues to install PATs at new and existing retailers across Pennsylvania.