Mildred Goolsby, left, processes Roland Jackson's Cash 3 lottery ticket Wednesday at Mildred's Lottery Riverwatch Convenence Store. KATHY MOORE/STAFF

Augusta bets big on lottery

Residents spent $267 million in 1997 on lottery tickets with some help from South Carolina neighbors

Web posted June 21, 1998

By Alisa DeMao
Staff Writer

In fiscal year 1997, Richmond County didn't spend more than $73 million on public safety. Or on water and sewer expenses. Certainly not on fire protection services.

But that's how much money the county pumped into Georgia's lottery in a single year.

Richmond County residents love their lottery. Between 1994 and 1997, the county produced almost $267 million in lottery ticket sales.

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``Everybody dreams about winning that million or that two million or that 22 million,'' said Anthony Williams, 40, who stops almost every day on his way home from work to play $4 or $5.

In most cases, players chasing that dream -- like Mr. Williams -- end up spending more than they win.

``I won once,'' he says with a grin as he blocks out numbers on his Cash 3 ticket. ``It was $40 -- and that's nothing compared to what I've put into it.''

Lottery money has returned to Augusta in the form of state HOPE scholarships, to the tune of $16.6 million. Pre-kindergarten programs and education technology grants have brought in almost $12.3 million and $2.7 million, respectively. Grants of $989,000 have been approved for more instructional technology next year, said Carol Taylor, director of educational media and technology for the Richmond County School Board.

Schoolchildren have done a lot better than big money winners, proving the lottery is still a big gamble for players. While Richmond County residents have been busy spending that $267 million, only about $5.7 million has been paid out in prizes of $600 or more.

Thousands more have been paid in ``$40 here, $80 there,'' but Georgia Lottery Corp. can't say how much. Winnings under $600 are paid by retailers, not by regional prize centers, which means there's no way for the state to track the money.

``I've won quite a few times, but the most I've ever won is $500,'' says Karen Bryant, who drives to Augusta from Trenton, S.C., to play the lottery about three times a week.

``I really don't like the lottery. I'm just trying to win some money,'' she admits. ``I've been playing about two years. The first time, I dreamed of a number, and I went and played it.''

Tony Goolsby fills out Cash 3 tickets at Mildreds's Lottery Riverwatch Convenience Store, Wednesday. Mr. Williams says he plays all the time. KATHY MOORE/STAFF

A significant portion of the county's lottery sales may come from South Carolina players such as Ms. Bryant, who trek across the Savannah River to buy their tickets. Because about 5.5 percent of the prizes tracked by Georgia Lottery Corp. are paid to South Carolina residents, officials estimate about that many tickets are sold to South Carolina buyers, lottery spokeswoman Vicki Gavalas said.

But Mildred Goolsby, owner of Riverwatch Convenience Store at the foot of Augusta's 13th Street bridge, estimates half of her business comes from South Carolina residents.

As many as 150 to 200 people show up each day to play at Mrs. Goolsby's store -- 125 of them regulars -- and that's made her store the No. 1 lottery retailer in Richmond County.

Georgia Lottery Corp. doesn't release total sales for individual outlets, citing security concerns. But retailers keep 5 to 7 percent of most sales, and lottery outlets in Richmond County also received more than $20 million in bonuses for selling winning tickets between fiscal years 1994 and 1997.

``I voted against the lottery in Georgia because I didn't believe in it. I didn't believe in gambling,'' says Mrs. Goolsby, who now says she appreciates the way HOPE scholarships encourage students to study. ``...People are going to gamble. And I would rather see somebody spend a dollar on a ticket than buy a bottle of beer. So my opinion of the lottery has changed.''

The whir of the machines in the store is a constant hum in the background as Mike Kelley sits at a table, scribbles a few figures, consults his notes and scribbles some more, rapidly filling a makeshift grid with numbers he hopes will prove the code to unlock a treasure chest.

The North Augusta resident has stopped on his way to work on a weekday evening to play the lottery, just as he does three or four times each week.

It is an arcane process, based mainly on a hunch. Some use dreams or choose birthday dates to guide them. Others draw up complex grids and codes based on previous winning numbers or on numbers listed in weekly tip sheets that sell for $1 or more in convenience stores.

Mr. Kelley says he limits himself to about $5 each time he plays. He's one of those who have won ``$40 here, $80 there.''

``I need to win more,'' he says, breaking his concentration for a moment with a laugh.