Retailer Corner

Thank you for your interest in the Pennsylvania Lottery. As a business owner, you may be wondering what it takes to become a Lottery retailer. Here are some frequently asked questions and answers. Please feel free to contact the Lottery area offices listed below for more information. 

What is a Pennsylvania Lottery retailer?A retailer is any business that partners with the Pennsylvania Lottery to sell tickets, both instant and terminal-based games. Instant tickets are also known as scratch-off tickets. Terminal-based games are the numbers games like The Daily Number and Big 4 and jackpot games like Cash 5. Pennsylvania Lottery retailers also sell two multi-state jackpot games, Powerball and Mega Millions. 

Who can be a Pennsylvania Lottery retailer?In its retailer network, the Lottery has many types of businesses, including convenience and grocery stores, taverns and restaurants, bowling alleys, beer distributors and tobacco shops, as well as others. Lottery retailers are located in big cities and small towns across the Commonwealth. Pennsylvania Lottery retailers must also meet certain guidelines for accessibility and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. 

Why should I become a Pennsylvania Lottery retailer?Selling Pennsylvania Lottery tickets can provide a wide array of benefits to your business. First of all, each Lottery ticket you sell will earn a sales commission. In addition, the Lottery provides retailer bonuses as occasional promotions and for selling big winning tickets. In 2010-11, Lottery sales generated more than $168 million in bonuses and commissions for retailers. Finally, Lottery games provide customer entertainment and increased foot traffic. 

How does the Pennsylvania Lottery help my community?As a retailer, you can be proud to work with the Pennsylvania Lottery because for every dollar in tickets sold, the Lottery contributes about 30 cents to senior programs. Last year that amounted to a total of more than $960 million. Lottery proceeds go toward several programs that help people in your community – property tax and rent rebates; free transit and reduced-fare shared rides; the low-cost prescription drug programs PACE and PACENET; long-term living services; and the 52 Area Agencies on Aging, including full- and part-time senior centers throughout the state. 

What’s the first step?To become a Pennsylvania Lottery retailer, contact your local Lottery area office: 

Here are the Pennsylvania Lottery’s retailer accessibility standards. The Lottery offers assistance for prospective retailers to meet these guidelines and allows them to sell tickets pending modifications; here is more information about the Lottery’s accessibility assistance program.