Arkansas Department of Higher Education Director Jim Purcell makes a ceremonial purchase of lottery tickets in Little Rock today. (Photo by John Lyon)

By John Lyon
Arkansas News Bureau

LITTLE ROCK — The director of Arkansas’ new state-run lottery said today he was hopeful the lottery would achieve $1 million in sales on its opening day.

By 5 p.m. today, ticket sales totaled $671,000, Lottery Director Ernie Passailaigue said.

“The reports from the field that we’re getting back are that sales have been brisk,” he said. “We’re pretty excited about it, and hopeful maybe we’ll reach $1 million by the end of the day.”

Sales generally spike around the time people are getting off work, Passailaigue said.

Prizes awarded by 5 p.m. totaled nearly $446,000. Only one prize over $500 was awarded today — a $1,000 prize won by a Rison woman from a $2 ticket she bought in Pine Bluff — but Passailaigue said a player also called from Conway to ask about cashing in a ticket worth $1,000.

The lottery launched with sales of scratch-off tickets at nearly 1,500 retail locations across the state. Tickets for “draw games,” including Cash 3 and Powerball, will go on sale later this year.

Lottery officials held a launch ceremony just after midnight at a Murphy USA gas station kiosk in Little Rock. Last month the El-Dorado-based gas station chain became the first retailer in the state to receive a lottery license.

From left, Tiffanie Knight and Shauntrice Nash, both of Little Rock, check out their just-purchased lottery tickets shortly after midnight today at a Little Rock gas station. (Photo by John Lyon)

“We just birthed the lottery,” Passailaigue said as he handed a cigar to Lt. Gov. Bill Halter during the ceremony.

Halter proposed and campaigned for the constitutional amendment that voters approved last year to create a lottery to fund college scholarships.

“As a result of that (vote), tens of millions of dollars will go into scholarships, and that is what makes this a very good day for Arkansas,” Halter said.

Halter has predicted the lottery will raise $100 million annually for scholarships.

“We have put a down payment on the future of all Arkansans tonight. … Now go buy some tickets!” Passailaigue told a crowd of about 80 people waiting in line at the kiosk.

Lottery officials said they received hundreds of calls today about minor problems, most of them related to retailers’ inexperience with equipment and procedures. Technical problems generally were fixed quickly, they said.

“It’s an education process,” Passailaigue told reporters at a news conference this afternoon. “The majority of the calls are that type of issue. If we had systems issues, then I would let you know — in fact, you would be letting me know. But the majority of the folks are actually up and running, satisfied. The players seem to have a very positive experience.”

Passailaigue said the first day of South Carolina’s lottery, which he oversaw in January 2002 as that state’s lottery director, was “a little bit more traumatic for me” than Arkansas’ first day.

“When you’re dealing with 2009 technology, you’re able to do a lot more a lot faster,” he said.

Teresa Price, manager of Flash Market on Fayetteville Road in Van Buren, said her store encountered no problems today. A few customers were waiting to buy tickets when they went on sale at 12:01 a.m., and customers continued to play the lottery at a steady pace all day, she said.

“They love it,” Price said.

Linda Allen, manager of EZ Mart on University Drive in Pine Bluff, also reported no problems. She said tickets sold steadily throughout the day, and customers were “very happy” the lottery had started.

“We had quite a few standing outside waiting to get in” when the store opened at 6 a.m., she said.

The lottery was expected to start with 1,551 retailers, but just over 60 of them decided not to sell tickets after all, Passailaigue said. Two others were not allowed to sell tickets because the state Department of Finance and Administration reported they were bankrupt, he said.

About 2,000 retailers should be licensed by the end of the year, Passailaigue said.

Jim Purcell, director of the state Department of Higher Education, made the ceremonial first ticket purchase at today’s launch ceremony in Little Rock. He left with his tickets unscratched, saying he planned to display them in his office.

College officials across the state also made ceremonial purchases later in the day.

Veronica Whittington of Little Rock said she won $30 on one of a handful of tickets she bought just after midnight.

“I just spent $15, so I had a $15 come-up,” she said.

Whittington’s friend Shuantrice Nash of Little Rock said she didn’t make money on her purchases.

“I wasn’t too fortunate tonight — but I’ll be back,” Nash said.