Date: Fri 01-Mar-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: KAAREN

Quick Words:

lottery-claims-outlet

Full Text:

State To Locate Loterry Claims Office In Newtown

B Y K AAREN V ALENTA

The state lottery plans to open a local outlet in Newtown where people can

cash in winning tickets of up to $5,000.

Rick Rubelmann, assistant chief of the state's lottery unit in Newington, said

a decision should be made within the next week or two where the outlet will be

located. It will be in a shop that already sells lottery tickets, he said.

"This is a customer service effort on our part," he said. "We're expanding

ticket cashing capability."

Currently stores that sell lottery tickets may cash winning tickets worth up

to $599. All others must be cashed at lottery headquarters in Newington, an

inconvenience for many people.

"Many local stores are open in the evening and on weekends," Mr Rubelmann

said. "We did a pilot test by opening the first outlet in the state in

November at the Elm Discount Liquor Store in Willimantic and it has been

working out just fine so we hope to open a total of six across the state."

In Fairfield County, outlets in Stamford and Newtown are proposed. Newtown's

northern location, with easy access to I-84, Route 25 and Route 34, make it a

convenient location to serve many towns.

Mr Rubelmann said the selection of an outlet is based on such criteria as the

amount of sales that an agent has, the parking capability and whether the

agent is "in good standing."

"We do a security background check, looking at everything again," he said. "We

look at the agent's financial records to make sure the business is stable."

Shop owners who handle lottery claims will be required to post a $50,000 bond

to protect the state.

In addition to cashing winning tickets, the outlet also will handle situations

in which winning tickets are rejected by the lottery computer, a situation

which happens only a few times each year, Mr Rubelmann said.

If you are lucky enough to win more than $5,000, you'll still have to go to

Newington to collect.

"In cases like that, however, winners don't seem to mind the trip," Mr

Rubelmann said.