El Dorado — Union County retailers sold $11.8 million worth of lottery tickets in 2016, with winnings of $7.4 million according to the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration - Office of the Arkansas Lottery.
In December, Union County had lottery ticket sales of $930,107; a three percent increase from November’s total: $898,971.
In 2016, Arkansas had ticket sales totaling $458,441,113, with winnings of $281,100,876.
Starting in 2009, the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery has helped provide nearly $700 million for scholarships to Arkansas students at 51 colleges and universities statewide, and lottery retailers have earned more than $178 million in commissions, according to the Department of Finance and Administration Office.
The top selling retailer in Union County, the Tobacco Superstore on 818 W. Hillsboro St., sold over $62,000 worth of lottery tickets for December 2016.
Cashier Tameka Green has worked at the Tobacco Superstore for 14 years, and has always seen people purchasing $5-, $10-tickets, Progressive Jackpot lottery tickets and more, she said.
“We hot baby, we hot!” Green said. “When people know there’s a winner, they just keep comin’ in.”
In December, two players won big ticket prizes at the Tobacco Superstore. One customer won $19,000 with Progressive Jackpot, and another won $50,000 with a scratch-off ticket, she said.
The second highest selling retailer in Union County, Express Way Mobil on 2400 Main St., has sold over $60,000 worth of lottery tickets for December 2016.
“We haven’t had a big winner in awhile,” Manager Tonya Furlow said; but she is expecting to sell a big ticket winner soon.
The five neighboring South Arkansas counties surveyed in December 2016 had the following ticket sales and winnings:
Ashley County had ticket sales of $160,287.50, with winnings of $85,589.
Bradley County had ticket sales of 129,175.50, with winnings of $71,537.
Calhoun County had ticket sales of $54,213, with winnings of $28,666.
Columbia County had ticket sales of $369,896, with winnings of $218,335.
Ouachita County had ticket sales of $547,026.50, with winnings of $520,369.
The top-selling retailers In Union County for December 2016 include the following vendors:
Tobacco Superstore 56, 818 W. Hillsboro St., El Dorado, $62,499.
Express Way 672, 2400 E. Main, El Dorado, $60,450.
Missile Mart #7, 1419 N. West Avenue, El Dorado, $55,248.50.
ET Relay #1, 500 N. College, El Dorado, $51,292.50.
Hurry Back Food Mart 4, 3001 N. West Avenue, El Dorado, $48,133.50.
Nathan Owens is a staff writer for the El Dorado News-Times and can be contacted via email: [email protected].