Arkansas Lottery kicks off Monday

"Come play with us" is the motto at Casino Eureka where Leticia Urioste and her mother and business partner Linda Palmer are ready for the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery at their business on U.S. Hwy. 62 in Eureka Springs. The pair have planned a Lottery Bash Sunday night, beginning at 11 p.m., to accommodate their patrons who want to purchase "the first off the rolls" tickets that will be offered at 12:01 a.m. Monday morning. Urioste said ticket retailers receive a commission on ticket sales and redemptions, although their take on the big wins is capped. "Our rewards will hopefully be more people in to play," she said. "We are very excited." Anna Mathews / Carroll County News

Scheduled to launch Monday is the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery with some 15 retailers countywide ready to sell scratch-off tickets with prize jackpots reaching as much as $100,000 for a single play.

"We are on schedule, and we are launching the 28th!" confirmed an excited Bridgette Frazier, attorney with the Arkansas Lottery Commission.

She said vendors have been installing satellite dishes and ticket machines at each retail location, working around-the-clock to make up for rain delays. She said the installation process takes 20 to 30 minutes at each stop.

She said the lottery will launch with four scratch off tickets and they will introduce about four new scratch-off games a month.

In addition, on Oct. 31, the multi-state Powerball will be introduced, she said, with a $20 million minimum jackpot.

Next comes state lotto in mid-December, along with online games such as Arkansas-only Pick 3, Pick 4, and Pick 5.

The list of Carroll County retail outlets that have applied to sell lottery tickets so far include:

Alpena -- Red X Express

Green Forest -- Powell's One Stop, Tobacco Superstore 75, Tom's Place, and Quicker Liquors of Green Forest

Berryville -- Murphy USA, White Oak Station, Main Liquor, and The Liquor Shoppe

Eureka Springs -- Tad's Quickstop, Alpine Liquor, Quicker Liquor of Eureka Springs, Casino Eureka, and Riverview Resort and Country Store

Holiday Island -- Tobacco Superstore 11

According to lottery officials, on a short term basis, until the claim centers in Jonesboro, Camden and Springdale open, winning lottery tickets of more than $500 can be mailed to the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery at P.O. Box 3838, Little Rock, Ark 72203.

Claims more than $500 also can be redeemed at the Little Rock Claim Center in Union Plaza at 124 W. Capitol Avenue, Little Rock, Ark 72201, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except on state holidays.

Temporarily, claimants with a winning ticket of an amount greater than $500 may receive mileage as follows: if traveling to Little Rock from within the state and beyond a 50 mile radius of Little Rock, ticket holders will be reimbursed for travel mileage at 42 cents per mile.

Again, a person must have a valid winning ticket for more than $500 and travel to Little Rock from more than 50 miles distance to qualify for mileage.

Mileage reimbursement will be based on the address listed on the claim form, and the claimant must provide an acceptable form of identification verifying the claimant's address. Claims for less than $500 can be redeemed at any lottery retailer and will not be subject to the temporary mileage reimbursement previously described. For more information call (501) 683-2060.