Lottery chief not happy with eScratch performance

Thursday, Feb. 3, 2005 | 9:04 a.m.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- When the Kansas Lottery unveiled its new eScratch game, officials called it a unique, entertaining way to play -- so cutting-edge that nobody else had it.

But with sales well below expectations, and retailers less than thrilled about paying out "jackpots" that in some cases won't even buy a pay telephone call, eScratch has yet to pay off big for the state.

The game will get at least one more chance to win, though, with an overhaul scheduled for May.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed," said Ed Van Petten, the lottery's executive director. "But you have to be willing to take chances in any business. As long as we keep retooling it and try to make it better, I'm not against the game."

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