Fans of the Delaware Lottery can finally get a lottery ticket with their Wawa coffee or hoagie. And they can spend the time it takes to fill their gas tank by scuffing up a scratch-off.
The state has been installing machines at Wawa sites throughout the First State and has finished about half of the more than 40 Delaware stores. By June 10, Wawa thinks every Delaware store will be outfitted with the new self-service kiosks.
It will be the first time Wawa customers in Delaware can purchase lottery products since the convenience stores tested over-the-counter lottery products close to 20 years ago.
"It's a tremendous advantage to get them back in the network," said Delaware Lottery director Vernon Kirk. "That's 43 stores selling lottery products that weren't selling it before."
Kirk said he thinks the Wawa machines will contribute an additional $6 million in revenue based on "rough numbers."
The self-service kiosks, which allow for payment with a card, will offer pretty much everything typically afforded to Delaware Lottery customers, including keno. There will be no sports betting options available.
And it's not just Wawa stores adding the new machines. Kirk said the state has 100 of these new kiosks from vendor Scientific Games. Take 43 off of that and there are still 57 machines to be distributed. The others will go to retailers like Royal Farms, which Kirk said already has some machines it is testing.
"We're trying to gauge how they fare in other settings," he said.
Wawa on Thursday held a grand opening ceremony at its 800th store, located across from Concord Mall on Rocky Run Parkway. The Pennsylvania company plans to open 50 new stores and remodel 75 in 2018.
Adding lottery services in Delaware means Wawa customers across the company's entire footprint, including Florida, Virginia and Washington, D.C., will have the machines.
Wawa first tested over-the-counter lottery products at its stores, including some in Delaware, around the turn of the century.
"It just didn't set us up for speed of service at the core area," Wawa spokeswoman Lori Bruce said.
Modern technology has solved that issue.
Wawa's lottery project lead Bob Hornberger said the addition further allows the Pennsylvania-based, privately-owned convenience store chain to become even more of a one-stop shop.
"We're pretty confident that the customer reception is going to be phenomenal," Hornberger said. "This is something we're very excited to embark."
"We know that customers enjoy the added convenience," Bruce said. "We hear that from them."
Wawa will get the same rate as other Delaware Lottery retailers: a selling commission of 5 percent and a 1 percent cashing bonus.
Hornberger said Wawa lottery machines across the company in the calendar year of 2017 contributed about $120 million to state benefactors.
Delaware Lottery profits go to the State General Fund, which benefits public and higher education, health services, public safety and more. In fiscal year 2017, the lottery's contribution was $205 million, making it the state's fourth-largest revenue generator.
With 100 new machines being rolled out, that number should be even larger in 2018.
(Click to display full-size in gallery)
Congratulations to the Delaware Lottery!!
This is the first time I heard about WaWa stores.
I sure didn't think that was an IGT machine in the picture...grrrr.
Anyway do like the feature that this Scientific Games you can swipe your credit card!
Can't resist;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcQQi9vbZZE&list=RDOcQQi9vbZZE&start_radio=1
So can you run Play Slips through the machine??? Curious.... I used to love WaWa's when I was younger but the stores left New England in the 90s because of too much competition! Miss those stores....
Right CT. However, it's got nothing on the " Chuck Baby line dance."
If that is the same ones in Sunoco here in Philadelphia, NE area, near where I live at, the software needs to be updated. The wawa machines as well as Rite Aid suck.
Wawa machines will break down.
I go to South Jersey, rt 73 and the wawa has a different type of machine close to that. That one that I see is actually more marketable.
I just looked on a couple of search engines images and seen what it looks like. I actually love the marketing. The software is an issue.
The credit card thing I won't get over.
Well that's interesting. I got a WaWa down the street from me and might try it a few times. If I play in PA I usually play at a WaWa.
Retired and slow this morning. Thought about your post while walking Clarabelle and then it hit me. I get it! Great post.
OTOH I'm pretty sure you can put playslips in them to play. Not 100% about Ohio machines, I think they're Scientific Games as well and do take playslips.
IGT is changing their machines here in Kentucky to touch screens like SG..a very slow proces.
Our little local store here in PA has had one of those machines for a while now!
Wawa stores
Wah Wathusi
But I think you knew that but focused on the dance...
A big Wawa store opened recently in NW DC. First one I have seen in the area and I noticed the lottery machine. But you had to have a playslip to pick your own numbers.
It doesn't support my semi self pick strategy. I have to run my play slips through a regular terminal.
Do they have lottery in the Bahamas?
I don't understand your post. Played both IGT & SG self service lottery machines and they both have a slot in which to insert playslips. Or if you want just use QP feature.
so funny lol taxi john ... ahhh yes, when we are um "botherin' the clerks texting' lol i see that ALOT out here in my lovely area of NC, and i hate it at times, but i am one who will
say somethin' like Uh , are you Um OPEN? Don't mind me ... I'll just wait til' "you're off your fone/text etc. lol" 
Am i bothering you. and 1x a dude took so long, the lottery game was almost over! I was so mad, but then again he did apologize saying, "I had an emergency on that call etc.,"smh.
They however yea, usually apologize.
I never see them do that when a mgr., is there though lol
Then take your business somewhere else.
ABOUT TIME!!!
Wonder how they will handle PAYING a winning ticket? Right now if you try to use Royal Farms - they will not pay much of anything over $10. Always saying 'the drawer doesn't have the money'
No Wa-Wa's where I live but I was in one a few years ago in southern Jersey. I was less than impressed by the way they sold lottery tickets. I gave a play slip to the clerk, but he said "I'm not authorized to do lottery. You have to take it to the other register so she can do it." I didn't see any other register so I asked where it was. Without looking up at me, he just waved his arm and said "Over there." I am kinda old, but I aint blind (not yet anyway) and I still didn't see any other register so I left. G5
Was a little excited yesterday in Cincinnati. A lottery machine with a credit card reader. Had a playslip slot, kept trying to put the playslips in there. My excitement was short lived, there was a sign on it 'out of order'. Couldn't tell who manufactured the machine.
Bleudog101,
(Glad you and Clarabelle got the "Wah Wahtusi.....)
I'm in a small town (Illinois) and there's two machines that I know of that have both lotto and scratchers. Of those two one store has their machine set so it won't take play slips at all.......you can hit a button and get quick picks for draw games (but no Pick 3 or 4).
The other machine in town handles them all.
Slim Pickins' indeed.
"Wah Wahtusi"
I first encountered Wawa in PA in the late 70's. This is what I always associate it with:
Heard on the radio that Delaware is ready to start taking BETS on most major sports. They were already doing a little bit on the NFL, but now have expanded it to all major sports. I think it starts Tuesday.
Wonder if they will expand the self-service machines to include sports betting?
You beat me to the punch on your reply. I read somewhere it starts NEXT WEEK. You guys are really on it, no time wasted and an ANONYMOUS state when you hit the lottery.
Yea, DE is good with a couple of things, not so much on other things.
So I finally saw a self-serve lottery machine in WaWa, and its looks Exactly like the new one I saw in Maryland???