Australian Newsagency Blog

Thankfully or Tattersalls machines are still running, they have not cut us off overnight as threatened. I say thankfully because OzLotto has passed the $20 million jackpot sweet spot and is now offering a first division prize of $25 million. We are actively promoting this through our house syndicates and regular tickets. […]

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I was interviewed by Derryn Hinch on 3AW yesterday about our dispute with Tattersalls over the placement of the Intralot terminal on our counter. He and his producers had done their homework and and this made the interview good for bringing the issues at the core out in the open. While the dispute […]

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I was interviewed by Jon Faine on ABC local radio in Melbourne this morning about the breach notice issued by Tattersalls against us. I know from calls I have received in the two hours since that this is a hot topic among newsagents. Hopefully, the coverage by the ABC will encourage Tattersalls to […]

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Tattersalls has hand delivered a letter today breaching me for pormoting Intralot in space I have used for eight years to sell magazines and confectionery.  They have given me two days to remove the Intralot terminal.  They have also advised that my comments here are a breach of mny Tattersalls.  It seems the company is […]

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Intralot has started its TV campaign based around the theme of the luck factory. In-store, they are using the LCD screens to educate customers about their new games they launch July 1. I am pleased to see such good use of the LCD screen - they add to the theatre of retail. […]

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The Victorian State Government continues its cut and run strategy on its changes to over the counter lottery products. Their lack of genuine engagement in navigating the resulting changes is disappointing. I have written to the Minister for Gaming twice about unreasonable demands by Tattersalls regarding space allocation. The Minister has ignored […]

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Tattersalls has claimed that it owns the term Quick Pick meaning that Intralot has had to ditch tonnes of printed material and come up with a new name.  While we will work hard to pitch their Lucky Pick to customers, customers will call it what they will.  If it catches on, customers wanting a Tattersalls […]

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At Forest Hill we are getting behind the last Wednesday Tattslotto draw this coming Wednesday, June 25. We are promoting that there can be no jackpot, the prize pool must go. The focus of our locally produced marketing is our house syndicates which we have created just for the occasion. This, coupled […]

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I was fortunate to meet with Dr Katakis, the CEO of Intralot yesterday.  While not the purpose of the meeting, we did talk about the threat made by Tattersalls to turn off access to their product in my business.  He provided some contact details within Government agencies which should help resolve the matter.
Tattersalls would be […]

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Tattersalls withdrew all remaining instant scratch ticket stock in Victorian Monday, leaving 40% of the counter space allocated in our Forest Hill store empty with no prospects of new product.  A threatening letter from their Senior Corporate Solicitor Monday indicates that they intend to fight to retain “their” space.   Dead counter space is commercial suicide.   […]

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I’d be interested in hearing from any newsagents in Victoria who have received communication from Tattersalls in the last week or so about their in-store Tattersall’s Dedicated Area. You can reach me by email on mark@towersystems.com.au.

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We are out if instant scratch tickets as are most newsagents and other lottery outlets in Victoria. Tattersalls say we cannot use the space for anything else even though they do not have new product approved by the State Government for this space. Premium counter real-estate is left looking pathetic - see the […]

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I was interviewed last night by Mark Hawthorne for his report in The Age today about how Tattersalls is treating its retail network over the handling of allocating space to Intralot. Jon Faine on ABC local radio in Melbourne today covered the Tattersalls / Intralot story from a different angle and interviewed a Tattersalls […]

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I have written today to Hon Tony Robinson, the Minister for Gaming in the State Government of Victoria in the hope that he can assist with a dispute over retail real-estate at our newsXpress Forest Hill location.
Tattersalls has told us that we must move the Intralot terminal on our counter or face not having access […]

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The Intralot equipment was installed in our Frankston newsagency late last week.  The photo shows the current location - this will change when we undertake our shopfit and re-branding shortly.  Since this newsagency does not currently have Tattersalls we are not engaged in a real-estate dispute.  The space we are using was not previously being […]

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No sooner had Intralot installed the equipment for their new lottery offer to launch July 1 and Tattersalls were in telling us that Intralot cannot have access to any of their space. If we do what Tattersalls want we will have to reduce our counter space by 30%. This is despite Tattersalls having […]

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Oh well, Powerball went off.  First division reached $58 million.  That’s some prize.  next week it will be winter between-season retail as usual.  While the OzLotto lottery has jackpotted to $13 million, it’s not enought to generate much interest.

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I hope that Powerball does not go off tonight. I know that we should want a winner and cheer if that happens but selfishly, another jackpot would be wonderful. The first division prize would reach at least $60 million and possibly as much as $70 million.
A $70 million division one prize would drive […]

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We are taking a great idea from a newsXpress colleague and creating a pack of Powerball tickets.  For $50 our customers will get several goes at the $50 million jackpot.  Based on a trial on the weekend it will work a treat.  Creating products like this around jackpots is a great way to make the […]

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So much of today and the next six days is about the Powerball $50 million jackpot.  Today we have extended our promotion of the jackpot deep into the newsagency including across magazines.  Our encroaching on magazine space is compensated by a refreshed magazine display at our main lottery counter and leading to this.  While we […]

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We have papered right around the counter, up the walls and across the top to promote the $50 million Powerball jackpot.  We have also papered multiple places in the shop with the posters we made yesterday to promote the jackpot.  We have our team also offering the up-sell and several other strategies in play […]

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We have found a good use for the Bill Express MiAds screen which has not worked in months - to promote the Powerball $50 million jackpot.

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With Powerball not going off tonight, first division next Thursday will now be worth at least $50 million.  Tattslotto on Saturday is a superdraw worth $19 million, Tuesday’s OzLotto game has jackpotted to $10 million and Wednesday’s Tattslotto has jackpotted to $2.175 million.  This is the best week of jackpots and superdraws I can recall.  […]

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The Powerball jackpot tonight is generating excellent business for us.  It is a traffic and sales bonanza and we are certainly making the most of the opportunity.  My excitement is somewhat dampened by the news from Manaccom about their online OzLotteries deal with ACP.  Theirs is an interesting play since it is outside the sites […]

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Victorian Gaming Minister ignores lottery agents
The State Government of Victoria has made significant changes to the sale of lottery product this year. Newsagents and other lottery agents were looking forward to meeting the Minister for Gaming at a meeting organised for earlier today in Melbourne. While the minister did turn up he apparently […]

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