Play Smart™ Shares Winning Tips and Strategies to Keep Lottery Play Fun

March 3, 2024 | Responsible gaming

Education Lottery supports national awareness campaign

RALEIGH, NC (March 1, 2024) – All month long in March, the N.C. Education Lottery will highlight its Play Smart™ program to help ensure when North Carolinians play the lottery it doesn’t become more than a game.

Play Smart features a player-focused, responsible gaming and prevention program. Throughout the month, the lottery will raise awareness about the program through advertising, marketing, social media, and communication channels, including weekly Play Smart activities to share winning tips and strategies to keep lottery play fun.

“An important part of our mission in raising money for education is to ensure that when North Carolinians play the lottery they play smart,” said Mark Michalko, executive director of the N.C. Education Lottery. “Our Play Smart program encourages behaviors that can reduce the risk of players’ developing a problem.”

When you play the lottery, Play Smart

The play and earn activities focus on Play Smart principles, found here, and provide:

Information to help players understand how odds and probability work and dispel popular lottery myths.
A new web page dedicated to tips about online play
A 10-question quiz designed to help players see how their gaming habits can impact their lives.

The lottery’s efforts support national Problem Gambling Awareness Month organized by the National Council on Problem Gambling. For more information on the national campaign, visit the website here.

In North Carolina, the N.C. Problem Gambling Program provides free treatment and recovery services to anyone impacted by problem gambling. Free, confidential help is available 24/7, including:

Treatment from a licensed clinician or recovery support from a peer support specialist.
Gamban, free software for blocking gambling sites and applications which can be used on computers and other devices. Get your free license here.
Voluntary Self-Exclusion, a tool to exclude or ban yourself from legal NC gambling locations.

In a proclamation issued Wednesday, Gov. Roy Cooper urged North Carolinians to join in the observance of March as Problem Gambling Awareness Month.

“We are committed to advancing access to prevention, treatment and recovery services for all North Carolinians.” said Amanda Winters, administrator of the N.C. Problem Gambling Program. “That means raising awareness and eliminating the stigma surrounding problem gambling. It’s imperative that we continue to partner with the state lottery to help mitigate risks and ensure individuals impacted by gambling know that help is available and treatment works.”

Help is only a text or click away.