Lottery's gambling helpline callers don't usually need help

Tuesday, March 27, 2007 posted 01:20 PM EDT

RALEIGH, N.C. - A telephone helpline for problem gamblers set up a year ago by North Carolina lottery officials has received plenty of calls, but not from its targeted audience.

Up to 85 percent of the calls haven't been from people with gambling problems, officials said. Instead, callers want to know the winning Powerball numbers or have questions about their scratch-off tickets.

In February alone, about 300 people called the helpline but 250 of the calls came from people who didn't have a gambling problem.

The 24-hour toll-free helpline number is printed on every lottery ticket and scratch card, along with another telephone number people can call with questions about the games.

The same confusion happens in other states, said Smith Worth, director of the North Carolina Problem Gambling Program.

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