Nevadans can play the lottery thanks to new business

In a city where gaming means major business, one new service is ready to drive in a different kind of luck.

Lotto Express , 4161 S. Eastern Ave., Suite E4, recently opened its literal and virtual storefronts to make it easier for Nevada residents to play the California and Arizona lotteries.

Nevada is one of fewer than a dozen states that prohibit the lottery, and many in the state make frequent quests to state lines for a chance to play the numbers.

Lotto Express owner Brandon Tran's father was one of thousands who spent time, energy and money in hopes of a lottery payout.

Tran saw business potential, he said.

"My dad plays religiously, to the point of obsession," he said. "It's a lot of time and gas wasted. We can be more efficient."

Lotto Express is strictly a courier service. Subscribers place orders online or in the store, and drivers do the grunt work. They will even pick up winnings of less than $600, Tran said.

Lotto Express is a legal operation in part because it doesn't sell the tickets or charge a fee for its service.

The major lottery games include California Mega Millions, California SuperLotto Plus, Arizona Mega Millions and Arizona Powerball . Up-to-date figures regarding how much is at stake is available on Lotto Express' website, my lottoexpress.com.

The largest jackpot of the major four was $50 million as of press time.

When such large sums are at stake, Nevada license plates dominate the parking lot at the nearest lotto seller's business, Tran said.

His team conducted a survey of Southern Nevadans before starting the business and found many wannabee players are transplants from states with lotteries, he said.

It's about a 40-minute drive one way to the Primm Valley Lotto Store, 31900 Las Vegas Blvd. South, which is near the California-Nevada state line. The store tops lottery sales in the state.

For those looking for Arizona winnings, it is about 75 minutes, Tran said.

With gas prices going up and the economy recovering from downs, Tran said missions for $1 tickets add up.

Tran, a former accountant, said his upstart is one of a kind.

"The market wants it," he said. "This eliminates the burden."

Tran said he consulted with attorneys in Nevada, California and Arizona to ensure that his business model would stand on legal ground.

Tips are strongly encouraged, and there is a chart available to help determine how much to offer. Tran said he sees potential pitfalls to sustaining the operation.

"If there isn't enough people, that's just business," he said. "We don't know how it's going to be."

About 200 subscribers have signed on with the service since it opened this month. Among them is southwest resident Nancy Chow.

She helps her parents with weekly trips to the Nipton, Calif., lottery store and she said it was worth it for seeing her loved ones' joy.

"They're older . A lot of it is for entertainment, but they do hope they win," she said. "It can be a lot of driving."

Spanish-speaking services are available.

Lotto Express is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

For more information, visit mylottoexpress.com or call 530-6166.

Contact Centennial and Paradise View reporter Maggie Lillis at mlillis@viewnews.com or 477-3839.