Subchapter K. THE BIG FOUR GAME DRAWING
Sec.
815.231. General.
815.232. Ticket sales agent.
815.233. Ticket price.
815.234. Ticket characteristics and restrictions.
815.235. Time, place, and manner of conducting drawings.
815.236. Determination of prize winners.
815.237. Ticket responsibility.
815.238. Ticket validation requirements.
815.239. Procedure for claiming and payment of prizes.
Authority The provisions of this Subchapter K issued under act of August 26, 1971 (P. L. 351, No. 91) State Lottery Law(72 P. S. § 3761-6), unless otherwise noted.
§ 815.231. General.
(a) Establishment. Under the act and this part, there is created a four-digit select-your-own or selection by computer generation number game, referred to in this subchapter as the ‘‘Big Four,’’ which is scheduled to commence at the discretion of the Director.
(b) Purpose. The purpose of the Big Four game shall be to determine winners from ticket holders matching a four-digit number or a designated combination thereof with a four-digit number randomly drawn six times a week or as determined and publicly announced by the Lottery. A player may elect to have the numbers computer selected by indicating this option to the retailer. Correctly matching the four-digit number or a designated combination thereof shall entitle the ticket holder to prizes identified in § 815.236 (relating to determination of prize winners).
Source The provisions of this § 815.231 adopted November 21, 1980, effective November 22, 1980, 10 Pa.B. 4429; amended February 15, 1985, effective February 16, 1985, 15 Pa.B. 580; amended January 8, 1988, effective January 9, 1988, 18 Pa.B. 188. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (102575).
§ 815.232. Ticket sales agent.
(a) The Big Four game ticket sales may only be made through duly licensed sales agents as the Director shall appoint and contract with as provided in § 815.42 (relating to ticket sales agents).
(b) The Bureau will terminate sales by any agent in the event that the agent becomes delinquent in payment of proceeds due the Bureau or that the agent fails to follow the contract, this subchapter, or procedures governing the sale of the Big Four lottery tickets.
Source The provisions of this § 815.232 adopted November 21, 1980, effective November 22, 1980, 10 Pa.B. 4429.
§ 815.233. Ticket price.
The Big Four tickets may be purchased for 50¢ per ticket or in increments of 50¢ up to $5.00 at the discretion of the purchaser.
Source The provisions of this § 815.233 adopted November 21, 1980, effective November 22, 1980, 10 Pa.B. 4429.
§ 815.234. Ticket characteristics and restrictions.
(a) A purchaser may select their own four-digit number or request number selection by computer generation in the following manner:
(1) Straight bet. A four-digit number which shall match the four-digit number drawn in the exact order.
(2) Combination bet. A four-digit number which may match the four-digit number drawn in any order, also known as a ‘‘Box Bet.’’
(b) The Bureau reserves the right to limit or change the selections listed in subsection (a) before or during the course of the Big Four game.
(c) The Bureau reserves the right to stop play on any number or combination of numbers in order to protect the integrity of the prize structure of the game at any time during the course of the Big Four game.
(d) A ticket may only be cancelled by a player if the player produces the ticket, returns the ticket to the selling agent, and timely cancels the ticket prior to the drawing and if no drawing applicable to the ticket has previously been held.
Source The provisions of this § 815.234 adopted November 21, 1980, effective November 22, 1980, 10 Pa.B. 4429; amended July 30, 1982, effective March 7, 1981, 12 Pa.B. 2386; amended March 18, 1988, effective March 19, 1988, 18 Pa.B. 1199. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (124357) to (124358).
§ 815.235. Time, place and manner of conducting drawings.
(a) Time of drawing. Big Four game drawings will be held on a daily basis or as determined and publicly announced by the Secretary.
(b) Place of drawings. A drawing will be conducted in the central office of the Lottery unless it directs that a drawing or a part thereof be conducted at some other location.
(c) Manner of conducting drawings. The objective of the Big Four game drawing is to select, at random, one four-digit number with the aid of mechanical devices or any other selection methodology as authorized by the Secretary. This one four-digit number will be used in determining Big Four game winners.
(d) Special drawings. The Secretary may designate and announce through available media special drawings to be held in addition to those previously scheduled. In this event, a ticket purchased for that day’s drawing is valid for the special drawing held on the same date. A ticket purchased for that day’s drawing is also eligible for the prizes as provided in this subchapter. Money for the prizes to be paid to winners of special drawings, under § 815.236 (relating to determination of prize winners), will be paid from funds authorized for the payment of prizes.
Source The provisions of this § 815.235 adopted November 21, 1980, effective November 22, 1980, 10 Pa.B. 4429; amended February 15, 1985, effective February 16, 1985, 15 Pa.B. 580; amended September 20, 1985, effective September 21, 1985, 15 Pa.B. 3346; amended January 8, 1988, effective January 9, 1988, 18 Pa.B. 188; amended May 19, 1989, effective May 20, 1989, 19 Pa.B. 2164; amended April 11, 2003, effective April 12, 2003, 33 Pa.B. 1845. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (200789) to (200790).
§ 815.236. Determination of prize winners.
(a) The owner of a ticket with a straight bet four-digit number appearing on the ticket matching exactly with the four-digit number drawn for the date on the ticket is entitled to a prize of $5,000 for each $1.00 bet.
(b) The owner of a ticket with a combination bet four-digit number appearing on the ticket matching in any order with the four-digit number drawn for the date on the ticket is entitled to a prize as follows:
(1) 24-way combination. All selected digits unique, for example, 1234—$200 for a $1.00 bet.
(2) 12-way combination. Two digits of the selected number the same, for example, 1123—$400 for a $1.00 bet.
(3) 6-way combination. Two pair of the selected number in any order, for example, 1122—$800 for a $1.00 bet.
(4) 4-way combination. Three digits of the selected number the same, for example, 1112—$1,200 for a $1.00 bet.
(c) Retailer incentive and marketing promotion programs may be implemented at the discretion of the Director. Funds for the programs will be drawn from the Lottery Fund.
Source The provisions of this § 815.236 adopted November 21, 1980, effective November 22, 1980, 10 Pa.B. 4429; amended March 27, 1987, effective March 7, 1987, 17 Pa.B. 1302. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (102577).
Cross References This section cited in 61 Pa. Code § 815.231 (relating to general); and 61 Pa. Code § 815.235 (relating to time, place and manner of conducting drawings).
§ 815.237. Ticket responsibility.
(a) The Big Four ticket is a bearer document.
(b) The Lottery will not be responsible for lost or stolen tickets.
(c) The purchaser of the ticket has the sole responsibility for checking the accuracy of the data printed on the ticket.
Source The provisions of this § 815.237 adopted November 21, 1980, effective November 22, 1980, 10 Pa.B. 4429.
§ 815.238. Ticket validation requirements.
(a) Valid tickets. To be a valid Big Four ticket, all of the following conditions shall be met:
(1) The ticket validation number shall be present in its entirety and legible and shall correspond, using the computer validation file, to the selected number printed on the ticket for the date or dates printed on the ticket.
(2) The ticket shall be intact.
(3) The ticket shall not be mutilated, altered, or tampered with in any manner.
(4) The ticket shall not be counterfeit or an exact duplicate of another winning ticket.
(5) The ticket must have been issued by the Lottery through an agent in the authorized manner.
(6) The ticket must not have been stolen or cancelled.
(7) The ticket shall pass all other confidential security checks of the Lottery.
(b) Invalid or defective tickets—disputes. Any ticket not passing the validation checks in subsection (a) shall be considered void and shall not be paid.
(1) In all cases of doubt, the determination of the Secretary will be final and binding; however, the Secretary may, at his option, replace an invalid ticket with a ticket of equivalent sales price from any current Lottery game.
(2) In the event a defective ticket is purchased or in the event the Secretary determines to adjust an error, the only responsibility or liability which the Bureau has will be the replacement of those defective tickets with a ticket of equivalent sales price from any current Lottery game.
(3) In the event a ticket is not paid by the Lottery and a dispute occurs as to whether the ticket is a winning ticket, the Bureau may, at its option, replace the void ticket as provided in paragraph (2). This shall be the sole and exclusive remedy to the holder of the ticket.
Source The provisions of this § 815.238 adopted November 21, 1980, effective November 22, 1980, 10 Pa.B. 4429.
Cross References This section cited in 61 Pa. Code § 815.239 (relating to procedure for claiming and payment of prizes).
§ 815.239. Procedure for claiming and payment of prizes.
(a) A prize shall be claimed only through an on-line numbers sales retailer.
(b) An on-line numbers sales retailer is authorized and required to make immediate payment of prizes of $2,500 or less, if the ticket is presented within a designated time period as announced by the Director, on an individual winning Big Four ticket, if the sales retailer has sufficient funds available for payment.
(c) Winning ticket holders of an individual ticket representing a prize of $2,500 or less shall be paid by participating sales retailers as provided in subsection (b), if the ticket validation requirements in § 815.238 (relating to ticket validation requirements) have been met, a proper validation pay ticket has been issued by the sales retailer’s computer terminal and other procedures have been complied with as outlined in the Agent Operating Procedure for Pennsylvania Lottery Numbers Games and addendums thereof.
(d) Winning ticket holders of an individual ticket representing a prize over $2,500 shall first validate their winning ticket at a participating on-line numbers sales retailer in order to receive a validation ticket and then shall present the winning ticket and the validation ticket to an authorized claim center—on-line numbers sales retailer—under Chapter 811 (relating to prizes).
(e) The payment of a prize to a person 17 years of age or younger and to a person who dies before receiving any or all of a particular prize shall be paid under § § 811.16 and 811.27 (relating to prizes payable after death of prize winner; and payment of prizes to persons under 18 years of age).
(f) The Commonwealth will be discharged of liability after payment of prizes as provided in § 811.26 (relating to discharge of State liability upon payment).
Source The provisions of this § 815.239 adopted November 21, 1980, effective November 22, 1980, 10 Pa.B. 4429; amended May 18, 1984, effective May 19, 1984, 14 Pa.B. 1716; amended October 12, 1984, effective October 13, 1984, 14 Pa.B. 3759; amended September 2, 1988, effective September 3, 1988, 18 Pa.B. 4007. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (126680).
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