In a city in love with its food trucks, it did not take a vast stretch of imagination to put another kind of money-making venture on four wheels.
Whether you call it imitation or inspiration, D.C. Lottery has put ticket vending kiosks in the back of a truck and named it the Lucky Lottery Mobile.
The vehicle is a pilot project for the District, and city officials say the truck is the first of its kind in the country. While other localities have put mobile lottery units out at sporting events and festivals, the plan is to have D.C.'s new truck out on the streets daily, trawling for anyone in need of a lottery game fix. If things work out, more could be added.
The 26-foot long vehicle actually started as a food truck, leased from a Maryland catering company. D.C. Lottery told News4's Tom Sherwood that the truck was sent to California to get renovated for its new role. While driving across the country back to D.C., lottery officials said motorists at rest stops would approach the mobile lottery truck and ask to buy tickets. Those people were turned down.
The full range of D.C. Lottery games will be available from the mobile unit, from Fast Play to Mega Millions. Tuesday was supposed to mark the truck's inaugural voyage, but not all of the permits required to open have come in, so the launch has been delayed until Truckeroo on Friday.
