Break-open bonanza: Staggering sales of pull-tab tickets in N.L.

People in Newfoundland and Labrador appear to have a love affair with pull tabs, or break-open tickets, according to the Atlantic Lottery Corporation.

The tickets are forsale everywhere, including atbingo halls across the province. In some cases, the ticketsare responsible for long lineups in convenience stores.

• Atlantic Lotto posts record profits in 2015-16

ALCsays in Newfoundland and Labrador, $85 millionwas spent on pull-tab tickets in 2015-2016. At between50 cents and $1per ticket, that adds up to a total of about 138million break-open tickets sold inone year.

"Wow my God, that's a lot of money," Richard Lombard, a convenience store customer, told CBCin downtown St. John's.

Overall, the money spent on pull-tab tickets is just a part of the $148.5 million people in this province spent on lottery in the last year.

Those numbers, in the ALC's annual report released earlier this week, shows Newfoundland and Labrador outspending all the other Atlantic provinces.

'Chance of winning an extra few dollars'

For some people, the pull-tabs and other lottery purchases can feel likean addiction but for others, it's an opportunity to win using loose change.

Waste of money. I got better stuff to spend my money on.- Customer Michael Fowler

"If you got a few dollars in your pocket,"said another store customerJessica Peach, when asked by CBC why she buys the tickets.

"Just that chance of buying a few break opens and you might have a chance of winning an extra few dollars."

However, not all convenience store customers see that kind of opportunity.

"Waste of money. I got better stuff to spend my money on," said Michael Fowler, who spoke to CBC outside Flower Hill Convenience in St. John's.

"For instance, a dozen beer. And I got my job and I don't have to lose my job over an addiction," he added.

At PJ's Convenience in St. John's, counter clerkKathy King isn't surprised to hear so much money has beenspent in this province on break-open tickets.

"I'd say probably about four to five hours, (is spent) selling these," she said.

King adds in some cases, the majority of people buying and peeling the pull-tab tickets open spend a lot of time and money at the counter, with no winnings to show for it.

"Very sad, heartbreaking," said King.