DC Lottery Celebrates Retail Partners at Inaugural REAL Awards

DC Lottery Celebrates Retail Partners at Inaugural REAL Awards

Key Insights

• At the inaugural Retailer Excellence & Appreciation Luncheon (REAL) Awards, the DC Lottery celebrated 43 years of partnership with small-business and franchise retailers.
• The DC Lottery presented 29 awards for sales excellence to various retailers across the District.
• The DC Lottery shared insights and industry-best practices at the event and conducted a town hall-style question-and-answer segment for retailers.

WASHINGTON, DC –On Wednesday, October 22, at its first-ever Retailer Excellence & Appreciation Luncheon (REAL) Awards, the DC Lottery celebrated its top performing retailers, shared best-practices, discussed the recent addition of the Lotto America game in DC, and congratulated legacy retailers—emphasizing the benefits of partnering with the DC Lottery to deliver best-in-class entertainment options in the nation’s capital.

Lottery officials presented 29 awards to retailers from across the city for sales-related benchmarks achieved during Fiscal Year 2025 (October 1, 2024, through September 30, 2025). Awards included:

• Rodman’s Drugs, Freedom Market, Sheffield Wine and Liquors, and Chat’s Liquors were recognized for sustaining more than 40 years of lottery sales.
• The overall Top Sales category winner was Avondale Coffee Shop, which also was the top draw sales agent for the DC 2, DC 3, DC 4 and DC 5 games.
• The award for Top Jackpot Sales category champion went to Winners Corner DC LLC for their strong Powerball, Mega Millions, and Lucky for Life sales.
• The Top Sports Wagering retailer was Metro Wine & Spirits.
• The Top New Retailer was Sherman Avenue Amoco.
• Most Improved category winner Penn Branch Liquors achieved the highest year-over-year sales percentage increase of any DC Lottery retailer this fiscal year.

“We’ve come a long way since the sale of our first lottery ticket 43 years ago,” said DC Lottery Executive Director Randy Burnside. “In that time, our retail partners have helped generate more than $2.4 billion for the District, earned more than $500 million in commissions, and helped us payout more than $4.8 billion in prizes to our players.”

Burnside went on to say that the relationship between the Lottery and the small business community is a big reason for the Lottery’s success.

“These are primarily small businesses that are an important part of our community. They are not only our partners, but our neighbors. When you play the DC Lottery, you make a difference here in DC. You are helping the good causes that receive support from the General Fund, you are helping a local business that sold you the ticket, and the vast majority of sales go back to our players in the form of the prizes they win, and much of that money gets reinvested in our local economy. So, it is a win-win for all of us.”

Currently, there are approximately 340 brick-and-mortar stores, ranging from family-owned businesses to larger corporate brands, participating in lottery sales across the city, with recruitment efforts ongoing.

To enhance its gaming portfolio, the DC Lottery recently introduced Lotto America, a multi-state jackpot game at the $1 price point that has jackpots that begin at $2 million. The Lottery also shared its plans for the coming year regarding the launch of new games and promotions with those in attendance.

Chat’s Liquors of Capitol Hill has been a lottery retailer since 1984. Represented by Burnett “Burnie” Williams, III, the second-generation proprietor whose family has owned and operated the business since 1978, had this to say about being recognized for their longevity, “We’re the oldest business on Barracks Row. We’ve seen lots of changes in the city. For 41 years and counting, the lottery has been a good, steady business for us. We appreciate the partnership.”

Since DC Lottery’s inception in 1982, licensed retailers, the majority of which are small business owners, have generated more than $8.7 billion in ticket sales. Proceeds from the sale of lottery games in the District are transferred to the city’s General Fund, to which the DC Lottery has contributed more than $2.4 billion in revenue to support essential city services, including education, public safety, and infrastructure.

While generating revenue for the District is an important goal, the DC Lottery is committed to the responsible sale and oversight of all lottery products and gaming services. The organization’s Responsible Gaming Program provides a comprehensive framework to minimize any potential harm that gaming may have on individuals, families, and communities while increasing the awareness of problem gambling and available treatment resources. DC Lottery retail partners are equally committed to responsible gaming practices and are mandated to develop and maintain a responsible gaming program.

To learn more about becoming a DC Lottery retailer, visit our Retailer Resources page by clicking HERE.