But despite relying heavily on Tar Heel residents for sales, retailers here say they were never really worried to begin with.

Some stores along the state line in northern York County estimate that around 80 percent of their lottery sales come from North Carolina, though workers said Wednesday they weren't fretting over the potential competition.

"It'll help us maintain the customer base of the North Carolina residents, being right on the border," said Ken Shoultes, manager of Red Rocket Fireworks on Carowinds Boulevard, referring to North Carolina's latest failed lottery attempt. "We'll continue on until North Carolina passes it. I'm sure it's just a matter of time."

North Carolina legislators ended their session early Wednesday without a decision on a state lottery, meaning the issue is dead until next year and the state will remain the only one on the East Coast without a lottery.

That situation leads to big lottery sales in York County, which borders Charlotte, the Tar Heel State's biggest city. York County has the highest lottery sales in South Carolina, and many of the state's top retailers are in the Fort Mill area.

"We concentrate on things we can control. We can't control the North Carolina legislature," said Ernie Passailaigue, executive director of the S.C. Education Lottery.

Had North Carolina approved its own games, there would certainly be an effect on South Carolina's games, Passailaigue said.

"That being said, we don't think at least in the near term it would be that detrimental," he said.

Passailaigue didn't offer a dollar amount for the effects of a North Carolina lottery, though he did say North Carolina residents account for 12 percent of lottery customers here.

The S.C. Education Lottery grossed more than $956 million last fiscal year, an increase of $6 million over the previous year.

Passailaigue said his organization was prepared with a contingency plan if North Carolina approved the games, including marketing efforts and finding ways to take advantage of flaws in North Carolina's bill.

"We feel like with the plan with had in place, we would be able to minimize" the negative effects, he said.

Jason Parker, an employee at Lottery Supercenter in Fort Mill, where around half the lottery customers are from north of the border, said North Carolina customers don't talk much about their state's lottery plans.

As a retailer, it's something to think about but not worry about.

Still, there is some relief in North Carolina's latest lottery struggle.

"It was kind of on our mind," Parker said. "It can only help us. It can't hurt us."

Jason Foster • 329-4066