TRENTON, N.J. – Retailers selling lottery tickets in New Jersey may have to wait, as lottery sales had become a casualty of a statewide government shutdown, reports the Associated Press.

Gov. Jon S. Corzine (D) commented on Sunday that there was "no immediate prospect of a budget." The governor shut down nonessential government services on July 1 after the state legislature failed to adopt a budget. Corzine shut down nonessential government services Saturday after the Legislature failed to adopt a budget by its July 1 deadline.

Last year, customers spent an average of $6 million a day on lottery ticket sales, generating about $800 million in state revenue, notes the AP. Convenience retailers such as Vik Parikh in Bayonne rely on lottery ticket sales to drive customer traffic inside the store.

"It will definitely be bad for business," Parikh told the AP, noting that his father, Gary Parikh, estimates that 60 percent, or roughly $70,000, of the store's annual income comes from lottery sales.

"People come here for the lottery, then they buy a coffee, or a soda or candy," said Bharat Barot, an employee at Krauszer's in New Brunswick.

Although ticket sales have ceases, the state will continue holding lottery drawings to honor tickets purchased in advance of the shutdown.

(Editor’s note: The New Jersey Lottery has posted the following announcement for state retailers and customers at its Web site:

Due to the State budget impasse, the New Jersey Lottery has ceased normal operations.  The Lottery has directed all agents to cease all ticket sales, effective 7:55 p.m, Saturday, July 1, 2006. All lottery terminals will be shut down after the July 1 drawing at 7:55 p.m. There will be no ticket sales (including instant tickets), winning ticket validation, claim payments or any activity on the “Green Machine” terminals after 7:55 p.m. Saturday.

Due to advanced ticket sales, the lottery will direct essential staff to conduct the regularly scheduled drawings for these tickets at lottery headquarters under the observation of Mercadien PC, Certified Public Accountants. Drawing results will be available on the lottery's Web site. Payment of claims, however, is not authorized until a new budget is in place.

Once authorized through a new state budget, the New Jersey Lottery will resume regular operations.)