Customers ages 21 and older will be able to buy scratch-off lottery tickets in Mississippi by Dec. 1, if not sooner, a spokeswoman for the Mississippi Lottery Corporation said Wednesday. 

Meg Annison, director of communications, outlined plans at a meeting of the Meridian Rotary Club.

Initially, customers will be able to try their luck at four games, priced at $1, $2, $5 and possibly $10, Annison said.

By February, the MLC will introduce Powerball and Mega Millions games, she said. 

Businesses interested in selling lottery tickets will have to go through a background and credit check and be in good standing with the Mississippi Department of Revenue, Annison said.

“There is no maximum to the number of retailers we can accept. Right now we have more than 900 on board,” Annison said.

Retailers, which may include gas stations, convenience and grocery stores, beer, tobacco and pawn shops, will get a 6 percent return on weekly sales, according to Annison. 

She said the MLC is anticipating about $125 million in total sales over the first seven months. 

Up to $80 million of net proceeds during the first 10 years will go to infrastucture projects around the state, she said. 

Anything beyond that will go to the Education Enhancement Fund, supporting classroom supplies and early childhood education, Annison said.