LANSING, February 21, 2000 — The Michigan Lottery is marking the next millennium with the introduction of Michigan Rolldown, the first new on-line game since The Big Game debuted in September 1996! Lottery players statewide have been asking for a new game with better odds and more chances to win, and the Lottery listened.

"Many players have been looking for a fresh, new game that offers better odds and more prizes, and we think Michigan Rolldown is just the game for them!" said Michigan Lottery Commissioner Don Gilmer. "Based on market research and feedback from both players and retailers, we believe Michigan Rolldown will appeal to many people. We expect to award over 25,000 cash prizes each drawing — that’s thousands more than Cash 5."

This new game will replace the Lottery’s Cash 5 game that debuted in March 1992. The last drawing for Cash 5 will take place on Friday, February 25. Sales of Michigan Rolldown tickets will begin on Sunday, February 27, with the first drawing scheduled for Monday, February 28. Michigan Rolldown drawings will be held six days a week — Monday through Saturday — at 7:28 p.m., and the cost to play is $1 per wager. Tickets will be available at the more than 6,400 Lottery retailers that currently sell tickets for Michigan’s other on-line games (Michigan Lotto, The Big Game, Keno, and the Daily 3 and Daily 4 games).

Michigan Rolldown is unlike any other game in the Lottery’s current line-up because it gives Lottery players a whole different way to play. The new game showcases an exciting new "roll down" feature, ensuring that all of the prize money will be paid out each and every night. In the event that no player matches all five numbers drawn to win the jackpot, that prize money "rolls down" to players who match four of five numbers, giving them an even bigger win!

To play Michigan Rolldown, players will select five numbers from a field of 33, or use the "easy pick" feature in which the computer terminal randomly picks five of 33 numbers. Odds to match all five numbers are 1 in 237,336, with overall odds to win a cash prize of 1 in 6. (Comparatively, Cash 5 offered a 5 of 39 matrix, with odds to match all five numbers of 1 in 575,757 and overall odds of 1 in 100.)

Cash prizes are awarded for matching five, four, three and even two numbers. These top three prizes are pari-mutuel and, therefore, may vary from drawing to drawing. Pari-mutuel prizes are based on the number of tickets sold and the number of winners matching five, four and three numbers.

The launch of Michigan Rolldown is accompanied by a statewide television and radio advertising campaign. The Lottery also plans to mail "buy one, get one free" Michigan Rolldown coupons to adults all over the state in early March.

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