The Michigan Lottery was honored with the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries’ Best New Instant Game award at the recent World Lottery Summit. Pictured are (l to r) Lotto Quebec President of Operations Robert Ayotte; Michigan Lottery Public Relations Director Andi Brancato; Michigan Lottery Deputy Commissioner of Marketing and Chief Deputy Commissioner Tom Weber; Pollard Banknote Marketing Manager Donna Preziotti; Caiza Economica Federal of Brazil Vice President Fabio Cleto; and Michigan Lottery Commissioner M. Scott Bowen. Ayotte and Cleto presented the award. Pollard Banknote is the Michigan Lottery’s instant ticket vendor.
The Michigan Lottery was honored with the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries’ best special promotion award at the recent World Lottery Summit. Pictured are (l to r) Michigan Lottery Commissioner M. Scott Bowen; Michigan Lottery Public Relations Director Andi Brancato; Ontario Lottery and Gaming Vice President of Lottery Marketing and Sales Wendy Montgomery; and Michigan Lottery Deputy Commissioner of Marketing and Chief Deputy Commissioner Tom Weber.
LANSING, September 19, 2012 – The Michigan Lottery’s $100,000 Cashword instant ticket is popular with more than just Lottery players!
The $3 ticket was selected as the North American Association of State and Provincial Lottery’s Best New Instant Game in North America. The award was announced at a ceremony during the World Lottery Association’s 2012 summit in Montreal.
In addition, the Michigan Lottery’s television show “Make Me Rich!” took a NASPL award for Best Promotion.
The Cashword ticket, which launched January 31 and is still on sale, features an interactive component and extended play though the Lottery’s Web site, www.michiganlottery.com, or a smartphone app. The WebPlay™program features a custom app developed by Pollard Banknote Ltd., the Lottery’s instant ticket printing company. The program features a QR code to download the Cashword Lottery app and once downloaded, players can continue to play their ticket in an online format for a second chance to win instant ticket coupons or points for redemption on the Michigan Lottery’s Player’s Club. Both the app and web-based version of the game can also be played for fun, without the purchase of a Cashword ticket.
Noting that there were one million Cashword interactive games played in the first sixth months of the program, Lottery Chief Deputy Commissioner and Commissioner of Marketing Tom Weber called the interactive program a huge success.
“Research shows the ability to play the game on a personal computer on on-the-go with a smartphone has successfully engaged the coveted 18-25 demographic, of which 20 percent play the app for fun at least once a day after download.”
The interactive component has also spurred sales.
“Fifty-five percent of players who played the app for fun were influenced to purchase a ticket in order play the app for prizes, while 75 percent of 18-25 year olds said they were more likely to purchase Cashword tickets after playing the Michigan Lottery Cashword app,” Weber said.
Additionally, the WebPlay™ program was responsible for a 52 percent increase in average weekly sales of the Cashword family of games, from $2.3 million to $3.5 million.
$100,000 Cashword is the Lottery’s second Best Instant Ticket award. The first, for the Lucky Dog ticket, was won in 2006.
“Make Me Rich!”, the Lottery’s television show that was hosted by former Brady Bunch star Christopher Knight, featured various second chance drawing giveways conducted before a live studio audience. “Make Me Rich!” aired in eight episodes between October 2009 and January 2012 and featured 96 contestants who won over $27 million in cash prizes, two cars, one motorcycle and $1,300 worth of Lottery tickets.
The Lottery also awarded a total of $40,000 to television viewers who participated in a “text to win” component of the show.
Both the Best Instant Game and special promotion awards are among several handed out by NASPL each year. Lotteries are invited to submit entries, which are then judged by the lottery which is acting as host for that year’s conference.
Over 95 cents of every dollar spent on Lottery tickets is returned to the state in the form of contributions to the state School Aid Fund, prizes to players and commissions to retailers. In fiscal year 2011, the contribution to schools was over $727.3 million. Since its inception in 1972, the Lottery has contributed over $16 billion to education in Michigan.
For additional information, please visit the Lottery’s Web site at www.michiganlottery.com.
“The Michigan Lottery. All across the state good things happen.”
Contact: Andi Brancato, PR Director 517-335-5648
Agency: Michigan Lottery Public Relations
