Let the Hunt for Big Cash (and Bigfoot) begin

September 2015
Volume 26
Issue 8
Let the Hunt for Big Cash (and Bigfoot) begin
The Hunt for Bigfoot is underway!
Bigfoot’s first sighting was at the Lottery’s
State Fair booth. Now he is making the
rounds at four retailers across the state
before his last stop at the Lottery’s Mall
of America event on Saturday, Oct. 3.
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Hunters who find the Bigfoot statue and
take a picture with him can post it to
their favorite social media channel for
the chance to win up to $1,000.
The Bigfoot photo capture contest is
a fun way to generate awareness and
engagement for the Hunt for Big Cash
scratch game and second-chance
contest that began Sept. 8.
The Hunt for Big Cash scratch game is a $5 ticket that
offers prizes up to $100,000 and includes a second-chance
contest for additional ways to win.
Encourage your players to enter their
non-winning tickets at mnlottery.com
for the chance to continue the hunt for
Bigfoot by winning trips and other great
tracking prize packs.
“Bigfoot radio and online advertising
will really help push the game and help
bring new players to your business,”
explained Lottery marketing manager
Vicki Holets. “It’s a great opportunity
for you to get creative,” she added. “It’s
a big hairy deal!”
Exciting news! Upgraded lottery equipment is coming!
New, state-of-the-art lottery equipment
installations will begin soon!
Installations will begin at the end of
September and are scheduled to be
completed by the end of December. The
look and feel of the terminal screen won’t
change right away; the current software
will run until the conversion date, which
is scheduled for April 17, 2016.
Lotto tickets will also get a fresh, new
look. Lotto ticket stock will have a new
color and a new background design.
Watch for more information in upcoming
issues of the Link. Some of the
upgrades:
GT1200 Terminal
• New display has a 25 percent larger
screen.
• Sharp, clear
graphics will be
larger and make the
menu easier to read.
• Play slip readers are
40 percent faster.
Accutherm Printer
• New printers are
capable of producing
tickets twice as fast.
• Holds 60 percent
more paper; doesn’t
need to be changed as often.
• Clear cover allows remaining ticket
stock to be seen.
LottoVision
• New screen is larger for improved
viewing.
• Allows for retailer-specific winner
awareness information.
Wireless Bar Code Scanner
• Allows scanning of tickets
in the dispenser(s) for
shift changes.
• Shift accounting program
will print reports for cash
drawer and inventory
balancing.
Ticket Checker
•Larger screen
makes
messages
easier to read,
while still
having a small
footprint.
•Wireless ticket
checkers
allow for more
placement
flexibility.
Jackpot Signs
• Displays six games instead of four.
• Lighter, wireless signs make
placement easier.
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Lottery sales on its website ended Aug. 31
The Lottery was required to end eScratch, Play at the
Pump and Play at the ATM sales after the Minnesota State
Legislature passed Minnesota State Session Law Chapter
45 in May. The law says the Lottery must end these services
on or before Sept. 25, 2015. The lotto subscription service,
though not affected by the legislation, ended at the same
time.
Accordingly, subscription sales of Gopher 5 and Mega
Millions ended on Aug. 28, while sales of Northstar Cash ,
Daily 3 , All or Nothing , Hot Lotto and Powerball on the
subscription site concluded on Aug. 29. eScratch tickets
were disabled on Aug. 31.
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The sale of lotto tickets via the subscription service began
in 2010, followed by sales at the gas pump and ATMs in
2012 and the launch of eScratch in 2014. The goal of these
services has always been to create brand awareness and to
remain relevant in an ever-changing marketplace.
The added visibility created by these ticket purchase
options has driven additional in-store sales that support the
Lottery’s 3,050 retail partners who employ people in all 87
Minnesota counties.
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In order to make sure the Lottery fully complies with the law
and to account for any unforeseen circumstances, the sale
of all games on the Lottery’s website ended approximately
one month before the statutory deadline.
Retailer commissions reached $33 million in 2015, an
average of $10,794 per business. During the time that the
eScratch tickets were available, there was a significant jump
in traditional scratch sales, up nearly 7 percent in FY15 over
FY14. Businesses that offered Play at the Pump saw their instore sales increase by 4 to 5 percent.
Please send any thoughts or comments about the
elimination of these services to us at [email protected].
New Powerball game
highlights
The Lottery’s Top Sellers recognizes retailers
for exceptional sales performance. Each of the
businesses that made this month’s Top Sellers
will receive $50 in free scratch tickets.
Top two regional sellers of the MONOPOLY MILLIONAIRES’
CLUB scratch game from March 24, 2015 - Aug. 10, 2015:
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Virginia Region
Eveleth Short Stop, Eveleth
Holiday Stationstores Inc., Hibbing
•
Sales with the new
Powerball matrix begin
Oct. 4 for the Oct. 7 drawing
•
Matrix changes are designed
to deliver bigger and faster
growing jackpots
•
Ten white balls (the first five
numbers) will be added, increasing the pool t0 1-69
•
The number of red balls (the Powerball number) will
decrease by 9, bringing the pool of numbers to 1-26
Cub Foods, Crystal*
•
The cost of a Powerball ticket remains at $2 each
Bill’s Superette #9, Brooklyn Park*
•
Overall odds of winning a prize will improve to 1 in 24.87
Owatonna Region:
•
The third level prize will increase from $10,000 to
$50,000
•
Powerball jackpots will continue to start at $40 million
•
10X multiplier will be added periodically for Power Play
players
•
Retailers will still win big when their players win—a
$50,000 bonus is paid to a retailer that sells a winning
Powerball jackpot ticket and $5,000 for selling a
winning Match 5 ticket.
Detroit Lakes Region
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The Powerball game is getting
a makeover in October. Here’s
what you and your players
should know about the exciting
game changes:
M & H Gas, Moorhead
East Grand Station, East Grand Forks
Marshall Region:
St. Peter Quick Mart, St. Peter
New Ulm Quick Mart, New Ulm
Metro West Region:
Cub Foods (Lake Street), Minneapolis
Kwik Trip #824, Winona
Reeds 4th Ave. Food & Fuel, Austin
Metro East Region:
MSP Airport Foundation, St. Paul
Kaposia Convenience Center, South St. Paul
*denotes tie
Upcoming Top Sellers (schedule is tentative):
October – Large Mouth Cash
November – First quarter FY16 sales leaders
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From the director
by Executive Director Ed Van Petten
I hope summer has treated you well this
year. For most of us the weather has
been great, but a few summer storms
were disastrous for some. I hope that
those of you affected had no injuries,
that property damage is repaired, and
that you are back to full capacity. Mother
Nature is impossible to predict, but every
area of our great country has something
to worry about from her. I’m not sure if
any of the areas are safe, but I’ll choose
to stay here.
The Minnesota Lottery has had a great
summer with events at Canterbury Park,
WE Fest, the Twins and, of course, the
State Fair. In addition to these major
promotions, we’ve had a presence at a
number of smaller events. Lottery staff
really enjoys getting out and having the
opportunity to interact with both players
and with those people who don’t play
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Retailer t
Spotligh
yet. We want people to ask questions
about our products, and that’s why we
are there.
Bigfoot will be coming to your dispenser
soon. This should be a fun promotion,
and hopefully attract some new players
for you. Watch for a life-size Bigfoot
that will be adorned in truly Minnesota
duds. Plans are that he will visit all of
our regions, and there may be some real
benefit to those who find him. Ask your
Lottery sales representative for details
about this promotion.
The conversion to our new terminal
system is progressing and hopefully
you will be seeing new equipment in
your locations this fall. We will also be
initiating a number of upgrades to the
system throughout the fall and winter
and hope to have everything complete by
our anniversary in April 2016. It will be a
good way to start a new year.
Last month we told you about the
changes coming to Powerball and the
shutting down of our website selling
location. The games on the website will
be shut down by the time you get this
newsletter. You’ll find more information
about the Powerball changes in this
issue. I hope that these game changes
are positive for you and that we generate
more sales and thus more commission.
And while we are disappointed with the
legislative prohibition of sales on our
website, we will fully comply. Let us know
if you have any questions or concerns.
We hope you have a great fall. Thank
you for all that you do for the Minnesota
Lottery.
Cy’s Bar and Grill in Chaska
“Cy’s Bar and Grill is a very
friendly bar and grill located
in the heart of Chaska. The
atmosphere is great and the
food is outstanding,” said Lottery sales
rep Greg Knutson. “It’s a wonderful
bar and grill to hang out and watch the
Vikings , Twins , Wild , etc.
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“Cy’s pushes our entire product line
through the Gemini and also through the
Altura ,” said Knutson.
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“People like it because if they stop in to
have a burger or whatever and they see
the sign that the Powerball or something
is up there, they can get a ticket. I sell
more scratch tickets than anything but it
gives everybody an option of something
to do,” said owner Terry Dircks.
He added that having lottery is
“definitely” a good thing. “It’s just
another nice added feature to the place.”
“Point-of-sale materials are visible and
great signage covers many of the bar
tables [see photos],” said Knutson.
Dircks says that the table signage serves
as a good reminder for people to get a
ticket. “It’s right there in front of them so
they think, ‘Oh yeah, Powerball, I should
get one.’”
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“The customers judge by the return
business. I’ve been in business for 30
years,” said Dircks. “If it wasn’t for loyal
customers I wouldn’t have made it far.”
Top prize winning ticket bonus
CHS in Rochester, $270
Super USA in Bloomington,
$1,000
Tesoro Riverside Stop in
Minneapolis, $500
Mauer Bros Tavern in Elba,
$1,000
Plymouth BP in Plymouth,
$5,000
Rollingstone Mini Mart in
Rollingstone, $500
Eagle Express in
Eagle Lake, $500
Barklow Grain Exchange in
Minneapolis, $1,000
Holiday Stationstores Inc.
in Bemidji, $5,000
Drkula’s Bowl in Inver
Grove Heights, $500
PRESORTED
STANDARD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
DETROIT LAKES, MN
PERMIT NO. 14
Minnesota State Lottery
2645 Long Lake Road
Roseville, Minnesota 55113
mnlottery.com
Debbie Hoffmann, executive editor
Emily Frost, managing editor
Marie Hinton, editor
Kelly Barto, graphic designer
This publication is available in alternative
formats to individuals with disabilities by
calling (651) 635-8273, (888) 568-8379.
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New Games
Sept. 8, 2015:
#560 — Hunt for Big Cash ($5/$100,000)
#561 — Bearded Bucks ($2/$10,000)
#562 — Super Triple 777 ($10/$177,777)
#563 — Crossword Doubler ($3/$20,000)
Sept. 29, 2015:
#564 — Minnesota Platinum ($1/$1,000)
#565 — Minneota Platinum 2X ($2/$20,000)
#566 — Minnesota Platinum 5X ($5/$100,000)
#567 — Minnesota Platinum 10X
($10/$175,000)