January 2010
Volume 21
Issue 1
Mega Millions coming to Minnesota on Jan. 31
®
The Mega Millions game is scheduled to go on sale in On Feb. 1 and Feb. 2, when players make a $5 Powerball®
Minnesota on Jan. 31 and it offers some mega-benefits for or $5 Mega Millions purchase (on one ticket), they will
Lottery retailers! Selling Mega Millions means that many automatically receive a free $1 Mega Millions ticket.
players will visit Lottery retailers more often to purchase
tickets and to claim prizes. The extra sales expected for The Mega Millions estimated jackpot is replacing the
Mega Millions means Lottery retailers can earn more Lottery Northstar Cash estimated jackpot on the current jackpot
commissions and retailers that sell winning jackpot or signs. The Northstar Cash game will still exist, but the
Match 5 tickets will receive a mega-bonus once the ticket is jackpot will not be featured on the signs becuase there isn't
redeemed (see bonus chart). room for both.
Odds of winning a Mega Millions Prize
Match Prize Odds
Mega Millions Facts (per $1 purchase)
5 + Mega Ball Jackpot* 1 in 176 million
Drawings: Tuesday and Friday at 10 p.m. 5 $250,000 1 in 3.9 million
(Central Time). Drawings are conducted 4 + Mega Ball $10,000 1 in 689,065
in Atlanta, Ga. 4 $150 1 in 15,313
3 + Mega Ball $150 1 in 13,781
Sales Cutoff: 9 p.m. on drawing days to 3 $7 1 in 306
purchase a ticket for that day’s drawing. 2 + Mega Ball $10 1 in 844
1 + Mega Ball $3 1 in 141
Price: Tickets are $1 per play. Players
® Mega Ball $2 1 in 75
can add the Megaplier option for an
extra $1 per play for a chance to win up
Mega Millions Launch Party Overall odds of winning a prize on a $1 purchase: 1 in 40
* The set prize amounts listed above are based on the expected number of winners sharing in
to $1 million by multiplying their non- the prize pool. In some cases, these prizes may be paid on a pari-mutuel basis and will be lower
than these listed prize levels. Refer to the official game procedures for a detailed explanation of
jackpot prizes by 2, 3 or 4. Join us at the Mall of America’s the optional pari-mutuel payment. The jackpot prize will be divided equally among all players
who correctly match all 5 white balls plus the Mega Ball. Jackpot winners have 60 days after 1
claiming that prize to choose how to be paid -- in 26 annual payments or in one lump sum
Jackpot: Starts at $12 million. Best Buy® Rotunda on Feb. 6 payment (approx. 1/2 the annuitized amount).
Record Jackpot: $390 million. from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. for a Mega
Prizes: There are nine ways to win prizes Millions launch event! You
by playing Mega Millions.
could win a MEGA shopping
Multiple Draws: Mega Millions tickets
can be purchased for as many as 14 spree. Visit mnlottery.com in
consecutive drawings.
early February for details.
Tickets: Mega Millions buttons will be
®
added to the Altura Lottery terminal on
the lower right side of the main screen.
Congratulations to Cub Foods (Blaine East) in Blaine for selling a $1.15 million
winning Hot Lotto® ticket on Dec. 2, 2009. Dean Alexander — a local resident
and regular shopper at the store – claimed the prize a couple of days later. Not
only did he win big, but Cub Foods won big as well. The business received a
$10,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket. Since the good news has spread
and signage has been posted, Lee Ann Jorgenson, community relations
manager for Cub Foods, says the store’s customers have been thrilled. “There
has definitely been an increase in excitement and an increase in ticket sales,”
she said. To create even more excitement, Lottery sales representative Colleen
Kuchenmeister set up a promotion where customers who made a $5 Powerball
purchase received one free Hot Lotto ticket — giving their customers one more Pictured: Lottery sales representative Colleen
reason to make a stop at the customer service counter! Kuchenmeister and store director John Thompson.
A chance to win up to $1 million
Lottery players will have a chance to win $10,000, $20,000, $50,000 or even
$1 million during the Lottery’s Scratch-O-Rama promotion! The promotion is
part of the Lottery’s 20th anniversary celebration.
To enter, players submit non-winning $200,000 Platinum Payout scratch tickets
on the Lottery’s Players Club Web site (luckymn.com) from Jan. 5 through Feb. 22.
The $200,000 Platinum Payout scratch game is a $10 game, so your business
earns 55 cents for each ticket you sell. The added value offered by the possibility
of winning up to $1 million through the Scratch-O-Rama promotion makes this an
especially easy game to sell.
When players enter, they choose the tournament location they would like to
attend if selected in the drawing.
On Feb. 23, 18 contestants will be drawn to compete in each regional scratch
tournament. Two additional players will be selected the day of the event from
entries collected at each location. All 20 contestants at each event will play for
the chance to be one of two players who will move to the finals.
The grand finale event will be held on April 17 at the Mall of America. A total of 20
players from the qualifying events and drawings that day will vie for the chance
to win up to $1 million!
Sales
Visit mnlottery.com Had information, including official
Target
We for more
rules and gamea Winner!
procedures.
et
We Had Sales Targ
a Winner!
From the
Director
Top 10
On Jan. 26, the Lottery’s newest product, Game Puzzle Game Book includes six separate pages
Books, goes on sale. These $20 games are a filled with some of the Lottery’s most popular
great value for players. With six separate pages scratch games, including crossword and bingo!
of games in each Game Book, each plays like a
The Game Books are dispensed flat from
$5 game — it’s like getting several additional
specially-designed dispensers. Please fold the
tickets as a value-added bonus! Your players will
Game Book in half along the scored edge before
2 also love playing for the $300,000 top prize.
handing it to players. IMPORTANT REMINDER:
for each
Re — itiler
The Lottery is launching two different types of Caution players that the Game Books cannot
be validated if separated ta must be intact for
Game Book
Game Books to appeal to a variety of players.
The Casino Game Book includes six separate players to claim any prizes. tligh
Spo t sold at your business. In
addition, retailers that sell
pages of casino- themed scratch games (i.e.
Game Books will also be a great new game for the $300,000 top prize will
roulette, blackjack, poker and slots) while the
you. Retailers will receive a $1.10 commission receive a $2,000 bonus!
From the
Director
Mega Millions will boost sales and commissions
by Lottery Executive Director Clint Harris
Mega Millions ticket sales kick off on Jan. 31 for the drawing on We estimate Mega Millions sales of $20 million per year. Take
Feb. 2. This is the first new lotto game we’ve introduced since advantage of this unique opportunity to increase your Lottery sales
Northstar Cash began in 2003.
®
and commissions by posting the Mega Millions point-of-purchase
and letting your customers know about the new game.
We think players are ready for a new game. You might ask why
we’re introducing another mega-jackpot, multi-state game when we To help build awareness of Mega Millions, we’ll run television ads,
already offer Powerball . Research has shown that players’ interest
®
radio ads and introduce other marketing components beginning on
in lotto games increases with the size of the jackpot. Our sales Jan. 31.
prove that this is true — sales for a $200 million jackpot are five
The state will receive approximately $9 million from Mega Millions
times more than for a $20 million jackpot.
sales. This extra revenue will benefit the recipients of Lottery
We know that players buy Powerball and soon Mega Millions for proceeds — the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund,
the chance to dream about what they’ll do if they win the jackpot. Game & Fish Fund, Natural Resources Fund and General Fund.
With the addition of Mega Millions drawings on Tuesday and Friday,
I’m eager to get your thoughts about Mega Millions or any other
players will have the opportunity to dream four nights a week.
Lottery business. Please send me a note at director@mnlottery.com.
From the
Director
Top 10 Lottery players and your
Protect
business
Protect Lottery players and your business by following these
Top 10 retailers with the highest combined sales for The Perfect simple steps:
1. Retailer all players to sign the back of their lottery
Game promotion (Buck$ and Dough, Strike it Rich! and Border
Battles scratch games) from Sept. 29, 2009 through Nov. 2, 2009. Encourage
Due to ties, 11 retailers are included on this list: Spotlight
tickets, especially before handing them to someone
else. Explain that by law, if a lottery ticket is not signed, it
M & H Gas, Moorhead
belongs to whomever has it in their possession.
Metropolitan Public Airport Foundation —
2. When a ticket is not a winner, always return it to the
Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport, Bloomington
player — m the
do not throw it away for them.
Gaviidae, Minneapolis Fro
3. Whenector is a winner that you can pay, always hand
Dir a ticket
Orton’s Moorhead Food Mart, Moorhead t
the “Player Pay Ticket”les Targe player along with the
We Ha winnings. Sa receipt to the
d
Holiday #241, Brooklyn Park ner!
cash
a Win
Billales T
arget
We Had S ’s Superette #7, Andover 4. If you receive the screen message, “Winner claim at
a Winner! Kwik Trip #824, Winona Lottery office,” that means that the player cannot claim the
prize at store level. Print a copy of this message and hand
Hornbacher Foods, Moorhead it to the player along with the winning ticket that was given
SuperAmerica #4445, Blaine From the
to you. Explain to the player that the winning amount is too
Director
Top 10
Holiday #005, St. Paul large for you to pay. Provide the player with the location of
the nearest Lottery office where the ticket can be redeemed.
Ankeny’s Mini Mart #1, Austin
Lottery regional offices located in Virginia, Detroit Lakes,
The Lottery’s Top 10 recognizes retailers for exceptional sales Marshall and Owatonna can pay prizes up to $30,000 or
performance. Each of the businesses that made this month’s players can claim them by mail. All prizes over $30,000
Top 10 will receive $50 in free scratch tickets. must be claimed at Lottery headquarters in Roseville. For
more information, visit mnlottery.com.
Retailer
Spotlight
Hugo’s Family Marketplace
Valley Markets, Inc. operates three Hugo’s Family From the representative Bryce Bode is grateful that
Lottery sales
Marketplace stores in Minnesota with locations in East DWestremropened the door for him at the chain's other two
irecto
Grand Forks, Crookston and Thief River Falls. The chain Minnesota locations. “He has done a great job encouraging 3
of eight supermarkets, five of which are located in North the managers to run Lottery promotions by showing the
Dakota, recently celebrated their 70th anniversary. benefits that his store has seen as a result of them," stated
Bode.
The stores offer a wide variety of services for their
customers. “We consider ourselves a regional store because The three Hugo stores do a good job collaborating on Lottery
of our location, the size of our store and all the services we promotions to see which ones work best for the different
provide,” explained East Grand Forks store manager Jeff locations, Westrem explained. “When we find promotions
Westrem. “Our customers appreciate the convenience of successful here we try to replicate them in our other two
having the Minnesota State Lottery as one of the services we stores.”
offer,” he added.
In addition, East Grand Forks office manager Patty Stordahl
Over the years, Hugo’s has proved that running Lottery has assisted with getting promotions started at the Crookston
promotions has been a huge benefit for their stores. and Thief River Falls stores. “She has shown them how to do
Westrem says they “try to take advantage of all the paperwork and how to make their promotions balance
the opportunities for promotions whenever they daily,” added Bode.
are made available.”
When it comes to Lottery promotions,
Bode says, “They’ve done them all,”
including play days, theme boards,
spin wheels and scratch promotions.
By offering promotions, Bode says,
“The stores are rewarding their players
and gaining new players, too.”
Pictured far left: East Grand Forks store
manager Jeff Westrem and office manager
Patty Stordahl. Pictured left: the East Grand
Forks storefront.
Retailer
Spotlight
Top prize winning ticket bonus
From the
Director
Jill’s Gas & Grocery in Nelson’s Market Place in Holiday #141 in Gilbert, Cub Foods in Brooklyn Rainbow Foods #8850 in
Alexandria, $140 bonus Faribault, $250 bonus $1,000 bonus Center, $3,363 bonus St. Paul, $130 bonus
SuperAmerica #4411 Numart C-Store in Cub Foods – Burnsville Grey Eagle BP in Grey 4th Street Conoco in
in Inver Grove Heights, St. James, $500 bonus South in Burnsville, Eagle, $280 bonus Bemidji, $500 bonus
$1,000 bonus $1,400 bonus
Top prizes claimed between Nov. 16, 2009 and New games scheduled start dates:
Dec. 15, 2009 were sold at the following locations: Jan. 5, 2010:
Northstar Cash® jackpot Gopher 5® jackpot Buck$ and Dough
#652 – Heart of Gold ($2/$10,000)
Marathon on Lyndale in Cub Foods in Brooklyn $100,000 prize
#653 – Sizzlin’ 7s ($5/$77,777)
Minneapolis, $49,836 Park, $441,215 Cenex Convenience in
Dent #654 – $200,000 Platinum Payout ($10/$200,000)
Casey’s General Store Holiday #033 in Benson,
#2156 in Rockford, $100,000 Mega MONOPOLY ™
Jan. 26, 2010:
$36,694 $200,000 prize
Hot Lotto® jackpot #655 – Casino Game Book ($20/$300,000)
Marketplace Foods in SuperAmerica #4449 in
Cub Foods (Blaine East) in #656 – Puzzle Game Book ($20/$300,000)
Moose Lake, $29,000 Maple Grove
Blaine, $1.15 million
Stacy Lent Tesoro in North Powerball® with Power Feb. 2, 2010
Border Battles
Branch, $27,000 Play® $50,000 prize #657 – Lucky Symbol Crossword Tripler
$100,000 prize
4 B-Line Grocery in White ($3/$21,000)
Holiday #327 in Duluth, Holiday #247 in Eagan
$26,000 Bear Lake
#658 – Lucky Clovers ($1/$1,000)
(651) 635-8268 TTY or (800) 657-3833 TTY.
calling (651) 635-8273, (888) 568-8379,
formats to individuals with disabilities by
This publication is available in alternative
Kate Lamers, graphic designer
Marie Hinton, editor
Emily Welker, managing editor
Debbie Hoffmann, executive editor
luckymn.com
mnlottery.com
Roseville, Minnesota 55113.
Department, 2645 Long Lake Road,
ST. PAUL, MN Minnesota State Lottery Public Relations
PERMIT 171 The Link is published monthly by the
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