 |
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
Below is the article you have selected.
To search by year or keyword, use the Lottery News Search to your right. Click Back to view another news release. You may also print the page or email the article to a friend by clicking the appropriate icon to your right. |
|
 |
October 19, 2009
The Virginia Lottery today announced that it will launch a Virginia Lottery gift card program in November 2009. The Lottery has selected LottoFone, Inc., a small business located in Alexandria, Virginia, to be the exclusive supplier for the program. Gift cards will
be available in Virginia’s 202 Rite Aid stores for the 2009 holiday season. Players will redeem their Virginia Lottery gift cards through the Lottery`s existing Internet-based subscription service at www.valottery.com/play. Gift cards will be priced at $26 and will
allow players to subscribe online for the chance to win Mega Millions or Win For Life games for 26 consecutive drawings.
“We are excited about this pilot program as we continue to look for innovative ways to expand our retailer distribution network,” said Paula Otto, Executive Director of the Virginia Lottery. “By offering this new way to play the lottery through the popular gift card concept, consumers will have yet another creative lottery gift idea this holiday season.”
"The emergence of gift cards to attract new players to lottery games will enable lotteries to realize increased revenue potentials without adding new terminals, thus providing the Lottery with a better return on their investment," said Willem Polak, Chairman of
LottoFone, Inc. Polak also points out that "gift cards quickly allow the Virginia Lottery to dramatically expand its distribution channels and reach new players in new markets," a prospect that has eluded most state lotteries. "I applaud the Virginia Lottery for its willingness to enter into this new medium for distribution, which will attract new types of players to the games," added Polak.
Nearly 95 cents of each dollar spent on the Virginia Lottery by players goes back to the Commonwealth in the form of contributions to education, prizes and retailer commissions.
Since 1999, all Virginia Lottery profits have been designated solely to K-12 public school education in the Commonwealth. In that time, the Lottery has turned over more than $4 billion for Virginia’s public schools. The latest annual profits of $439.1 million currently represent about 6 percent of state funding for public education in Virginia. In 21 years, the Lottery has sold more than $21.1 billion in tickets, awarded more than $1.1 billion in
retailer commissions and paid more than $11.6 billion in prizes to players.
Follow the Virginia Lottery on Facebook and Twitter. Please play responsibly.
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
 |