February 2016
Volume 27
Issue 2
Retailers sell six months’ worth of tickets in one week
On Jan. 13, the Powerball® jackpot reached a new record of $1.5 billion. Tickets
sold in California, Florida and Tennessee each won one-third of the jackpot.
The big jackpots got many players into the game. At least 2 million adult
Minnesotans purchased at least one Powerball ticket in the four weeks
leading up to the record jackpot, according to a survey. Ticket sales
shattered records and Minnesota’s lottery retailers handled the huge
spike in sales incredibly well.
Minnesota’s lottery retailers helped generate more than $20.7 million for
Minnesota from Powerball sales during the run to benefit the environment
and to support state programs including education, public safety, roads
and health & human services.
Thank you, lottery retailers.
Historic Powerball
jackpot run facts
The gigantic jackpots attracted attention from
around the world. Two retailers located near the
Canadian border and the airport were the top
three Minnesota Powerball sellers for the record
jackpot drawing.
Sales for the Jan. 9 drawing topped $13 million,
which was a new record. That new record didn’t
last long because sales for the Jan. 13 drawing
surpassed $19 million.
Ticket sales for the jackpot run, which began on
Nov. 7, were up 391 percent compared to the
same time period last year.
In the week leading up to the $1.5 billion
jackpot drawing, Minnesota retailers sold 55
percent of what was sold in all of fiscal year
2015 for Powerball.
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Raffle pays off big for retailers
On Jan. 1, more than 4,000 winning Minnesota Millionaire Raffle numbers
were announced, including two worth $1 million. The businesses that sell
the $1 million winning Raffle tickets also win big because they earn
a $5,000 winning ticket bonus and sometimes receive media attention.
Since the Raffle began, retailers have earned a whopping $100,000 in
winning ticket bonuses.
River Country Co-op in Miesville earned a $5,000 bonus for
selling a $1 million winning Raffle ticket. Manager Dave Rahmen
commented that it was especially great because the winner was
from nearby Welch. He said they had another fun surprise when
KARE 11 showed up during the big Powerball jackpot run to ask
some fun questions about selling all those Powerball
tickets and to interview staff about the excitement of
selling the $1 million winning ticket. Dave also
noted that the $5,000 winning ticket bonus will
certainly help to make their bottom line look great!
According to a National Association of Convenience
Stores study, 95 percent of lottery customers buy at
least one additional item inside the store.
Do not cash photocopies
of lottery tickets
Do not pay prizes on photocopies of tickets or photos on
mobile devices. Do not scan, manually enter or cash anything
other than an actual Minnesota Lottery ticket.
Retailers that pay prizes on anything other than an official
Minnesota Lottery ticket may be financially responsible when
the real ticket is presented for payment.
New ticket length
The Lottery’s lotto games vendor recently extended the
length of tickets and reports because some were not long
enough to pull away from the printer easily.
Prizes up to and including
$100 must be paid
The Lottery retailer contract states that retailers must
pay all prizes up to $599 or as agreed to with the
Lottery. Under current contracts, all retailers have
agreed to pay prizes up to and including $100.
Paying prizes is not only required, it’s good for business:
Retailers receive a 1 percent cashing bonus for
prizes up to $599 redeemed at their stores.
Paying prizes means that customers have cash to
spend in your business.
Stores that have a reputation for paying prizes
earn customer loyalty.
We have heard some concerns about this change and will
continue to work with the vendor on a better solution.
The Powerball frenzy may be over
(for now!) but the latest frenzy
is just beginning.
T he Frenzy family of games that
launched Feb. 2 includes four games
with different price points and top
prizes so there’s a little something for
all of your customers:
$1,000 Frenzy is a $1 game with a
$1,000 top prize
$10,000 Frenzy is a $2 game with
a $10,000 top prize
$25,000 Frenzy is a $3 game with
a $25,000 top prize
Retailer t
Spotligh
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.
Second quarter sales results for fiscal year 2016 compared to fiscal year 2015
(among retailers selling in both quarters):
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There’s a new frenzy in town
Scratch dollar increase:
Lotto dollar increase:
M & H Gas in Moorhead
Micky’s Liquor Store in Minneapolis
Dannecker’s Grocery & Liquor in St. Paul
Clark on Rice in St. Paul
Jeff’s Little Store Inc. in Rochester
Shabelle Grocery in Minneapolis
Holiday Stationstores Inc. in Rochester
Little Burma in St. Paul
MSP Airport Foundation in St. Paul
Poppers Bar in Virginia
Holiday Stationstores Inc. in Moorhead
Kaposia Convenience Center in South St. Paul
Kwik Trip #218 in Duluth
Cub Foods in Brooklyn Park
Bill’s Superette #7 in Andover
Robbinsdale BP/Amoco in Robbinsdale
Cub Foods in St. Louis Park
Cub Foods (Phalen) in St. Paul
Family Fare #107 in Moorhead
Bill’s Superette #7 in Andover
Scratch percentage increase:
Lotto percentage increase:
Dai Loi Oriental Grocery Inc. in Minneapolis
Neisen’s Sports Bar Inc. in Savage
Zup’s Food Market in Babbitt
Poppers Bar in Virginia
Wings Tavern & Grille in Owatonna
Hatchery Bar and Grill in Lowry
Teal’s Market in Albany
The Filling Station Bar in Clarkfield
19 & 75 Filling Station LLC in Ivanhoe
Elmer Goche VFW Post #3922 in Wadena
Kwik Trip #218 in Duluth
American Legion Post #259 in Shorewood
Bronson Market in Lake Bronson
Raceway Square in Brainerd
Lakes 1 Stop in Lino Lakes
Blue Line Sports B & G in Sartell
Saigon Asian Food Market in Eagan
Cedar Diffley BP in Eagan
Union Hill Bar Inc. in New Prague
Carlton Self Serve in Carlton
Upcoming Top Sellers (schedule is tentative):
March – Top two regional Raffle sellers Oct. 27, 2015 – Dec. 19, 2015
April – Top 10 sellers of Minnesota Platinum games #564 – #567 (combined)
$50,000 Frenzy is a $5 game
with a $50,000 top prize
Make sure to display the point-ofpurchase materials, including the
two-sided window sticker, counter
stickers and ticket checker card, so
your players will want to get in on the
frenzy and play these new games.
Capitalize on the sales potential of the
Frenzy family of games by offering an
in-store promotion. Contact your
lottery sales rep for some fun and
easy ways to boost sales and
commissions for your business.
Jimmy’s Food & Drink in Vadnais Heights
Serving food, fun and drinks
is what Jimmy’s Food &
Drink in Vadnais Heights is
all about. Jimmy’s offers an
all-American menu and drinks and is
known for their popular happy hour
and daily dinner specials.
So when owner Jim Proulx saw a Gemini,
a stand-alone machine that sells both
lotto tickets and scratch tickets, he knew
it would be the perfect addition to his
business. “It was an automatic sell for
me,” he explained. “It’s marketed so well
that I think being a merchant you have
all the support behind it, which is really
beneficial to any business.”
The main driver behind offering Lottery
was to stay competitive and give
customers another reason to visit
Jimmy’s. “There are a lot of options out
there for people so anytime I can take
advantage of offering a new service,
I’ll take it.”
Charitable gambling has been a huge
draw for their customers and Proulx
was confident that the Lottery would
be the same. “It seemed like a natural
fit for us,” he explained. “They really
feed off one another.”
It’s only been five months since Jimmy’s
has sold Lottery but already has seen
the benefits. Sales keep increasing as
more and more players are discovering it.
With the Gemini placed front and center
as customers walk through the door, it’s
always top-of-mind. “Our customers love
that they can purchase lottery tickets
in this type of environment,” explained
Proulx. “They can sit and have a meal or
a beverage and casually buy their lottery
tickets without having to wait in line.”
Proulx says Lottery tends to be popular
with a variety of customers, including
large groups. “You’ll have 10 to 12
people who will pool their money and
buy scratch tickets. They love the instant
winning without the wait.”
In addition to the Gemini, Jimmy’s
also has a terminal where players can
purchase lotto tickets, which helped
during Raffle season. “People came to
the counter to purchase gift certificates
during the holidays and they would
see the Raffle sign and decide to add a
ticket,” said Proulx. “That was cool to
see. People really enjoyed that!”
Lottery has not only been popular with
their customers but for their staff as
well. “It’s been fun to see people win,”
said Proulx. “My staff were on board
from the get-go because when our
customers win they tend to tip more.
Of course, the more they win, the more
they spend on food or drinks so it has
been a real positive so far.”
their part. “It’s so trouble free for us,”
Proulx explained. “That’s the beauty of it.
Electronically, it all happens.
“Sales keep getting better as time goes
on,” he continued. “Every day, more and
more customers are discovering that we
have the Lottery. They love it—and we
love it.”
To help keep that momentum
going, Proulx is looking forward to
incorporating Lottery with their events
and promotions, saying, “A place like
this will work well for second-chance
drawings and it’s a great way to drive
sales and to get our customers
coming back!”
Adding Lottery has been a great business
decision for them, in large part because
it requires very little time and effort on
Owner Jim Proulx is pictured next to the Gemini.
Proulx brings 40 years of restaurant experience
to the business—and has owned Jimmy’s for
the last 15 years. Jimmy’s, located off 35E and
County Road E in Vadnais Heights, also includes
an event center that accommodates up to 500
people and is adjacent to a hotel, which turns
this local hot spot into a popular destination for
travelers as well.
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Top prize winning ticket bonus
Dragon Star Supermarket
in Brooklyn Park, $500
Freedom Valu Center in
St. Anthony, $5,000
Expressway in
Lakefield, $1,000
Royalton EZ Stop #38
in Royalton, $5,000
Holiday Stationstores Inc. in
White Bear Lake, $5,000
Byron Market Place Foods
in Byron, $270
Holiday Stationstores Inc.
in Champlin, $500
Gramsie Corner Market
in Shoreview, $466
Kwik Trip #415 in
Stillwater, $5,000
Sunshine Oil Co.
in Blaine, $300
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
Marie Hinton, managing editor
Emily Frost, editor
Megan Kleinschmidt, 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
February 23, 2016:
March 15, 2016: