Lotto.com, the first digital platform for ordering official state lottery tickets and games, is ushering the future of gambling into Cleveland’s state.
On Oct. 30, the Jersey City-based retailer announced the launch of its service expansion into Ohio; the seventh state in the company’s roster.
The main objective is simple: to offer players secure and convenient access to official lottery games online, delivering a seamless digital experience while also contributing to state-sponsored initiatives by attracting new customers and funding.
“We really see ourselves as a delivery service much like Uber Eats,” says Thomas Metzger, CEO of Lotto.com Inc., “except we don't have cars and bikes running around delivering meals.”
“The way our system works is, if you visit lotto.com and, let's say, buy a Powerball ticket, and you order numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 — just to make it easy — we will then print out a ticket at retail that has your numbers. That ticket will be assigned to your account, scanned and uploaded indefinitely,” Metzger explains. “In the event that your ticket is a winner, you will be notified.”
The great thing, according to Metzger, is that the vast majority of lottery prizes are under $600.
“It’s not coincidental,” he says. “That is the IRS threshold for when you have to report it on your taxes. So, if you win a prize under $600, we can immediately credit your account.”
The second greatest thing may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s a convincing pull for younger audiences who go about their days, for the most part, on their digital devices. “[With Lotto.com], you don't have to drive to the retail store, and you don't have to wait in line,” says Metzger.
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“To round it all out, it's a completely secure platform. The ticket is assigned to your account and it's watermarked with your name on it. It's non-transferable, you never have to worry about losing the ticket and you never have to worry about an ownership dispute.”
For long-standing patrons of traditional retail storefronts, the choice to convert to the digital may seem daunting, and that’s OK. For Metzger, Lotto.com’s primary aim is not to persuade current consumers to cross over into this new tech space, but to grow a larger lottery audience, reaching individuals who, perhaps, have never played a lottery game or purchased a ticket before in their life.
“We have no aspirations to convert existing retail players to our site. What we're really trying to do is create a bigger pie. We want to attract younger, wealthier, more tech-savvy players to the lottery while educating them about the good causes.”
Good causes, he mentions, like assisting educational programs. Since 1974, the lottery has transferred more than $31 billion to help fund education in Ohio, and Lotto.com is thrilled to now be able to contribute.
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In a recent press release, Lotto.com congratulated The Ohio Lottery on their recent announcement of a record fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, which included $4.5 billion in sales and $1.5 billion returned to the Lottery Profits Education Fund, the Ohio Lottery’s initiative for a spectrum of state-wide educational program assistance.
Lotto.com is now available in Arkansas, Colorado, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, & Texas. Ohio customers on Lotto.com can order state lottery tickets for games including Powerball®, Mega Millions®, Ohio Pick 3, and Lucky for Life, as well as official state scratch ticket offerings on convenient digital devices.
Players must be 18 or older and physically located within the borders of the state.
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