Scratch-off Game Celebrating Florida's 500th Anniversary Sets All-time Lottery Record

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TUESDAY, APRIL 2, 2013

CONTACT: FLORIDA LOTTERY COMMUNICATIONS
(850) 487-7727
www.flalottery.com

SCRATCH-OFF GAME CELEBRATING FLORIDA’S 500^TH ANNIVERSARY SETS ALL-TIME LOTTERY RECORD

TALLAHASSEE – Today marks the 500^th anniversary of the European discovery of Florida. The Lottery partnered with the Florida Department of State, VISIT FLORIDA and the University of West Florida to promote this event in celebration of the rich history of our state. To commemorate the anniversary, the Lottery launched a new Scratch-Off game, FLORIDA TREASURE HUNT, on January 8, 2013, which has become our best-selling $3 ticket ever. In just 12 weeks, ticket sales have eclipsed more than $24 million, generating $4.5 million for education.

“We are extremely pleased that players have embraced the opportunity to celebrate Florida’s rich history by playing the FLORIDA TREASURE HUNT game,” said Florida Lottery Secretary Cynthia O’Connell. “The Lottery’s involvement in the Viva Florida 500 initiative has allowed us to generate excitement and educate our players on the 500-year history of our great state while generating revenue for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund.”

The FLORIDA TREASURE HUNT Scratch-Off ticket features a historic replica of a 500-year-old map of Florida which players navigate by scratching the ticket to reveal symbols that reveal if it is a winner - making this $3 ticket fun to play while having the chance to win up to $50,000 instantly.

Non-winning tickets can be entered into the Viva Florida 500 Second Chance Promotion through midnight tonight, for a chance to win a 2013 Mazda CX-5, a Florida vacation getaway provided by VISIT FLORIDA or $500 cash. Players who enter non-winning tickets into the Viva Florida 500 Second Chance Promotion on the Lottery’s website will be able to explore a historic Florida map with over 300 historically relevant locations identified. When the player clicks on a historic location, they are given a brief description of that location and are notified as to the number of entries they have received in the next second chance drawing. The final second chance drawing will be held on Wednesday, April 3, 2013. For more information about the promotion, please visit the Lottery’s website at www.flalottery.com.

The Florida Lottery offers more than 60 Scratch-Off games at any given time through vending machines and counter displays at more than 13,000 retailers statewide. Scratch-Off games are an important part of the Lottery’s portfolio of games, making up approximately 58 percent of ticket sales and generating more than $495 million for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (EETF) in fiscal year 2011-12.

ABOUT VIVA FLORIDA 500

Viva Florida 500 is a statewide initiative led by the Florida Department of State, under the leadership of Governor Rick Scott, to highlight the 500 years of historic people, places and events in present-day Florida since the arrival of Juan Ponce de León to the land he named La Florida in 1513. While Florida’s Native American heritage dates back more than 12,000 years, Spain’s claim in 1513 began a new era in a place where the world’s cultures began to unite and transform into the great nation we know today as the United States of America. The Viva Florida 500 commemoration is ongoing throughout 2013, and includes more than 300 events statewide. For more information, visit www.VivaFlorida.org. 

ABOUT THE FLORIDA LOTTERY

The Florida Lottery is an integral part of Florida’s culture and landscape. Responsible for contributing more than $25 billion to education and sending more than 600,000 students to college through the Bright Futures Scholarship Program, the Florida Lottery is a dependable source of financial support for the state. The agency reinvests nearly 98 percent of its revenue back into Florida’s economy through prize payouts, commissions to more than 13,000 Florida retailers, and transfers to education. Since its inception, Florida Lottery games have also made more than 1,200 people millionaires. That’s more than $37.7 billion in prize payouts since 1988 when the first ticket was sold. As the agency celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2013, an innovative and fresh spirit shines through with a mix of new and classic games, an updated logo design and new brand identity,  as well as a renewed commitment to benefitting the state, all while inspiring Floridians to imagine the possibilities of their dreams coming true.  For more information, please visit www.flalottery.com.

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                             “Just Imagine”