New 'WINFALL' game to replace Michigan Millions

by Acting Commissioner Jim Kipp

Saturday, January 18, 2003, marks the final drawing of Michigan Millions. It will be replaced by a brand new game—“WINFALL”—which goes on sale January 19. This exciting new game is fun, easy to understand, easy to play and, best of all, offers a whole new way to win.

“WINFALL” may remind many of you of “Michigan Lotto,” the game replaced by “Michigan Millions.” Players will again simply choose six numbers from a field of 49. “WINFALL” jackpots will start at $2 million and a player wins the jackpot by matching all six numbers. Players can also win great cash prizes by matching five, four or even three numbers.

The “WINFALL” jackpot will continue to grow until it reaches $5 million. If no one matches all six numbers by the time the jackpot hits $5 million, all of the prize money—including the cash accumulated in the jackpot—is paid out to the match five, match four and match three winners. These prizes will end up being roughly 10 times the amount they would be in a regular drawing. Instead of one winner taking home millions, “WINFALL” creates thousands of big money winners across the state. The “WINFALL” game is expected to attract many new players since the overall odds of winning any cash prize are just one in 54.

Players are not the only ones who will win big with this new game. The Lottery expects to see thousands of match three winners for each drawing, so Lottery retailers can expect to see many players turn those $5 prizes into more Lottery sales.

The cost to play “WINFALL” is just $1 per wager. The first “WINFALL” drawing will be held on Wednesday, January 22. Just like Michigan Millions, “WINFALL” drawings will be held on Wednesday and Saturday evenings.

If no one matches all six numbers in the final Michigan Millions drawing on January 18, the jackpot prize money will automatically roll over to the jackpot for the first “WINFALL” drawing. If the remaining “Michigan Millions” jackpot exceeds $5 million and no one matches all six numbers in the first “WINFALL” drawing, the jackpot prize money will be paid out to winners at the other prize levels.

A statewide television and radio advertising campaign to help boost sales in your stores will accompany the launch of “WINFALL.” Each Lottery retailer will receive a full array of point-of-sale materials. I encourage you to prominently display these materials to generate interest in this new game. Additionally, a buy-one, get-one-free coupon insert will be sent to adults in select home-delivery newspapers throughout the state.

Rolldown
This month the Lottery is giving players an extra opportunity to win big with its Michigan Rolldown game. During the week of December 8, special flyers will be inserted into more than 50 home-delivered newspapers across the state.

Each flyer features a buy-one, get-one-free coupon for the Michigan Rolldown game. The coupons expire on January 5, 2003.

Commissions
Nearly a year ago, the Michigan Lottery implemented a new retailer-commission structure for its instant games. The new commission structure is incentive-based, and is designed to help increase sales and provide you with more control over your earnings.

For the first three quarters of 2002, the Lottery paid an additional $2 million in retailer instant commissions. Lottery retailers still earn a 6 percent sales commission on all instant games and the current cashing and bonus commissions are still in place. If your instant ticket sales, however, are a minimum of 2.5 percent higher during this quarter (October 1-December 3) than in the same quarter last year, then you earn an additional one percent commission on your total instant ticket sales for that quarter.

The extra 1 percent is paid to qualifying retailers through their Lottery Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) account at the end of the quarter. Your sales goals will be announced at least 30 days before the start of the new quarter. The first quarter goal for 2003 is a 2.5 percent increase over the same period last year. Your district Lottery sales representative or Tell-Sell agent can provide your historical instant ticket sales information to help you achieve your quarterly sales goals.

We appreciate the important role our retailers play in the continued success of the Michigan Lottery. We continue to strive to reward our retailers with some of the highest-paying commissions nationwide. This new program will pay out more commissions than ever before to our lottery retail partners.

Holiday Schedule
The Lottery offices will be closed in observance of the Christmas holiday on December 24 and 25, as well as the New Year’s holiday on December 31 and January 1.

In addition, regular Wednesday drawings for the Daily 3, Daily 4, Michigan Rolldown, Change Play, Keno and Michigan Millions games will not be conducted on Wednesday, December 25. All Michigan Lottery drawings will resume their regular schedule on Thursday, December 26.

New Instants
We will be unveiling five new instant games in December. On sale December 5 is the $1 “Cash Cow,” with a top prize of $4,000.

On December 12, the $2 “Ante Up” game hits stores, with a top prize of $21,000.

Two more games will make their debut on December 19—the $1 “Instant Numbers,” with a top prize of $3,000, and the $5 “Sky’s The Limit,” with a top prize of $250,000.

I want to take this opportunity to say a special thank you to each of you. You are the front line of contact with Lottery players and your continued support of Michigan Lottery products has a direct impact on the Lottery’s success. May your holiday season and New Year be filled with happiness and success.

Return to December Michigan Retailer Page one • MRA home