Manitoba-based lottery product and service provider, Pollard Banknote, continues to bolster its already impressive portfolio of content. Just this week, the company announced a partnership with Asmodee Entertainment, which will allow the provider to bring the widely popular board game Ticket to Ride™ to life and use the brand on printed instant tickets.
Pollard Banknote is a prominent lottery partner to more than 60 lotteries worldwide and it supplies them with top-quality instant tickets, licensed games, in-lane ticket options, and more. Also, the company provides a full suite of digital offerings, including game apps, player engagement tools, iLottery solutions, and even strategic marketing and management services to partners.
Bringing a Popular Board Game to Instant Tickets
Ticket to Ride is a vastly popular board game which was created by Alan R Moon back in 2004. It is an easy-to-understand game, and after just 18 years it has sold over 10 million copies in more than 50 countries and it has been translated into over 33 languages. Approximately 43% of its player are between the age of 18 to 35, which is also a key demographic for lotteries.
The lottery provider continues to add board games to its portfolio of tickets, as those kinds of games see a surge in popularity. This is why instant tickets that are inspired by board games resonate well with a large portion of players. The supplier’s new Ticket to Ride™ will offer a once-in-a-lifetime travel experience to buyers which also corresponds to a historically successful niche.
Brad Thompson, Vice President, Sales & Marketing at Pollard Banknote stated that the new instant ticket offers riveting opportunities that are a perfect fit for the lottery sector. He noted that the product focuses on travel and adventure, which is a proven instant ticket theme. In his words, it is a game that combines well with a travel-related prize, which can also feature a customized cross-country travel.
In order to back strong sales and player engagement, the provider’s licensed games team offers its partner a comprehensive turnkey program. It features the design, programming, and printing of themed tickets, as well as numerous optional enhancements. This could be either second chance draws, merchandise and experiential prizing, POS programs, or digital marketing.
Q3 Results
Just recently, the Winnipeg-based lottery supplier issued its financial report for the 3rd quarter of its fiscal year. Sales for the said Q3 reached CA$125.5 million, which is a record-setting volume for a quarter, and a 7.4% increase from the same quarter of 2021. iLottery activities continued their strong organic growth and thanks to a major Mega Millions® jackpot the company earned CA$8.2 million.
Over the years, the company has also been recognized for its social responsibility and inclusivity. For instance, in 2021, the company made the 2021 Report on Business Women Lead Here list. As the name suggests, this annual list highlights Canada’s companies that work towards gender diversity and the inclusion of women with ideas in the workforce.
Source: “All Aboard! Ticket to Ride™ Joins Pollard Banknote’s Licensed Brands Portfolio” PR Newswire, November 15, 2022
