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LaFleur’s 2022 Best Instant Games of the Year Survey takes an annual snapshot of what is trending in marketing instant tickets. The comprehensive study tracks instant practices in Canada, Europe and the United States.
Among the instant marketing strategies studied are the number of instant games launched per year, the number of instant game launches by price point, the average prize payout by price point, the number of $1 and non-$1 instant games sold concurrently and the game introduction rate.
The U.S. lotteries responding to this survey sold a total of 2,114 instant games in fiscal 2022, including 333 $1 games, 401 $2 games, 210 $3 games, 549 $5 games, 380 $10 games, 166 $20 games, 14 $25 games, 51 $30 games and 16 $50 games.
The average U.S. lottery sold 52 instant games in fiscal 2022, of which eight (15%) were $1 tickets and 44 (85%) were non-$1 tickets.
The Canadian lotteries sold a total of 294 instant games in fiscal 2022, including 20 $1 games, 46 $2 games, 57 $3 games, 10 $4 games, 74 $5 games, 53 $10 games, 19 $20 games, 1 $30 games and one $50 game.
The average Canadian lottery sold 59 instant games in fiscal 2022, of which 4 (7%) were $1 tickets and 55 (or 93%) were non-$1 tickets.
Each lottery organization was surveyed on its top three non-$1 instant games in order to provide lottery marketers with an understanding of how the jurisdictions’ best three instant games performed in relation to each other. The success of a game is measured by its average weekly per capita (PC) sales for the first 12 weeks of the ticket’s launch. (The jurisdiction’s total population is used to calculate PC sales.)
In addition, lotteries were also polled on their top non-holiday $1, $2, $3, $4, $5, $10, $20, $25, $30 and $50 ticket as measured by average weekly per capita sales for the first 12 weeks of the ticket’s launch. If provided, data on the ticket’s sales index is also listed. This list specifically excludes holiday tickets since these products routinely are best sellers for most lotteries. Also, by examining the best seller by price point in each category, it is easier to see the relationship between the different price points.
According to the research, 50% of the U.S. lotteries’ top selling non-$1 games averaged between $0.25+ per capita a week in sales while 38% ranged between $0.10 and $0.24. Approximately 11% ranged between $0.01 and $0.09. More than 65% of these top sellers boasted a $20, $25 or $30 price tag.
Only two U.S. lotteries catapulted over the $1 weekly PC instant ticket sales level. The Massachusetts Lottery’s Massachusetts Millionaires’ Club ($30) ranked number one among all U.S. lotteries with $1.67 in average weekly per capita sales. The ticket featured a 80.7% prize payout. The top prize was $15 million. The Massachusetts Lottery also claimed #2 ranking. Its $Holiday Winnings Blowout ($10) averaged $1.57 in weekly per capita sales. The South Carolina Education Lottery’s Hit $500 ($10) ranked third highest in per capita sales at $1.50. It featured a $500 top prize and a 75.2% payout.
In addition, two U.S. lotteries achieved weekly per capita sales over $0.90—Florida (Billion Dollar $30 Gold Rush-$0.98) and Mississippi ($100M Extravaganza-$0.90).
Crossword, X X Multiplier, licensed properties and cash are among the top-selling themes for the $5 price point, as reported by numerous U.S. lotteries. Massachusetts Lottery again achieved the top selling $5 scratcher in FY22 (50X The Cash).
In the $3 category, Crossword is the most popular theme (17 games) in FY22. Bingo, Slingo, and licensed games are also popular themes.
The $10 category includes such best-selling themes as X Multiplier, Set For Life, Crossword, $500 Instant Cash and licensed tickets.
The $20 category features such favorites as $10 Million Mega Money, Lucky X, X Series, and Max-A-Millions.
There were 23 lotteries that sold $30 instant tickets in fiscal 2022. Many were Millionaire games. The top three tickets ranked by per capita sales were: 1st: Massachusetts($15,000,000 Money Maker), 2nd: North Carolina (200X The Cash); and 3rd: Georgia Lottery (Mega Jumbo Bucks).
Ten U.S. lotteries sold a $50 instant ticket in fiscal 2022. The top three tickets ranked by per capita sales were: 1st: Florida (500X the Cash); 2nd: Pennsylvania ($5Million Money Maker); and, 3rd: Missouri (Millionaire Blowout).
The per capita sales for $1 instant games typically ranged from $0.02 to $0.08 in fiscal 2022, with the higher PC games typically sold during the holidays.
In Canada, whimsical and base games ranked as the favorite C$1 ticket. OLG sold Scratch n’ Scoop.
In the non-$1 arena, National Instants games, such as $3 Million Prestige, were big sellers. Premium Crossword games were top sellers in three jurisdictions. Loto-Quebec sells a $25 Celebration 2022 ticket.
The $5 scratcher is the most popular price point sold by Canadian lotteries as measured by calendar 2021 sales. The Big Spin was the top $5 game in two jurisdictions, followed by Crossword.
Two Canadian lotteries sold a $50 instant ticket in FY22: OLG (Supreme 7) and WCLC (Classic Super Pack).
In Europe, lottery organizations vary widely in the number of game launches, base games sold and prize payouts. In calendar 2021, Loterie Romande sold 12 price points (3- 100 CHF). Prize payouts ranged averaged 60% to 67%. All respondents reported 60% and above.
The instant price point launches and the prize payout percentage by price point is also tracked. The survey also includes the European lotteries’ top instant games by price point (5 Euro+). Typically, the top ranked instant games included market favorites such as 25 fette Jahre (Austria), Cash (Belgium), Wallet (Hungary), Million Flax (Norway) and Carton (Loterie Romande).