Marisa Zimmerman, Chief Revenue Officer, Allwyn North America for the Illinois Lottery
HotWins is the exciting new game from the Illinois Lottery, designed to transform lottery in the retail space. Launched in November 2025, HotWins has since grabbed the attention of players from all over the state. With drawings every 4 minutes and a chance to win up to $1,000,000, the game brings a unique play-style to the Draw Games portfolio.
Players can select how many numbers to play, from 1 to 10, from a field of 80, their wager amount of $1, $2, $5, or $10, and how many consecutive drawings, up to 20. Live drawings are shown on monitors at retail every 4 minutes.
Point-of-sale and marketing materials were tailored to meet consumers’ preferences and the retail environment: ‘Grab and Go’ convenience vs. ‘Stay and Watch’ social establishments.
To strengthen awareness and drive trial of HotWins, the first terminal promotion ran in January 2026. The terminal promotion, connected to Powerball, encouraged cross-play among one of our largest player groups and served as a great educational tool for those unfamiliar with the game.
Moving forward, terminal promotions will run on a regular cadence to support HotWins. The goal is to feature coupons that demonstrate the different ways to play in order to enhance the player experience (i.e. different spot play, multi-draw, etc.).
The Illinois Lottery plans to launch CASH POP in the fall of 2026.