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Lottery Commission introduces $30 scratch ticket game

Jordyn Henderson
/
SDPB
Video lottery machine.

The South Dakota Lottery Commission has introduced a new $30 instant lottery ticket to address the increased interest in higher-priced tickets.

Norm Lingle, the executive director for the Lottery Commission, said sales for the $20 ticket nearly doubled in 2022, indicating that consumers leaned towards purchasing higher-priced lottery tickets.

To assess the public interest in higher-priced tickets, a survey was put out to South Dakota residents. Lingle reported 58% of participants showed interest in purchasing a higher-priced lottery ticket.

The addition of the $30 ticket caused lower-price tickets to lose popularity. However, Lingle said the overall outlook is positive.

“We are seeing a 6.7% on average increase,” Lingle said. “And so that is, I think, good news for the South Dakota lottery and their instant ticket sales.”

Since the new ticket launch on May 1, the Lingle said there has been an average weekly sale of about $168,000.

In addition to the new $30 ticket, a group of neon family tickets will be introduced on June 30.

Wade LaRoche, the director of advert and PR, said these tickets will be eligible for a “second chance” drawing, where ticket holders can enter losing tickets for a chance to win a $500 Visa cash card.

Veda is an English and journalism major at Augustana University in Sioux Falls. She loves writing and storytelling, and she plans to pursue a career as a journalist after graduation.