NEWS RELEASE – For Immediate Distribution

 

CONTACTS: 

Amber Fowler, Deputy Director for Marketing, Idaho Lottery

208-334-2600 ext. 338 or afowler@lottery.idaho.gov

 

Heather Hill, Vice President of Marketing, 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games

208-377-7158 or heather.hill@2009worldgames.org

 

Idaho Lottery Launches New $1 Scratch™ Ticket Benefiting 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games

First-ever Idaho-only scratch ticket game to benefit a non-profit cause.

 

BOISE – (August 25, 2008) – The Idaho Lottery officially launched the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games Scratch™ Ticket today to help benefit the World Winter Games, scheduled for February 7-13, 2009, in Idaho. 

 

In support of Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter and the Idaho Legislature’s commitment to the 2009 World Winter Games, the Idaho Lottery created the $1 Scratch™ ticket as an opportunity for Lottery players to contribute all or a portion of their ticket winnings to the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games.

 

A series of four snazzy blue-and-white tickets features unique designs depicting official Special Olympics pictograms for four of its seven winter sports – floor hockey, alpine skiing, snowboarding and speed skating. Designed by Stephanie Wellman, graphic arts specialist for the Idaho Lottery, players can win from $1 to a top prize of $3,000. Lottery players have the ability to donate 25 percent, 50 percent or 100 percent of their winnings to the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games. 

 

“The Idaho Lottery is very excited to have found a unique way that our Lottery players and retail partners can help support the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games,” said Jeffrey R. Anderson, Idaho Lottery Director. “As a responsible state enterprise, this is the first and only Idaho game of its kind to benefit any Idaho non-profit organization that is legislatively supported. It is also the first time ever that any of the more than 43 state lotteries has created a Scratch™ ticket to benefit the Special Olympics organization.”

 

“We are extremely grateful to the Idaho Lottery for developing such a creative campaign to help raise funds for the World Winter Games, and to promote awareness and support in the community as well,” said Heather Hill, 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games Vice President of Marketing. “We are honored to be partnered with the Idaho Lottery in this first-time initiative and to help see it through to great success for both the Lottery and the World Winter Games.”   

 

As a state agency whose primary beneficiaries are Idaho public schools and buildings, the Idaho Lottery does not have the authority to support nonprofit entities such as the World Winter Games. Encouraging Lottery players to donate their ticket winnings proved the only reasonable means by which the Idaho Lottery could support this state sanctioned event.

 

Lottery officials expect to sell out the Scratch™ ticket long before the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games begin in February 2009. Over 840,000 Scratch™ tickets were ordered. The Scratch™ ticket has a game format that includes matching three like amounts to win that dollar amount, and a bonus Medal round to double or triple the winning ticket amount. 

 

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About the Idaho Lottery

The Idaho Lottery responsibly provides a variety of entertaining games featuring Powerball, Scratch™ tickets, and Pull-Tab games with a high degree of integrity to maximize the dividend for Idaho public schools and buildings. Since its inception in 1989, the Idaho Lottery has distributed more than $402 million in Lottery dividends to state public schools and buildings. To learn more, please visit www.idaholottery.com.

 

About the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games

The 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games will be held in Idaho, USA, Feb. 7-13 2009. It will include up to 3,000 athletes from more than 100 countries. Surpassing the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Games in athlete numbers and participating nations, the World Winter Games will be the largest Olympic event ever held in Idaho. Competition will take place in seven winter sports – Alpine Skiing, Cross-Country Skiing, Figure Skating, Floor Hockey, Snowboarding, Snowshoeing and Speed Skating. Competition and other activities will take place in communities and venues throughout Idaho, including but not limited to Boise, Sun Valley and McCall.  For more information, visit www.2009WorldGames.org.