Massachusetts Lottery launching new ‘Jaws'-themed scratch ticket
The Massachusetts Lottery revealed plans on Tuesday to introduce a scratch ticket themed around "Jaws" next month, commemorating the 50th anniversary of Steven Spielberg's iconic maritime thriller. Priced at $10 each, over 8 million of these special tickets will hit the shelves starting March 26, offering players a shot at prizes reaching up to $1 million.
Alongside the instant-win rewards, purchasers who don't strike luck immediately will have a chance at redemption through second-chance drawings. These drawings will grant 30 lucky winners an exclusive trip to Martha's Vineyard next summer, including a three-night stay for two at the Harbor View Hotel in Edgartown. The package boasts additional perks like chauffeured transportation, a tailored guided tour of iconic film locations on the island, a private screening of "Jaws," $1,000 in spending money, and more. Among these winners, one fortunate individual will also snag the grand prize of $1 million in cash.
In other news shared on Tuesday, the Lottery's head informed the Lottery Commission of a noticeable dip in sales last month, totaling a shortfall of nearly $34 million compared to January of the previous year. Executive Director Mark William Bracken noted that January sales amounted to $556.7 million, down $33.8 million from January 2023, resulting in a monthly estimated profit of $94.5 million, a drop from $122 million a year prior.
Bracken attributed this decline primarily to decreased sales in Mega Millions and Powerball, owing to smaller jackpot sizes. Despite this setback, the percentage of sales revenue distributed to players as winnings rose from 71.72% in January 2023 to 74.96% in January 2024.
Moving into the seventh month of fiscal 2024, the Lottery has garnered sales nearing $3.73 billion, marking a $118 million increase from the same period in fiscal 2023, or a growth of 3.3%. However, the estimated profit of $682.7 million falls short of last year's record-setting pace by $21.5 million.
Bracken's report also highlighted a significant rise in grand prizes claimed from scratch tickets in fiscal 2024 compared to the previous year, reaching $216.8 million versus $178 million.
With the Lottery having generated a record profit of $1.194 billion last fiscal year, Treasurer Deborah Goldberg anticipates a profit of $1 billion for the current fiscal year. To offset a $1 billion shortfall in state revenue, Governor Maura Healey's budget managers raised the administration's year-end revenue expectation from the Lottery by $75 million to $1.275 billion in January.
Words by Ross Williams
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