WINNIPEG, March 26, 2018 /CNW/ - Pollard Banknote Limited PBL ("Pollard Banknote") congratulates the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation ("OLG") on the incredible success of THE BIG SPIN INSTANT ticket, which launched in September 2017.

The Lottery invested several years into research and development of this unique concept, and the extensive planning paid off. After 10 weeks on the market, sales of THE BIG SPIN were nearly triple the Lottery's average sales for other $5 games launched since 2014! With such remarkable immediate sales results, it is not surprising that OLG followed the initial launch with a second THE BIG SPIN game only a few weeks later. The Lottery introduced its third launch of the game in December 2017.

The instant ticket was printed by Pollard Banknote in a die-cut format, and leverages a straight-forward key number match gameplay that is appealing to a broad range of players. By matching numbers on the wheel with the lucky numbers at the top of the ticket, players have a chance to win an instant cash prize up to $100,000, or a "SPIN" at an OLG retail location.

When the "SPIN" is redeemed, players watch an animated wheel spin on the customer-facing lottery terminal screen, giving retailers and other customers a chance to share the moment of anticipation. Every "SPIN" guarantees a win of a cash prize from $10 to $10,000 or a "BIG SPIN." Ticket holders that land on the "BIG SPIN" are awarded the ultimate prize experience—a spin on THE BIG SPIN Wheel at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto for a guaranteed prize of $100,000 to $500,000!

THE BIG SPIN was designed to capture the moment when a player knows they have won a prize and anxiously awaits the spin of the wheel to determine the amount. The Lottery is leveraging social media to livestream THE BIG SPIN events for grand prizes, letting people around the world share the winning moment.

"Player word of mouth is the most powerful driver of instant ticket sales," said Brad Thompson, Director, Sales & Marketing, Pollard Banknote. "THE BIG SPIN pushes this strategy to the extreme with the unprecedented way in which prizes are publicly awarded. We are excited to be a part of this innovative game, and we look forward to working with OLG to continue providing players with unique and exciting instant ticket experiences."

"THE BIG SPIN has been more successful than we could have expected," said Adam Caughill, Director, Lottery Business Development & Innovation, OLG. "Although we planned the first issue of the game to be in the market for six months, we ran out of stock in just four weeks! We look forward to continuing to offer new player experiences like this in the future to drive sales, and ultimately support communities across Ontario."

OLG is the Ontario government agency that delivers gaming entertainment in a socially responsible manner. OLG conducts and manages gaming facilities, the sale of province-wide lottery games, PlayOLG Internet gaming, the delivery of bingo and other electronic gaming products at Charitable Gaming Centres and is helping to build a sustainable horse racing industry in Ontario. Since 1975, OLG has provided nearly $47 billion to the Province and the people of Ontario. These payments to the province support the operation of hospitals, amateur sport through the Quest for Gold program, local and provincial charities and problem gambling prevention, treatment and research.

About Pollard Banknote

Pollard Banknote is a leading lottery partner to more than 60 lotteries worldwide. We provide high quality instant ticket print products, licensed games, and a full suite of digital offerings ranging from game apps to comprehensive player engagement and iLottery solutions, including related strategic marketing and management services. The company is a proven innovator and has decades of experience helping lotteries to maximize player engagement, sales, and proceeds for good causes. Pollard Banknote also plays a major role in providing pull-tab tickets, bingo paper and its Diamond Game-branded electronic ticket machines to charitable and other gaming markets in North America. Established in 1907, Pollard Banknote is majority owned by the Pollard family and is publicly traded on the TSX (PBL). For more information, please visit our website at www.pollardbanknote.com.

Forward-looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking" statements and information, which involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. When used in this document, such statements include such words as "may," "will," "expect," "believe," "plan," and other similar terminology. These statements reflect management's current expectations regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as of the date of this document. There should not be an expectation that such information will in all circumstances be updated, supplemented, or revised whether as a result of new information, changing circumstances, future events, or otherwise.

SOURCE Pollard Banknote Limited

View original content with multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/March2018/26/c1497.html