Mobile-enabled Lottery Card launched in Ohio

A new mobile-enabled product dubbed Lottery Card has been launched at retail stores across Ohio that enables Ohio lottery punters to buy and play Powerball and Mega Millions entries in a new and convenient way.

Ohio is among the first states to debut this digital lottery option, which allows players to enter draw games on their phones. The Lottery Card is now available for purchase by adults 18 or older.

Technology firm Linq3 Technologies says that the product combines the convenience of a gift card with an easy-to-use digital purchasing system on ready-to-hand mobile devices, and represents an important innovation.

Lottery Cards are currently available for both Powerball and Mega Millions, and cost $10 for five plays and $20 for 10 plays. Consumers are charged the cost of their chosen Lottery Card plus $0.89 for Mobile Play Benefits.

To play, consumers purchase the Lottery Card, and when ready to enter a lottery, text in the Lottery Card’s unique code to a specified number, provides their name and confirms their location to complete a one-time card enrolment. The player then receives a picture message with the quick pick numbers, draw date and other transaction information.

Winners are notified via text and picture message and most winnings are paid automatically via PayPal. After enrolling, players can use their Lottery Card to play again and again by presenting it at checkout. More details regarding this new way to play, including where to buy the Lottery Card, are available at playatthecheckout.com.

The Lottery Card is the result of collaboration between Linq3 and Blackhawk Network. Blackhawk is a global financial technology company connecting brands and people through branded value solutions, including gift cards.

“Lottery players, like all consumers, want convenience and a great user experience. The Lottery Card provides both. It’s a product designed to fit with consumers’ increasingly busy and digital lifestyles,” said Tom Spiegel, Linq3 chairman and CEO in a statement Monday.

The company statement notes that based on independently-conducted research, 44 percent of consumers surveyed are interested in receiving a gift card to play the lottery, while 43 percent would be interested in giving a lottery gift card.

According to the National Retail Federation, for the eleventh year in a row, gift cards have been the most popular items on holiday wish lists in America.

Between 2007 and 2016, the Ohio Lottery contributed more than $8.04 billion to the state’s education system, including more than $1.06 billion in 2016 alone.

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