It’s uncommon to offer three add-ons for a draw game, but the top performing lottery in the world is blazing the trail following the success of a game option called EXTRA.
An add-on to the popular draw game 10eLotto, in which 20 winning numbers are drawn out of 90 every 5 minutes, EXTRA allows players to enter their numbers into an extra drawing for a chance to win additional cash prizes, simply by adding one euro to their total bet cost. During this EXTRA drawing, 15 additional numbers are drawn from the remaining 70 numbers, and players who match gain access to a dedicated EXTRA prize structure.
10eLotto is the Italian 5-minute fast game. IGT Italy (then Lottomatica) introduced it in 2009 to innovate with the country’s traditional Lotto game, which was declining in the face of competition from scratch games and other competitive games.
“10eLotto has been around for 11 years and is played on more than 34,000 monitors at points of sales throughout Italy 24/7. It has grown in popularity due to constant innovation,” said Stefano Mariani, Senior Director of Lotto Product Management, IGT Italy. “For example, we introduced a game option called Doppio Oro (the Double Bull’s Eye) in 2017 that together with the Numero Oro game option (Bull’s Eye) now accounts for more than 70% of all total sales. We knew having more game options would be exciting for players”.
10eLotto’s three-game options offer players more chances to win bigger prizes. The Numero Oro and Doppio Oro options allow players to purchase tickets at two and three times the base price, respectively, in the hopes of winning top prizes of €2.5 million and €5 million, respectively.
Launched in September 2020, the EXTRA add-on has worked extremely well, now accounting for over 10% of 10eLotto total wagers. EXTRA has also been well received by retailers who appreciate the EXTRA experience shown on POS monitors, with more numbers drawn in just a few extra seconds.
Effective Player Communications
IGT Italy also redesigned the playslip to advertise “a new draw for your bet,” including a section that explains the rules and benefits of EXTRA. The new playslip also features a redesigned gold-colored section to catch the eye and emphasize the value of winning. This approach could be extended to other lotteries, especially those with limited budgets or advertising restrictions.
10eLotto has a loyal customer base and it’s important to keep them playing, which is why game innovations like EXTRA and the new POS materials are essential to the growth of the game family.
“EXTRA success has gone beyond any expectations, so we don’t want to stop here,“ said Francesco Parola, Senior Vice President IGT Italy Lottery Operations. “The strategy is to refresh the game every two to three years by introducing new features, to keep the game up-to-date. We’re passionate about these options and we will continue exploring new opportunities to enhance the 10eLotto experience, satisfying both player and retailer needs.”
For more information, contact Camilla Curiale, Senior Manager of Lotto Product Management and Barbara Picarella, 10eLotto Product Manager.
