Twenty 20s - The Fast Play Game of the Decade
By Kylie Reagan, Product Manager, INTRALOT Inc.

Consumer behaviors have been rapidly changing over the last decade, even more so since the COVID-19 pandemic began, accelerating and propelling market changes across sectors years ahead of schedule. For lottery, players are purchasing via self-service terminals at an increasing rate and are turning away from the traditional big multistate jackpot games. So where must the market go? That is a question that would take far more than a few hundred words to answer. Instead, let us look at one product that should be a focus for lotteries as we navigate through this new reality.

Fast Play, we have all been screaming from the top of our lungs for the last few years, and the trends during COVID-19 have turned our causal presentations into clear marching orders. Fast Play continues to see a rise in purchasing as players become more aware of the product line, especially after realizing the ability to purchase on self-service terminals with the click of a button. While other games have suffered through the pandemic, scratch and Fast Play have excelled and grown. What is the reason for this? I believe it is twofold.

First, as an industry we provide entertainment and a belief that one day “I could win.” The difference currently is that players are interested in a win NOW rather than next Thursday or Friday. The ability to know if a ticket is a winner immediately, almost instantaneously, is tremendously more appealing given the circumstances. Also, Fast Play (and scratch tickets), provide smaller, conceptually more attainable wins. Would a $500 million dollar jackpot be incredible and life altering? Absolutely, no one would argue that. But for the many hoping to take home a few extra hundred or a thousand dollars right here and now, well, you can see the appeal and belief in the possibility.

Secondly, Fast Play and instant games offer an immediate diversion and we know we all need that distraction, including our players, given the year that has been 2020. The pandemic has enhanced the need and desire for instant gratification, entertainment and excitement well beyond our previous understanding. Your favorite team may not be playing, and you may not be able to see your favorite band live in concert, but you can go to your local supermarket when you pick up your weekly groceries and purchase a Fast Play ticket at the self-service terminal at the end of the checkout lane. Easy, entertaining, and the chance to pay for “Mulan” on Disney+ to keep your children busy so you get a second of peace and quiet to yourself.

As a product category, Fast Play has grown at an astounding rate in 2020. INTRALOT has seen this same immense success, most recently with our $20 Twenty 20s: A numbers-themed game with a rolling jackpot component that excites and entices players. Currently, the game runs in five INTRALOT jurisdictions.

Of note, the Idaho Lottery saw resounding success in its very first jackpot run, with sales greater than both Powerball and Mega Millions for multiple weeks in a row. The game quickly grew to have the highest jackpot of any Fast Play game and brought in over $3.1 million during its first, historic run in the Idaho market. However, this success is not unique to Idaho but is a product of the game, category and consumer trends toward this type of product.

So, while it is difficult to detail every single way the lottery industry is changing in a post-COVID world, it is clear that as an industry we must focus our attention on Fast Play and players’ ability to play easily from the self-service terminals they are naturally turning towards – and provide them with that excitement and winning feeling they, and we, all deserve.