Michigan Lottery Extends Partnership with Pollard Banknote for Five Years

Michigan Lottery just signed a contract with one of the state’s most prominent lottery supplier. The contract, which is valid for five years, will see Pollard Banknote stay on as an almost-exclusive provider of instant game tickets within the Wolverine State.

Pollard Banknote has had a working relationship with Michigan Lottery since 1996. Now, the international lottery company is set to remain the source of roughly 90% of the Lottery’s instant tickets during the duration of the contract. Pollard will also supply validation pull-tab tickets. This newly signed deal can be renewed in one-year increments for up to five additional years.

Michigan Lottery has elected to extend its almost three decades partnership with Pollard Banknotes. The Lottery signed a new five-year deal after experiencing significant growth according to key indicators. For instance, instant ticket sales per capita recorded tremendous improvement in the last decade while Pollard was the instant game printer at the time.

It is not surprising that this partnership was extended considering that the per capita instant ticket sales surged by 182% in the state. This growth rate is even more remarkable in light of the average growth rate of other lotteries in the United States in that same timeframe. The average growth recorded for that metric stood at 66% across the country between 2013 and 2023.

As a result of this growth rate, Michigan swiftly rose to the seventh position among the top-performing US lotteries in terms of per capita sales within the last 10 years.

Responding to this development via a news release, Doug Pollard, the company’s co-chief executive officer, said they were “honored to have been selected as the primary supplier of instant game tickets to the Michigan Lottery”. The released statement further expressed the company’s deep-seated value of the relationship it has formed with Michigan Lottery.

“As a testament to our successful collaboration and efforts to deliver outstanding games and innovative retail solutions into the Michigan market, we take pride in having contributed to four-fold sales growth since the start of our partnership almost 30 years ago. We look forward to continued success and growth in the years to come'', said Doug Pollard.

Michigan Lottery’s retail and online game portfolio also recorded tremendous growth within the period it partnered with Pollard. Pollard contributed substantially to Michigan’s game offering. Some popular titles like Wild Time and Cashword recorded over 100% boost in sales performance between 2013 to 2023.

Pollard also played a key role in revamping the Lottery’s games. The company collaborated closely with MI Lottery to optimize its $20 game offering. This included introducing a vibrant array of games and restructuring of prices to attract more customers. Eventually, the lottery’s $20 price point grew by a staggering 385% between 2013 and 2023. This marked the fastest growth rate in its category across any lottery.

On top of this, the partners worked on the Lottery’s inaugural $50 game in 2022. The game, $300,000,000 Diamond Riches, utilized its Scratch FX technology to enhance the diamond theme, a move which the company credits for helping to boost sales and player engagement.

Established in 1906, Pollard has been a strong supporter of the retail aspect of Michigan online casinos and lottery business, too. Over the years, it supplied over 2,300 Lighted Ticket Menu Boards and All-in-ones, Outdoor Fuel Menu Boards, and an array of dispensers.

The renewal of the partnership between Michigan Lottery and Pollard Banknotes is coming on the heels of Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s appointment of a new Commissioner. Suzanna Shkreli was appointed as the new Lottery Commissioner with effect from March 1. The new Commissioner had expressed her intent to collaborate with stakeholders in the sector, one of whom is Pollard.

Pollard’s operations in the Wolverine State have resulted in job creation, support for local businesses and tax revenue generation for the Great Lakes State. In 2022, Pollard created 475 jobs in the state and generated a total of $51.7 million in economic activity through its Michigan facilities.

The company’s instant game ticket printing facility in Ypsilanti employs more than 300 Michiganders. An interesting fact is this: the plant has produced the equivalent of more than seven billion single size lottery tickets in 2023, including the majority of Michigan’s tickets.