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Mass Lottery Celebrates 50th Anniversary of First Instant Ticket
New $2 ticket named “The Instant Game” in honor of original $1 ticket from 1974
DORCHESTER, MA (May 29, 2024) – The Massachusetts State Lottery is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its groundbreaking introduction of the world’s first instant ticket with the launch of The Instant Game, a $2 ticket named in honor of the original $1 ticket that debuted May 29, 1974.
“Over the last 50 years, instant tickets have become a leading product for lotteries across the country, and it all started here in Massachusetts,” said State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg, Chair of the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission. “The new retro ticket is a fun way to celebrate this milestone and to recognize the significance of the original ticket on the entire industry.”
The new limited edition ticket has a design and color scheme similar to its forerunner. In recognition of the 50th anniversary, the game features multiple “50” components, including four top prizes of $50,000, a $50 Bonus box, and loads of $50 instant prizes.
“With the creation of the first ever instant ticket, the Mass Lottery forever changed the course of the lottery industry,” said Mark William Bracken, Executive Director of the Mass Lottery. “We express our gratitude to our predecessors who were willing to take a chance on an innovative idea upon which we ultimately built our reputation as one of the most successful lotteries in the world.”
Drawing further inspiration from the original game, which included three monthly drawings and one Grand Prize Drawing for cash prizes, The Instant Game will have four Second Chance Drawings and one Final Bonus Drawing. Prizes in the Second Chance Drawings range from $50 to $500. In the Final Bonus Drawing, four winners will be randomly selected to participate in a live event where one participant will win a $100,000 prize and three participants will each win $5,000. To enter these drawings, players can submit non-winning tickets through the Mass Lottery app or website.
The Instant Game is a key number match style game, containing two “Winning Numbers” and 10 “Your Numbers.” If one or more of “Your Numbers” match the “Winning Numbers,” the player wins the corresponding amount. There is one Bonus box that gives players the chance to automatically win $50. The game’s overall prize payout is 74.95 percent and the odds of winning a prize are 1 in 4.56.
The Instant Game is now available at Mass Lottery retailers across the state.