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Getting winnings from the South Dakota Lottery just became a lot easier.
International Gaming Technology (IGT) announced it has extended its contract with the South Dakota Lottery for five years, a move that includes the launch of Scan and Redeem, an online feature that allows players to redeem winnings ranging from $101 to $5,000 through their South Dakota Lottery app.
Jay Gendron, IGT’s COO of global lottery, said Scan and Redeem can “better accommodate” those who play the South Dakota Lottery. Gendron said in an International Game Technology press release:
“Our lottery technology is backed by decades of lottery industry leadership and incorporates the most secure, reliable and responsible functionality. Over the course of this extension, we are confident that the Lottery will continue to benefit from our advanced solutions, resulting in increased funds for the State’s good causes.”
The South Dakota Lottery and IGT started their partnership around 15 years ago. IGT is the primary lottery technology provider in 25 states, including Rhode Island, where the company announced a three-year extension in April.
Better functionality is a boost for South Dakota Lottery players
Lotteries across the country are always looking for ways to increase sales. In many cases, that mission is met by offering eye-catching scratch-off games and, if available, a constantly updated library of online lottery games.
In South Dakota, in-app ticket redemptions for prizes as big as $5,000 is an upgrade. Before Scan and Redeem, prize winners of $101 or more had two redemption options, generally speaking:
- Mail the ticket to the lottery and wait for a check
- Drive to one of three ticket validation centers in Pierre, Rapid City, or Sioux Falls
That process is a bit cumbersome, especially for someone who wins, say, $150. If the player wants to cash in their prize immediately, they’d have to drive to one of the three South Dakota Lottery ticket validation centers.
All of those centers are in the southern part of the state.
An example of how Scan and Redeem can save lottery players time and money
If someone in Mobridge won a $200 prize from a scratcher, they’d have to drive nearly two hours to get the the nearest center in Pierre. Put another way, that trip is about 220 miles which, at current gas prices and 20 miles to the gallon, would cost nearly $20 in gas.
That $20 essentially serves as a fee for cashing in a ticket. And while that fee is relatively small for a $5,000 ticket, it’s a considerable chunk of prizes in the $101-$400 range. South Dakota Lottery Executive Director Norm Lingle said:
“By introducing IGT’s Scan and Redeem functionality, South Dakota Lottery offers players the opportunity to have expanded options to receive their winnings, rather than needing to drive several hours to a redemption center or wait for checks to be delivered in the mail.
IGT has been our trusted growth partner for nearly 15 years, and we are pleased to extend this successful partnership for five more years, providing more convenient lottery solutions to our players.”
