Celebrate Florida's 500TH Anniversary with the New Florida Lottery “Treasure Hunt” Scratch-Off Game
To commemorate the 500th anniversary, the Lottery is launching a new $3 Scratch-Off game, FLORIDA TREASURE HUNT, which will go on sale Tuesday, January 8, 2013.
TALLAHASSEE – This year marks the 500th anniversary of the European discovery of Florida and the Lottery is partnering with the Florida Department of State, VISIT FLORIDA and the University of West Florida to promote and generate excitement about the rich history of our state. To commemorate the anniversary, the Lottery is launching a new $3 Scratch-Off game, FLORIDA TREASURE HUNT, which will go on sale Tuesday, January 8, 2013.
The FLORIDA TREASURE HUNT Scratch-Off ticket features a historic replica of a 500-year-old map of Florida which players navigate by scratching the ticket to reveal symbols that reveal if it is a winner - making this $3 ticket fun to play while having the chance to win up to $50,000 instantly. In addition, non-winning tickets can be entered into the Viva Florida 500 Second Chance Promotion for a chance to win a 2013 Mazda CX-5, a Florida vacation getaway to Boca Raton Resort & Club in Boca Raton, Hawk’s Cay Resort on Duck Key, Melia Orlando Suite Hotel in Orlando or Renaissance World Golf Village in St. Augustine provided by VISIT FLORIDA or $500 cash.
“As part of the Lottery’s partnership with the University of West Florida and the Florida Department of State, we are pleased to offer players both the chance to win exciting second chance prizes and educate them on the 500 year history of our great state, including the early settlement of St. Augustine, the oldest continuously occupied European settlement in North America,” said Florida Lottery Secretary Cynthia O’Connell.
From January 8 through April 2, players who enter non-winning tickets into the Viva Florida 500 Second Chance Promotion on the Lottery’s website will be able to explore a historic Florida map with over 300 historically relevant locations identified. Once the player clicks on a historic location, they will be given a brief description of that location and will be notified as to the number of entries they have received in the next second chance drawing. A total of three Viva Florida 500 Second Chance drawings will be held from tickets entered on the Lottery’s website by midnight on the night before each drawing. The drawings will be held on February 6, March 6 and April 3.
“We are very excited to be partnering with the Florida Lottery to kick-off Florida’s 500th anniversary year and the corresponding Viva Florida 500 events in 2013,” said Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner. “With Florida’s rich history and diverse cultural heritage, this new Scratch-Off game marks the 500 year commemoration and highlights the state’s incredible history of people, places and cultural achievements.”
The Florida Lottery offers more than 60 Scratch-Off games at any given time through vending machines and counter displays at more than 13,000 retailers statewide. Scratch-Off games are an important part of the Lottery’s portfolio of games, making up approximately 58 percent of ticket sales and generating more than $495 million for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (EETF) in fiscal year 2011-12.
ABOUT VIVA FLORIDA 500
Viva Florida 500 is a statewide initiative led by the Florida Department of State, under the leadership of Governor Rick Scott, to highlight the 500 years of historic people, places and events in present-day Florida since the arrival of Juan Ponce de Leὀn to the land he named La Florida in 1513. While Florida’s Native American heritage dates back more than 12,000 years, Spain’s claim in 1513 began a new era. In 2013, Florida will mark 500 years of history and diverse cultural heritage – a claim no other state in America can make – and promote the place where the world’s cultures began to unite and transform into the great nation we know today as the United States of America. Viva Florida 500 will take place year-round in 2013, and its many partners are planning more than 150 events statewide. The goal is to promote 500 years of Florida’s history – its people, places and cultural achievements – and this important milestone in American and Florida history.
ABOUT THE FLORIDA LOTTERY
The Florida Lottery reinvests nearly 98 percent of its revenue into the state’s economy through prize payouts, contributions to education, and money paid to Florida retailers. Since its beginning in 1988, the Florida Lottery has transferred billions of dollars to the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund, investing in Florida’s future leaders through school construction, K-12 classroom support and more than 600,000 Bright Futures scholarships. The games of the Florida Lottery are designed to fuel excitement while funding tomorrow. For more information, visit www.flalottery.com.