British Columbia Lottery launches board game-inspired Ticket to Ride instant ticket
British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) has announced the launch of Ticket to Ride. The company bills the new product as the lottery industry’s first-ever instant ticket based on Days of Wonder’s Ticket to Ride, an acclaimed board game in which players compete to claim routes, connect cities, and build the longest rail line.
The new game features a top prize of CAD 50,000 ($37,255) and a wild card bonus with the Crown corporation promising its players “a fast-tracked experience of the fun of the award-winning board game in an entertaining new way.”
The ticket for the game is priced at CAD 3 and aims to take British Columbians on a “trip across Canada with colorful, Pollard Banknote-designed artwork that echoes the look and feel of the board game.”
As per BCLC, the players will embark on a cross-country adventure to reveal all four numbers within the same-colored rail line. The game also features a wild card bonus that provides players with an extra chance “to hop aboard for a cash prize.” In 2004, the game won the “prestigious Spiel des Jahres prize” and has sold over 10 million copies in over 50 countries worldwide.
The inaugural instant ticket launch features an integrated and multi-faceted marketing program supported by lottery partner Pollard Banknote, backed by a social media campaign and the production of a how-to-play video for BCLC’s website.
Erin Neoh, Senior Product Specialist, Instant Games, BCLC, said: “We are delighted to offer British Columbians a brand new way to experience the fun and the spirit of Ticket to Ride this summer. Collaborating with Pollard Banknote has resulted in a great new game that will provide our players with many moments of excitement and adventure, and is a welcome addition to our Scratch & Win portfolio.”
Brad Thompson, Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Pollard Banknote, said: “We congratulate BCLC on being the first to market with its exciting new Ticket to Ride Scratch & Win game. Our licensed portfolio features many established game brands, such as Ticket to Ride, which translate seamlessly into engaging instant tickets for all types of players. We’re confident that British Columbians will embrace the thrill of this exciting new game.”