Scientific Games has reported strong early engagement for the Ohio Lottery’s first Scratch Connect game, Bonus Cash Wheel, which links a traditional retail Scratch-Off ticket to a mobile digital bonus game.
As of August 22, nearly 570,000 Ohio players had scanned their $5 Bonus Cash Wheel ticket to access the online Reach the Wheel game. Of those players, 90% completed the digital game, while 40% subsequently chose to play again by entering another ticket.
Scratch Connect is designed to extend the scratch-game experience from retail to mobile. Players scratch a dedicated logo on the physical ticket, scan the QR code revealed beneath it and, after a brief age confirmation, unlock a digital bonus game without needing to create an account or register.
The ticket remains the bearer instrument throughout the experience, with all prizes—including those revealed in the digital bonus game—redeemable through lottery retailers. The approach keeps retailers at the centre of the player journey while giving lotteries a quick-to-market way to add a digital element without requiring system-vendor integration.
For Bonus Cash Wheel, Scientific Games designed the retail and mobile experiences as one connected game. The wheel-based mechanic continues from the physical ticket into the Reach the Wheel digital game, with shared colours and visual elements intended to create a consistent transition between channels.
“The early performance of Bonus Cash Wheel shows that players are willing to move from a familiar retail Scratch-Off experience into digital play when the journey is simple and intuitive,” said Charlie Scannella, VP, Customer Success & Relationship Management at Scientific Games. “Scratch Connect helps lotteries expand the entertainment value of their retail games while maintaining the important role of their retailer networks.”
Ohio is the third U.S. lottery market to introduce a Scratch Connect game, following launches in Kentucky and Pennsylvania. Scientific Games said additional Scratch Connect launches are planned.
Scientific Games serves more than 150 lotteries across 50 countries and provides lottery games, systems technology, and digital programmes, including CRM, loyalty, promotions, second-chance initiatives, and mobile and web applications.
