Smartplay International supplies new equipment to Ghana National Lottery

The present game, National Weekly Lotto, is a 5/90 game with fixed odds payout, where the new 6/49 lotto draw is a pari-mutuel payout. They felt this new game structure will see more winners and more prizes given back to the players.

Smartplay arranged for the delegation, Hon. Kwadjo Opare-Hammond, George Addo-Yobo and Ernest Mote, to visit the New York State Lottery and New Jersey State Lottery. They were very impressed with both organizations. In their search for drawing machines for the new game, The National Lottery Authority had found the perfect solution with New York's Criterion II rubber ball drawing machine. It fit their fresh and innovative new 6/49 game and a contract with Smartplay was signed to supply the lottery with three Criterion IIs.

In June of this year the delegation returned for an inspection of the finished machines. George Addo-Yobo and Ernest Mote were delighted with their machines' appearance and performance. According to George Addo-Yobo, “…the machines look wonderful, exceeding our expectations…”

If everything goes according to plan, Ghana’s National Lottery Authority will launch their new 6/49 game in July 2008, estimating ticket sales at approximately 1 million American dollars. It's a dividend game, in which about 50% of the money from sales is shared among the winners. Initially, this game will be played twice a week, but will be offered more frequently as the game's success grows. Since the lottery’s success seems promising, the NLA hopes to add an assortment of various games in the future.