Record Year for LOTTO Hessen GmbH

• 6aus49, Eurojackpot and scratch cards most popular products
• Hessen win 410 million euros
• Community benefits with 147 million euros
• Management as a team from May 1st

Wiesbaden, Germany (April 4, 2023) – – The Hessians’ enthusiasm for typing is unbroken: last year they spent more than ever on their lottery luck with 745.1 million euros – a record in almost 75 years of LOTTO Hessen. More than 410 million euros flowed back to the Hessian winners, 13 of whom became millionaires. Peak value for 2022: 45 million euros. Not everyone redeemed their winnings, a total of around 2.5 million euros waited in vain to be picked up. The LOTTO sales outlets in the state remain the most important pillar with 80 percent of sales, but online betting also increased significantly again in 2022. The common good benefited from the stakes in 2022 with 147.1 million euros.

“LOTTO Hessen can look back on the best financial year in the company’s almost 75-year history; With a turnover of 745.1 million euros, a record value was achieved, which even exceeds the previous highest value from 2020 by 10.4 million euros,” explained the Managing Director of LOTTO Hessen GmbH, Martin Blach, at the presentation of the figures at today’s annual press conference in Wiesbaden. Ten years earlier, in 2012, sales were still 537 million euros. Almost half, namely 43 percent of annual sales in 2022, is still based on the traditional product LOTTO 6aus49 (EUR 321.6 million), which, however, lost 2.1 percent in sales. The big winner was the Eurojackpot lottery, introduced in 2012 and offered jointly by 18 European nations, which LOTTO Hessen received EUR 180.6 million (previous year: EUR 137.1 million). euros) brought in, an increase of 31.7 percent. “Our increase in the maximum jackpot from 90 to 120 million euros, which was played on three drawing days in 2022, certainly contributed to this, as did the introduction of the second drawing on Tuesday,” says Deputy Managing Director Alexander Sausmikat. The instant lottery, with its scratch cards and online games, held its position in third place. After years of constant growth, it suffered a minus of 11.4 percent for the first time and reached EUR 81.9 million (previous year: EUR 92.4 million). In the pandemic year 2021, the instant lottery was able to benefit from closed shops in the betting and casino sector and grow disproportionately – an effect that leveled out again in 2022.

Hessen win 410 million euros

A win was made 25.2 million times in Hesse over the course of the year, including 13 million amounts. “The total amount of prize money paid out is also impressive, the Hessians won a total of more than 410 million euros,” explained Blach. This includes small prizes of a few euros up to the highest prize of 2022 of 45 million euros. This went to a tipper in the Rhine-Main area on April 13, 2022. In addition to the 13 Hessians who tapped their way into the millionaires’ club (previous year: 19), 117 Hessians managed to win at least six figures (previous year: 108). “I am particularly pleased to add a personal note to our so-called high winners in their postal winning letter, for example to say that they should have a nice party – I would love to know how they are doing when they open it,” says Blach.

Uncollected winnings add up to 2.5 million euros annually

A further 2,532,400 euros were available, but could not flow to their winners in 2022. “These are winnings that were not redeemed by their players, but what is worse, played anonymously – this leaves us no chance to match them to a customer and their bank account and transfer the winnings, like we do with registered customers is automatically the case after a certain period of time,” regrets Blach. The highest unclaimed single prize was 35,000 euros in 2022. According to the conditions of participation, all unredeemed amounts flow back into a pot for special draws after the statutory limitation period of three years and are thus available for drawing again.

LOTTO helps Hessen with 147 million euros

Sport, culture, the preservation of monuments, social projects and the environment once again benefited from the lottery stakes. In 2022, LOTTO Hessen made 147.1 million euros available to the public good via the recipients specified in the Hessian Gaming Act. In addition, around 20 clubs, from the Bad Wildungen Vipers to the Rhine River Rhinos, TTC Fulda-Maberzell to Eintracht Frankfurt and the Löwen Frankfurt, as well as 25 different events in sports and culture were happy to be sponsored by the Hessian lottery company. On April 28, for example, LOTTO Hessen will make it possible for the traditional Eintracht team led by Charly Körbel to play at the Wiesbaden soccer club FV Biebrich 02 as part of the “Eintracht in der Region” campaign launched jointly with Eintracht Frankfurt. The game is the first of ten more at football clubs throughout Hesse, each of which is accompanied by a big party for the whole family; all income from the games, from ticket sales to the sales stands, remain with the host amateur clubs. In 2022, around 250,000 euros were collected for the ten clubs, an important source of income for mass sport, especially after Corona.

Distortions in the retail landscape

Blach is concerned about the upheavals in the retail landscape, which are making inner cities increasingly unattractive, and the often lacking succession in LOTTO sales outlets. Their number fell to 2,015 as of December 31, 2022; LOTTO Hessen currently has 1,991 locations. “Our goal is clearly an increase, because a good 80 percent of our business is stationary, the sales outlets are and will remain our heart and not only have a supply but also an important social function, especially in rural areas. The consequences of Corona and other effects in retail require more and more effort on our part to keep the area network more or less stable, which we are allowed to expand to 2,500 sales outlets, but in fact we cannot.”

Online sales grew again

The second sales channel, the range of games via the Internet at lotto-hessen.de and via app, again increased significantly in 2022, from 116.6 to 129.4 million euros. 17.5 percent of total sales were generated online, and LOTTO Hessen currently has 250,000 online customers. “For us, however, the multichannel approach is in the foreground, so we don’t rely on ‘either or’, but on the fact that the customer can choose the most convenient route for him at any time.”

Goal: LOTTO as a universal provider

In addition to the expansion of the sales outlet network and multi-channel marketing, Blach named the further development of LOTTO Hessen into a universal provider as a goal. The company has also applied for a license for the virtual slot machine game, which can be issued in accordance with the State Treaty on Gaming in 2021. “Our 1,200-page application document, which is described as complete, has been available to the state gaming authorities since July 2021,” says Blach, “we are currently waiting for permission.” Almost 30 companies are currently equipped with a corresponding license. And in cooperation with the Hessian casino communities, LOTTO Hessen is also working on the area of ​​online casino games, which was also opened up under the last State Treaty on Gambling. “If we can do all this, I think sales of one billion euros are possible in the medium term,” predicted Blach. LOTTO Hessen will be celebrating its 75th anniversary next year. But Blach is not thinking of an expensive party.

lsbh President new to the Supervisory Board

At the turn of the year, the Supervisory Board of LOTTO Hessen GmbH received reinforcements: Juliane Kuhlmann, President of the State Sports Association of Hesse, moved in to replace Martin Blach, who resigned in the course of his appointment. “LOTTO Hessen has been supporting social areas such as sport and culture that strengthen the common good for many years. The State Sports Association of Hesse and the more than 7,400 clubs also benefit from this. The LOTTO funds are an important mainstay for us, without which organized sport in our country would not be so well positioned. I am very pleased to be able to accompany and help shape the future path of LOTTO Hessen as a member of the Supervisory Board,” Kuhlmann explained about her appointment.

“Juliane Kuhlmann’s experience in sports and her work as President of the State Sports Association of Hesse will promote and enrich the work of the Supervisory Board of LOTTO Hessen GmbH. In addition, with her appointment, the proportion of women among the state representatives on the LOTTO Hessen Supervisory Board increased to 75 percent,” said the Chairman of the Supervisory Board, State Secretary for Finance Dr. Martin Worms.

Management as a team from May 1st

LOTTO Hessen has continued to grow in recent years. In order to be able to remain on this successful course and to take into account the resulting changed structure and size of the company as well as the associated challenges, the supervisory board of LOTTO Hessen GmbH decided, at the suggestion of the management, to set up the management team in a contemporary way. The long-standing deputy managing director, Alexander Sausmikat, was appointed as an additional managing director at the most recent meeting of the supervisory board. He will take up his post as Managing Director on May 1, 2023. Martin Blach, spokesman for the management in the new structure: “It is a groundbreaking decision to set up the management as a team for the future. Personally, I am very pleased that our long-standing deputy managing director is now taking on this new responsible role. We are now positioned as a contemporary and modern management team to manage the coming challenges professionally and successfully and to offer our customers attractive products and services.” Alexander Sausmikat has been with the company for over 18 years and is also responsible for the success of LOTTO Hessen in these years. He was Deputy General Manager for over seven years. Sausmikat: “I am delighted to be able to continue driving the successful course of LOTTO Hessen in a team with Martin Blach. With these structures, we have ideal conditions in the market to continue to grow and to serve the common good of the state of Hesse with the proceeds.” We are now positioned as a contemporary and modern management team to manage the coming challenges professionally and successfully and to offer our customers attractive products and services.” Alexander Sausmikat has been with the company for over 18 years and is also responsible for the success of LOTTO Hessen in these years. He was Deputy General Manager for over seven years. Sausmikat: “I am delighted to be able to continue driving the successful course of LOTTO Hessen in a team with Martin Blach. With these structures, we have ideal conditions in the market to continue to grow and to serve the common good of the state of Hesse with the proceeds.” We are now positioned as a contemporary and modern management team to manage the coming challenges professionally and successfully and to offer our customers attractive products and services.” Alexander Sausmikat has been with the company for over 18 years and is also responsible for the success of LOTTO Hessen in these years. He was Deputy General Manager for over seven years. Sausmikat: “I am delighted to be able to continue driving the successful course of LOTTO Hessen in a team with Martin Blach. With these structures, we have ideal conditions in the market to continue to grow and to serve the common good of the state of Hesse with the proceeds.” to manage the coming challenges professionally and successfully and to offer our customers attractive products and services.” Alexander Sausmikat has been with the company for over 18 years and is also responsible for the success of LOTTO Hessen over these years. He was Deputy General Manager for over seven years. Sausmikat: “I am delighted to be able to continue driving the successful course of LOTTO Hessen in a team with Martin Blach. With these structures, we have ideal conditions in the market to continue to grow and to serve the common good of the state of Hesse with the proceeds.” to manage the coming challenges professionally and successfully and to offer our customers attractive products and services.” Alexander Sausmikat has been with the company for over 18 years and is also responsible for the success of LOTTO Hessen over these years. He was Deputy General Manager for over seven years. Sausmikat: “I am delighted to be able to continue driving the successful course of LOTTO Hessen in a team with Martin Blach. With these structures, we have ideal conditions in the market to continue to grow and to serve the common good of the state of Hesse with the proceeds.” “I’m delighted to be able to continue driving LOTTO Hessen’s successful course together with Martin Blach. With these structures, we have ideal conditions in the market to continue to grow and to serve the common good of the state of Hesse with the proceeds.” “I’m delighted to be able to continue driving LOTTO Hessen’s successful course together with Martin Blach. With these structures, we have ideal conditions in the market to continue to grow and to serve the common good of the state of Hesse with the proceeds.”

“By appointing a second managing director, we are fulfilling the requirements of the Public Corporate Governance Code of the State of Hesse, according to which the management should consist of at least two people. In addition, the economic development of LOTTO Hessen speaks for an expansion of management. With Alexander Sausmikat, we have appointed a proven marketing specialist as Managing Director, who has been responsible for sales, product management and advertising at LOTTO Hessen GmbH for many years and has therefore also played a part in the successful development and has already demonstrated leadership qualities.” said the Chairman of the Supervisory Board Worms. “With this personnel decision, LOTTO Hessen is sending a clear signal: continuity and further successful development. Because if LOTTO Hessen is successful,

SOURCE: LOTTO Hessen GmbH