Lotto and Super Lotto players had a record-breaking year of wins for 2023. Gaming and entertainment company Supreme Ventures Limited (SVL) has reported that last year players of its flagship lottery brands won $48 billion.

“For the first time in over 10 years we had five Lotto jackpot winners and three Super Lotto winners, all here in Jamaica. Those jackpots alone totalled over $1.5 billion,” said Stefan Miller, the head of product management and business development at SVL, in breaking down the winnings to the Jamaica Observer in an interview.

The standout moment of the year for the gaming and entertainment company was the unprecedented $542.5 million Super Lotto jackpot paid out in April. This multi-jurisdictional game continued to make waves in Jamaica with two additional wins: $342 million in November and a jackpot of $144.6 million in December. The Lotto jackpot achieved five significant wins throughout 2023: $63 million in February, $45 million in March, $49 million and $35 million in May, and the highest Lotto jackpot of 2023, an impressive $100 million in October. One winner, however, of the $35 million May jackpot did not come forward, leading to the funds being transferred to the Government through the Chase Fund.

“It’s a rare occasion as winners present themselves in a matter of weeks,” Miller told the
Business Report.

Approximately 20 per cent of the $48 million in payouts were designated for gaming taxes per win. While the lottery remains the dominant force in SVL’s business, sports betting, particularly with JustBet, and horse racing at Caymanas Park contributed to numerous million-dollar wins, with 68 punters each winning over $1 million. In a strategic move, SVL introduced the first non-cash jackpot prize in its history with the Supreme Scratchaz Supreme Wheels ticket. This innovative offering allows customers to instantly win one of several 2024 GWM Haval H6s from Stewart’s Automotive, catering to a broader audience beyond the usual lottery players. So far, one of several Havals has been won.

“We are gaming and entertainment; it’s not just gaming on its own. The entertainment value is just as important to us. So, we looked at ways of diversifying that, and we thought, well, there is no non-cash prize in any of our games right now; why not go down that road?” Miller said in explaining the reason for the additional offering.

Recognising the growing trend of online and mobile gaming, SVL, having been first to market in 2019 and relaunched in 2020, has expanded all its product lines to have an online presence, meeting the evolving demands of a tech-savvy audience. Speaking on the recent expansion to Ghana, Miller explained that the move was an opportunity to introduce number games to a market previously limited to jackpot lottery games.

“Ghana is a market that only had lottery games and jackpot lottery games; they never had number games, so it was quite an opportunity for us to go in and offer number games,” he said.

Despite the majority of their customer base being in lower socio-economic groups, Miller highlighted that these individuals are seeking opportunities for personal and financial improvement. Winners often use their funds to better their lives and the lives of their families.

“If you think about it, somebody wins three or $400 million and they start a business. Think about that multiplier effect, because they’re going to now employ people; they’re going to pay taxes; that money is being reinvested in the Jamaican economy,” said Miller.