Instant tickets continue to drive the highest sales growth in the history of the Ohio Lottery.  Successful marketing and an increasing number of players have pushed sales up $55 million, a 4.6-percent increase, in 2006.

Patty Vasil, Ohio Lottery deputy director of product development, said $10 and $20 instant games, and games tied to name brand merchandise prizes, may account for the rise in instant game popularity.

"They attract a player who may not purchase lottery tickets, but likes the merchandise part of the game," Vasil said.

Merchandise games include prizes such as motorcycles and cars, in addition to cash. These games have helped fuel the lottery's record-setting sales growth from January through June. Instant games now account for 57.3 percent of lottery tickets sold, compared to approximately 51 percent three years ago.

Mardele Cohen, Ohio Lottery communications director, said a player could choose an instant ticket on something as simple as color, but merchandise tickets award prizes that consumers may not otherwise buy. She said the lottery tries to use popular products for merchandise games and for promotions in general.

The Texas Hold 'Em instant tickets represented a successful tie-in to popular culture.

"The first time we did Texas Hold 'Em, about two years ago, within a matter of a month we knew the game was flying off the shelves," Cohen said. "We re-ordered, and we order in millions. It's like any other business; we want to keep our products fresh and we want to be current. Bridge is not the big thing right now... that's why we have Texas Hold 'Em."

Individual state lotteries work with larger game manufacturers when considering marketing and sales. In Ohio, the lottery often buys from Scientific Games, a company that handles licensing with companies such as Harley Davidson, NASCAR, Ford and Chevrolet.

Vasil said the NASCAR promotion sold fewer tickets than expected to the Ohio consumer base.

Addiction risk

With increasing popularity comes a concern of increased gambling addiction, an issue the lottery addresses through its marketing and Web site.

Patricia Bellner, a dual diagnosis counselor of Substance Abuse Services Inc. in Toledo, said gambling addiction is understated.

"People have not been coming forth with this in the past," she said.

Bellner received her training through the Ohio Lottery. She focuses on cross addictions, which could occur with gambling.

"We see lottery become a big problem with people recovering from substance addiction and it becomes an issue of cross-addiction," Bellner said.

Bellner said counselors from other states have voiced envy over the funds provided to counselors by the Ohio Lottery.

"The lottery commission is aware some people are struggling with the thing they provide," she said.

Keith Whyte, executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling, compared gambling addiction to alcoholism.

"Gamblers prefer certain types and get started on certain types, but when addicted, they might try anything," Whyte said.