Lotto Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (Lotto MV) recorded its highest-ever lottery ticket sales in 2022, but the state-governed organisation has expressed concern at the economic challenges lying in wait this year.
Lotto MV forms part of the German state lottery association Deutscher Lotto und Totoblock (DLTB), which is a community of 16 independent lottery companies in the federal states.
DLTB shared the results of its 2022 financials last week, revealing an uptick in lottery ticket sales across the country’s 16 states as just under €8bn was spent to mark a 0.9% increase on the prior year.
It proved to be a productive 12 months for Lotto MV as players in the north-eastern state spent nearly €132m to earn the lottery its record ticket sales for a calendar year, surpassing its previous best of €127m in 2017.
“Despite all the adversities that 2022 brought with it, the players played the lottery to a large extent,” said Dr. Ait Stapelfeld, Managing Director of Lotto Mecklenburg-West Pomerania. “Lotto is a reliable constant for many – and perhaps now more than ever connected with the desire to be able to fulfil dreams.”
As witnessed across the country, online sales have started to become increasingly pivotal to finances; sales via lottomv.de and the Lotto MV app increased by around 20% in 2022.
Meanwhile, the majority of stakes – around 82% – came from the approximately 490 Lotto acceptance points.
Dr. Ait Stapelfeld continued: “The acceptance points are important contractual partners for us. The majority are smaller shops with around two to three jobs, which are currently under enormous financial pressure. If they disappear, many town centres will lose face and lottery players will lose their contact point.”
Looking ahead, the MD concluded: “We want to achieve a similarly good result again in 2023. But of course we are also concerned that fewer lottos will be played due to the general economic conditions.”