OLG launches Instant Top Up with a commission incentive

The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation is once again incentivizing convenience store operators with the launch of its latest initiative, Instant Top Up.

Dubbed "the world's first add-on game for INSTANT lottery tickets" shoppers can ask for a $1 Instant Top Up with a ticket purchase for a chance to win a growing jackpot in-store. The jackpot – which starts at $25,000 – grows with each ticket purchased across the province until it is won. Then, it resets and starts to grow again.

"Playing an INSTANT ticket adds fun to your day. Adding Instant Top Up to your purchase is an opportunity to amplify that fun, with a chance to win a jackpot right there in the store," OLG president and CEO, Duncan Hannay, said in a release. "Instant Top Up is OLG's unique creation – no other lottery organization offers anything like it. Our customer-obsessed innovation lab is intent on creating best-in-class experiences that reinforce our position as a leader in the entertainment industry."

The retailer simply scans the barcode on the back of the ticket and collects $1 from the customer. With each in-store purchase, the lottery terminal screen will play an exciting animated video with flipping tiles of various prize amounts to display the outcome for the player.

If the video displays three matching tiles, the customer wins the corresponding prize. If a "TOP UP Bonus" tile is revealed, the customer wins a bonus prize. The total prize amount will be displayed on the lottery terminal screen and on the customer's printed ticket.

Sales kicked off June 1 at lottery retail locations across the province.

"As a demonstration of OLG's appreciation of the strong partnership we have with our retail network, lottery retailers will receive double commission on Instant Top Up sales until June 29," the OLG said in a release. 

The original 5%, plus an additional 5%, will be reconciled at the end of the promotion.

The Ontario Convenience Stores Association, which has long advocated for updated commission structure for c-stores, applauded the move. "We're looking forward to a great launch, driving revenue, traffic and more importantly increased retailer commissions," CEO Dave Bryans said in a statement.