Follows multi-state eInstant record jackpot award of $5.8 million

Instant Win Gaming (IWG), a leading supplier of eInstant games to NASPL and WLA-member lotteries, congratulates the New Hampshire Lottery on joining the Company’s multi-state eInstant progressive, Mega Money Jackpots.

The New Hampshire Lottery launched Jackpot Spectacular, its first game in the Mega Money Jackpots linked progressive pool, for players in the Granite State on April 24th. New Hampshire joins Pennsylvania and Virginia in offering Mega Money Jackpots linked games.

Additionally, IWG congratulates the Virginia Lottery along with its Mega Money Jackpots player who won a record-setting $5.8 million prize. The win sets another new U.S. iLottery record for the largest eInstant prize.

Mega Money Jackpots launched in July 2023, and over the past nine months the game has created eight millionaires. Since launch, more than 240 players across the participating lotteries have won Mega and Minor jackpots totaling more than $20 million.

The amount and frequency of these prizes showcases the excitement of IWG’s Mega Money Jackpots. To achieve this, select eInstants from participating lotteries each contribute a small percentage of the sales to fund the two progressive prize tiers, with IWG administering the settlement of jackpot prize monies on a turnkey basis.

The multi-state eInstant progressive jackpot is powered by IWG’s InstantJackpots. Since all functionality is contained within IWG’s InstantRGS (remote game server), no development support is required by a lottery’s iLottery platform provider. Additionally, new lotteries can join the system regardless of their iLottery platform provider.

Charlie McIntyre, Executive Director at New Hampshire Lottery, said: “Our industry has a proud track record of collaborating across state lotteries. We’re excited to join Mega Money Jackpots and to bring the excitement of it outsized prizes to our players. We know that our contribution will further enhance the game for everyone involved, and we look forward to creating some new millionaires here in New Hampshire.”

Rhydian Fisher, CEO at IWG, said: “Kudos to the team at New Hampshire Lottery. By joining Mega Money Jackpots, collectively we can award even more million dollar prizes to lottery players. Not only is the game frequently creating new millionaires, but it has also been a leading catalyst for new player signups. Fingers crossed that some new millionaires will be created in New Hampshire very soon.”

The upcoming Moneymaker Main Event will take place at The Casino Aruba, and feature a guaranteed prize pool of $200,000

The Moneymaker Tour has announced a new partnership with The Caribbean Poker Series to host the first international Moneymaker Main Event in Aruba in October 4 – 6, 2024.

Set against the backdrop of Aruba’s stunning beaches and lively culture, The Moneymaker Tour will coincide with the $300,000 guaranteed Caribbean Poker Series, which will take place at The Casino Aruba at Hilton from September 26 to October 6, and offer players of all levels the chance to compete for prestigious prizes.

“A collaboration between Moneymaker Poker Tour and The Caribbean Poker Series will create a synergy that benefits both organizations, as well as poker players and fans around the world,” said Craig Evans, Managing Director of the Caribbean Poker Series.

The Moneymaker Tour Main Event will bring players three days of fun poker action from Friday, October 4 to Sunday, October 6, 2024. The $1,500 buy-in Main Event, will bolster a guaranteed prize pool of $200,000.

Established by 2003 WSOP Champion and ACR Team Pro, Chris Moneymaker and Moneymaker Tour Executive Manager, Tony Burns in 2023, the Moneymaker Tour was conceived as a way to provide poker players with the opportunity to experience their own ordinary to extraordinary moments, mirroring Moneymaker’s journey.

“Chris Moneymaker’s Main Event win in 2003 not only had an impact on poker in the United States, but around the globe. We are excited to partner with the Caribbean Poker Series to host our first international Moneymaker Tour Main Event”, said Tony Burns, Executive Manager.

The Moneymaker Tour, which saw its inaugural stop in May 2023, has been steadily increasing in popularity. Its second series of 2024 at Palm Beach Kennel Club in Florida, drew players from around the globe, where Pavlos Kasselouris seized victory in the $500,000 guaranteed Main Event, claiming $121,485 in prize money and the coveted Moneymaker crystal trophy.

The Tour’s current stop at Daytona Beach, Florida wraps up today, and after paying out over $600,000 in guaranteed prize pools.

Following the event at Daytona Beach, the Moneymaker Tour will return to Palm Beach Kennel Club in Florida from May 2-14, 2024.

Bruce Smith Enterprise and The Cordish Companies have been selected by the City of Petersburg, Virginia to codevelop a $1.4 billion Live! Gaming & Entertainment District, anchored by Live! Casino & Hotel Virginia. The Petersburg City Council unanimously approved Bruce Smith Enterprise and The Cordish Companies as the City’s preferred development partner on the transformative mixed-use project. The proposed project will generate billions of dollars in economic benefits and spinoff development, create thousands of new jobs and benefits to the local community, and become a major new tourist destination for the City and the Central Virginia region.

Petersburg Mayor Sam Parham said: “The City of Petersburg is thrilled to have selected Bruce Smith Enterprise and The Cordish Companies as development partners after a thorough RFP process and extensive review by outside consultants. An important part of our evaluation was to identify a development team with a proven track record in developing and operating mixed-use and casino properties, a long history of revitalizing cities across the country, and strong community engagement practices. Bruce Smith and Cordish’s experience, comprehensive project master plan and visionary approach, ideal site location, robust financial strength, and commitment to swift market entry make them the clear and unanimous choice of both our consultants and City Council. The City has worked very hard to get to this point, and we believe that it is imperative to continue moving this project forward as expeditiously as possible so that we can meet the deadline to get this in front of our citizens for a referendum vote this November.”

The project site is ideally situated at the intersection of Wagner Road and Interstate I-95 with easy access on and off the East Coast’s major north-south interstate. Live! Gaming & Entertainment District – anchored by Live! Casino & Hotel Virginia – will be a catalyst for change and significant urban development, transforming the City through the creation of a thriving entertainment and hospitality destination. Live! Casino & Hotel Virginia will set a new standard for gaming, hotels, and entertainment in the Commonwealth, and serve as a new world-class attraction for Petersburg and the greater Central Virginia region. The partners intend to quickly open an initial first phase casino within a year of voter approval to begin creating jobs, vendor opportunities, and economic benefits immediately for the City of Petersburg and its residents.

Bruce Smith Enterprise and The Cordish Companies have a longstanding relationship. The joint venture partnership is the first-of-its-kind in the gaming and entertainment industry to have a minority-owned business enterprise as co-development partner. The Petersburg ownership team, which makes up 50% minority equity participation, will become the largest minority ownership opportunity in the gaming and hospitality industry in the country, and will become a model for other projects in Virginia and throughout the nation. The team includes substantial investment from prominent minority businesses and individuals with a long history of residing, working, and investing in the Commonwealth including former Cox Communications GM and philanthropist Gary McCollum and former Philadelphia Eagle and University of Virginia All-American receiver Billy McMullen.

“Bruce Smith Enterprise and The Cordish Companies are thrilled and extremely honored to be selected by the City of Petersburg to codevelop a $1.4 billion, transformational mixed-use development,” said Bruce Smith, Pro Football Hall of Famer, Prominent Virginian Developer and Community Leader.

“A venture of such magnitude offers a historic opportunity to revivify this jewel of a city, and we are galvanized and ready to deliver a project that uplifts and radically restores the life-blood of Petersburg and its citizens. We look forward to collaborating with the City and Commonwealth to build a world-class Live! gaming and entertaining destination that will create thousands of high-paying jobs and generate billions in economic benefits that profit the citizens of Petersburg. In the end, this development will offer more than a premier resort casino; it will represent a hopeful new beginning,” Bruce Smith added.

“We extend our thanks to the entire Petersburg City Council for its thoughtful decision to select Bruce Smith Enterprise and The Cordish Companies as development partners for this transformative, world-class destination in Petersburg. The Cordish Companies’ track record for designing, financing, building, and operating large-scale mixed-use developments and casino resort destinations in the country is unmatched, and together with Bruce as our development partner, no one comes close to our combined history of success and capabilities to deliver on a destination of this scale and complexity. Together, we share core values in investing for the long-term and creating jobs and lifechanging opportunities for the community, and we are excited to continue moving forward on executing on those commitments. We are look forward to working with the City and Commonwealth to deliver a game-changing destination that will benefit Petersburg for generations to come,” Zed Smith, Chief Operating Officer of The Cordish Companies, said.