OPAP debuts new instant lottery game

By Vangelis Mandravelis

OPAP subsidiary Ellinika Lachia SA announced on Wednesday the instant lottery’s return to the Greek market under the name “Scratch.”

The new scratch cards, which were launched at the start of May, appear to constitute a priority for OPAP’s Czech management and the flagship of Ellinika Lachia regarding sales strategy.

OPAP officials made no secret of their ambitions for the game, as Scratch brings to the Greek market the world’s second most successful category of games of chance, according to the group’s marketing director, Petr Matejovsky.

Matejovsky added that OPAP is basing both Ellinika Lachia’s growth and the development of its sales network on this type of lottery.

Scratch hits the Greek market almost 11 years after the sale contract for Intralot’s “Ksysto” ended. However the only thing in common with the new game is the scratch card, according to OPAP officials, who say that Scratch “offers players an entirely different experience.”

Scratch sold 1 million cards in the first week of sales alone, with its winners numbering a total of 260,000.