The Michigan Bureau of State Lottery is responsible for printing and distributing lottery tickets in the state of Michigan. The Bureau operates as part of the Michigan Department of Treasury and oversees all aspects of the lottery, including game development, marketing, sales, claims processing, and distribution.
How are Michigan lottery tickets printed?
The Michigan Bureau of State Lottery utilizes a centralized printing system to produce instant and online game lottery tickets. The Bureau partners with one of the three major lottery ticket manufacturers in North America – Pollard Banknote, Scientific Games, and IGT – to handle ticket printing. These companies utilize advanced security printing techniques and proprietary lottery ticket stock to create instant and draw game tickets on behalf of the Michigan Lottery.
The production process involves designing the graphics and layouts of the tickets, incorporating security features into the tickets, printing the tickets on secure lottery stock paper, and then shipping the printed tickets to Michigan Lottery’s central warehouse and regional claim centers for distribution. Lottery tickets contain security features such as watermarks, UV inks, foil stamping, and embedded codes to prevent counterfeiting. The tickets are printed on multiple presses in high-volume to meet the demand of the Michigan Lottery.
Where are Michigan lottery tickets printed?
While the exact printing locations are kept confidential for security purposes, Michigan’s lottery tickets are printed at one of the major contractors’ production facilities across North America. These include:
- Pollard Banknote printing plants (Ypsilanti, Michigan; Winnipeg, Manitoba; Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario)
- Scientific Games facilities (Atlanta, Georgia; Alpharetta, Georgia; Brookfield, Wisconsin)
- IGT sites (Lakeland, Florida; West Greenwich, Rhode Island)
The printing facilities that produce Michigan lottery tickets follow rigorous security protocols and quality control standards. They are equipped with specialized printing technology, security vetted staff, surveillance systems, and proprietary security inks/substrates.
How many Michigan lottery tickets are printed each year?
The Michigan Lottery prints tens of millions of instant game and draw game tickets every year to meet the demand from players across the state. According to the lottery’s annual reports, here are the approximate number of tickets printed annually over the past five years:
| Year | Approximate Number of Tickets Printed |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 94 million |
| 2020 | 91 million |
| 2019 | 107 million |
| 2018 | 99 million |
| 2017 | 106 million |
As these numbers show, the Michigan Lottery prints between 90-110 million scratch off and draw game tickets each year to meet player demand. The volume requires efficient, high-capacity printing with built-in security measures.
What security features are incorporated into Michigan lottery tickets?
Michigan lottery tickets contain multiple security features that are embedded during the printing process. These features help to prevent counterfeiting and ticket fraud. Some of the key security features include:
- Microprint – Tiny letters printed on the ticket that are difficult to reproduce
- Security inks – Inks only visible under UV light
- Holograms – Foil images that shift when viewed from different angles
- Watermarks – Images embedded into the ticket stock
- Variable data – Unique data printed on each ticket
- Scratch-off coatings – Special coatings that obscure prize information
In addition to security printing features, the lottery ticket stock itself has embedded security elements built into the paper substrate. This includes chemical taggants and security fibers woven into the paper to further protect lottery tickets from counterfeiting.
How does the Michigan Lottery ensure integrity in the printing process?
The Michigan Lottery utilizes stringent security protocols and quality control measures throughout the ticket printing and production process to ensure integrity. These include:
- Background checks on printing plant employees
- Surveillance systems to monitor production floors
- Restricted access to sensitive areas of facilities
- Random audits and inspections during printing
- Unique ticket identification numbers track each ticket
- Testing tickets throughout production for defects
- Secure transportation in sealed trucks to Michigan warehouses
By partnering with experienced major vendors and requiring them to follow lottery security standards, the Michigan Lottery minimizes risks and maintains high integrity as millions of lottery tickets are printed each year.
Conclusion
In summary, lottery ticket printing for the Michigan Bureau of State Lottery is handled through centralized production partners like Pollard Banknote and Scientific Games. These vendors utilize specialized security printing techniques at their North American facilities to produce tens of millions of instant game and draw game tickets annually. Stringent security protocols during printing and transportation ensure the integrity of Michigan lottery tickets. Advanced security features embedded in the ticket stock and graphics also prevent counterfeiting and fraud.
