IRVING, Texas – For a fifth straight year, local Cowboys fans can support their favorite NFL team, as well as public education, by playing the Dallas Cowboys scratch-off game from the Texas Lottery.
Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones and Texas Lottery executive director Gary Grief joined together Wednesday morning to announce the latest rendition of the scratch-off game. This year's $5 ticket, down from $10 in 2012, offers more than $29 million in instant prizes, including 12 top prizes of $100,000.
Chances to grab prizes aren't restricted to just top winners, however. Players who don't win instantly can re-enter their ticket into any of five promotional second-chance drawings.
"We are thrilled to be moving into our fifth year as partners with the Texas Lottery," Jones said. "Over the past four years, I have been able to witness the excitement our fans enjoy from experiencing many of the one-of-a-kind second-chance drawing prizes. It is very satisfying to know this partnership has also contributed millions of dollars to funding the education of the youth of Texas."
[embedded_ad] In addition to prize money, the Cowboys are offering a slew of team-related winnings for those who enter the second-chance drawings. Those second-chance prized range from $100 Cowboys gift cards and autographed team jerseys to a pair of season tickets.
Several lucky fans will even win the Cowboys' "Wild Weekend" package for 20, which features a suite at a Dallas Cowboys home game, tours of team facilities, a pre-game party and travel accommodations, while others may win an opportunity to accompany Jones into the Cowboys' War Room on NFL draft day.
"We have a fan, John Summers, who lives in Arlington. And he has won every one of these second chances prizes – every one of them, except the draft room. "He hasn't won that, but I'll tell you what, John – you're getting close in here, of just being lucky enough, or being artful enough to zero in on these second chances prizes. I'm going to start backing you on the money prize. Because you've got something figured out, and I think it's more than just numbers."
Prizes aren't the only by-product of playing the scratch-off game, however. Grief said that the Dallas Cowboys scratch-off game has generated $184 million in sales in the past four years, with $125 million in prizes going to winner.
Grief added that a substantial amount of money has gone to Texas education as a result -- $40 million, to be exact.
"About five years ago, the NFL gave the green light to their teams to look for some co-branding opportunities with lotteries across the country," Grief said. "I think both Jerry and the Cowboys organization, and the Texas Lottery – I think we're both surprised to be sitting here today and telling you and the people of Texas that this partnership generated almost 40 million new, additional dollars for education here in Texas."
That isn't the only benefit the Cowboys have provided through the Texas Lottery. Grief said the game has generated revenue for the local economy, as well as education, in the past four years.
"In addition to the almost $40 million to education that I mentioned, we've put almost $9 million back into the economy in general," he said. "That's the commissions that have been earned by those more than 17,000 retail locations across the state of Texas that sell Dallas Cowboys scratch-off games."
This year's ticket features the Cowboys star, as well as AT&T Stadium and can be purchased for $5.
"I have two wishes – one, I wish everybody would support your Cowboys all season long and root them on to a Super Bowl," Grief said. "While you're doing that, encourage all your friends to support public education in Texas by purchasing Dallas Cowboys scratch-offs from the Texas lottery."
