Colorado scratch-off tickets are going blue and orange as the Denver Broncos team up with the state Lottery for the first time since the National Football League relaxed some rules banning team-affiliated gambling.
Colorado hopes to raise about $1 million for state parks, open space and recreation as the Broncos join 15 other teams in lending their name to promote scratch tickets, said Roxy Huber, executive director of the state Department of Revenue.
The new $5 tickets featuring 20 logoed scratch-off helmets debuted today and pay up to $100,000 each.
“After yesterday, we can all agree our new tag line, ‘Luck Happens,’ fits the bill,” Huber quipped, alluding to the Broncos’ miracle finish against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Losing tickets can be entered into drawings for second-chance prizes, such as one of 50 sets of 2010 season tickets, luxury-suite tickets to the Dec. 20 game against the Oakland Raiders or trips to away games.
The state will issue 1.8 million tickets that carry a 1 in 3.9 chance of a win when tickets that break even are included.
The new program should generate a total of $9 million, including the $1 million for parks if tickets sell out. Players will get about 70 percent of that money back, or about $6.3 million.
Officials declined to discuss the Bronco’s cut, but Joe Ellis, chief operating officer for the team, said the franchise is using the tickets as a marketing tool.
“Our association with the lottery gets our brand and trademark out with a very visible item that’s in front of people every day,” Ellis said.
While the Colorado Lottery has had deals with other local sports franchises, such as the Rockies and Nuggets, NFL rules long barred similar affiliations.
League owners threw out those rules on May 19.
Jessica Fender: 303-954-1244 or jfender@denverpost.com
