How Lotto.com Is Rewriting the Rules of a $120B Industry

Welcome back to The Friday Fortune! We’re officially in the second half of the year, which means your Q3 plans are either perfectly on track… or quietly hiding behind that tab you haven’t opened since May. Whether you're powering through campaign wrap-ups or just pretending to “circle back” after lunch, this is your weekly excuse to pause, reset, and get inspired.

Each week, we serve up bold insights from marketing leaders who aren’t afraid to rewrite the rules. From viral campaigns to untapped growth strategies, this newsletter is your secret weapon for staying sharp. And yes, we’ll keep it fun, because spreadsheets are serious enough. Here’s what’s on deck this week:

• A sit-down with Thomas Metzger, CEO of Lotto.com

• Why Cash App took Timothée Chalamet to the movies

• Jordan Brand is turning 40

📈 Marketer of the Week

If there’s anyone betting big on the digital future of a legacy industry, it’s Thomas Metzger, Co-Founder and CEO of Lotto.com. With a background spanning Wall Street, gaming giants like Scientific Games, and a relentless drive to modernize the lottery experience, Thomas is bringing a 200-year-old institution into the smartphone age with every scratch ticket.

Thomas’ journey began in the high-stakes world of Bear Stearns, where he worked on IPOs for gaming companies like Scientific Games and Wynn. But it wasn’t just the balance sheets that intrigued him, it was the potential for innovation. He later joined Camelot, operator of the UK National Lottery, just as they launched their digital channel. That experience became a foundational lesson that digital growth doesn’t have to come at retail’s expense.

That philosophy now shapes Lotto.com’s strategy. Unlike other digital disruptors, Lotto.com doesn’t aim to replace brick-and-mortar, it's designed to reach people who don’t typically walk into corner stores to buy tickets. Thomas pointed out that the average state lottery spends just 1% of revenue on marketing. Lotto.com steps in to fill that gap, attracting new audiences through digital-first strategies and taking on the risk that state agencies can’t.

Their target player? Younger, digitally native consumers who value convenience and care about where their dollars go. Lotto.com meets them where they are (on their phones) with a seamless scratcher experience that mimics the real thing. It’s all powered by a proprietary multi-scan process that turns paper tickets into digital scratch-offs with interactive reveals.

One of Lotto.com’s proudest innovations is just that: a way to deliver real, state-issued scratch tickets through a completely digital interface. Users can order a ticket online, get a confirmation with a serial number, and then reveal the scratch digitally, complete with all the tactile satisfaction, minus the coin.

But it’s not just about UX. The company has already helped deliver hundreds of millions in education funding, and Thomas doesn’t take that lightly. He’s quick to remind people that even when he’s working 14-hour days, he’s doing it in service of something bigger, like supporting public schools and state programs that often go underfunded.

Lotto.com’s marketing, meanwhile, leans heavily on humor and relatability. One standout TV spot takes viewers through a series of comedic misfortunes, all capped with the simple message, “Welcome to Whenever”. The slogan sums up their ethos that lottery play should be spontaneous, modern, and accessible. As Thomas puts it, “It’s 2025, and you shouldn’t have to find a lottery store.”

He’s also keenly aware of shifting industry dynamics. With only 5% of the U.S. lottery market digitally penetrated, the ceiling is high. Thomas predicts more states will embrace a hybrid model of both direct digital sales and independent couriers. He sees Lotto.com as a complement to state-run systems, not a competitor. And his company is ready to shoulder the risk and do what governments can’t:acquire customers aggressively and keep them coming back.

When asked what the next five years could look like, Thomas didn’t hesitate… More digital scratchers, more states opening up, and a new generation of players who care as much about impact as they do jackpots.

Thomas’ Takeaway

“We've already generated $150 or $200 million for education in the United States. So what job could you take where you would raise that kind of money for a good cause like public education?”

Thomas’ leadership is rooted in impact. He’s building a digital business, but not just for profit, it’s also about access, inclusion, and reinvesting in public good.

To hear more about how Tom and Lotto.com are reshaping the lottery industry while doing meaningful work, listen to the full episode of CMO Weekly.

🥠 The Cookie Jar

Crack open a handful of the week’s best marketing links—because good fortune favors the curious.

• Why Cash App took Timothée Chalamet to the movies. The best place for an ad is where people actually want to be.

• Wendy’s marketing embraces the macabre with ‘Wednesday’ collaboration. When brands match the cultural moment perfectly.

• How Jordan Brand Is Marking ‘40 Years of Greatness’ While Ushering in a Bold New Era. Four decades and still making sneaker history.

• How Liquid Death Created a Dark Marketing Hit with OpenFortune. Who knew misery could be so deliciously viral?

That’s a wrap for this week’s Friday fortune.

If you enjoyed the read, pass it along to your favorite marketer who could use a little extra inspo in their inbox.

Until next time, may your marketing be memorable and your cookies always be fortunate!

— The OpenFortune team