Texas Lottery spends big bucks on commercial

'All that Cash' commercial cost nearly $900,000

SAN ANTONIOThe Texas Lottery has sold more than $3 billion in tickets this fiscal year. But advertising takes a big bite out of the profits.

The "All that Cash" commercial now running on TV has three different versions, including one in Spanish.

The estimate just to make these commercials was $912,000, although the actual cost came in slightly below $900,000. Casting was in Dallas and Los Angeles and talent alone for the Spanish commercial cost $33,000. Then more money is spent on things like hair, makeup, wardrobe, a choreographer and other expenses.

Stanley Guyewski hopes to win every time he buys a ticket but was surprised at the cost of the commercials. "I think that's too much money," Guyewski said.

Others say that kind of money should go to the schools like the lottery promised.

Frank Struve plays often. "I believe the lottery should be putting the money where it needs to be going: back into the school system, back into the thing it was created for," Struve said.

Kristina Reynolds does not play the lottery but also said the schools should get that money. "They have ugly textbooks that are falling apart and stuff like that and they don't have the funds that they need," Reynolds said.

Add to the production costs the costs of television air time to run the commercial. Texas spent $1.4 million to run the commercial on Texas TV stations during March and April alone.

The Texas Lottery in an emailed statement said it takes money to make money. They say the "lowest bid was selected for that commercial." And that "the advertising budget has decreased from $40 million in 1993 to $32 million in 2011."

The lottery also pointed out in the email that "a study showed for each additional dollar spent on advertising, an additional $5 to $25 in lottery sales could be anticipated.

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