Papi helps Maine Lottery add prize with Red Sox feel

BOSTON -- Lucky lottery players always stand a chance of winning money. Those who play a new instant game offered by the Maine Lottery, however, can also win the experience of watching a Red Sox game in a suite as guests of David Ortiz.

In addition to the $100,000 top prize, 10 second-chance drawing winners are offered the Boston Red Sox Suite Package, which includes food, drinks, a pair of Ortiz game jerseys and two tickets to the Aug. 2 Maine Day game vs. the Rays. A later second-chance drawing presents 10 more winners with the same package for a series-opening tilt with the Orioles on Sept. 25.

"I want to thank the Maine Lottery for making me a partner with them with the game," Ortiz said during a Friday afternoon news conference in the Fenway Park stands. "I think it's going to be a fun ride, just like last year. The most important thing, sometimes people have a hard time trying to get to Fenway and being around all of us. That's why my coming to this, [it's] to make sure we have a good time when you guys come down to Fenway."

The instant game features a scratch-off card with Ortiz's face on it, making him the first Major Leaguer to appear on a lottery ticket. He was presented with a large replica of the ticket by Maine Lottery deputy director Tim Poulin.

"This is the winning ticket right here," the smiling designated hitter said.

Each of the two second-chance drawings also offers an authentic Ortiz game jersey to 50 winners. Lottery tickets can be purchased for $5.

Red Sox executive vice president and COO Sam Kennedy spoke glowingly when introducing Ortiz, citing the slugger's many hours of involvement with the Boston community.

"I was struck by our community report, which we just released this week. There's this incredible picture of David with a young fan," said Kennedy, gesturing toward a photo of Ortiz embracing a small child of nearly half his height. "And to me, this really represents what David Ortiz is all about. It's the little things that he does off the field, in the community, behind the scenes when no one's looking to be such an incredible representative of the Boston Red Sox, an incredible representative of Major League Baseball and a great partner now to the state of Maine."