"The Roles of Luck" is a podcast exclusively for members of the lottery industry. Host Byron La Fleur interviews lottery directors, marketers, vendors, and other industry professionals, diving into their lives, careers, and daily experiences.
In this episode of The Roles of Luck, Byron LaFleur sits down with Scientific Games’ Ken “Kenny” Andrey to explore how lotteries can create one connected player experience across retail and digital channels.
14 May 2026
“Imagine Powerball as a Global Entertainment Brand...” Matt Strawn, Iowa Lottery
Powerball is one of the most recognizable lottery brands in the world, but its future may be much bigger than jackpots alone. In this episode of The Roles of Luck, Byron La Fleur and Robert Tirloni are joined by Matt Strawn, CEO of the Iowa Lottery, to discuss Powerball’s evolution into a global entertainment brand.
19 Mar 2026
Now It Feels Like Arkansas* Always Wins - Sharon Strong & Karen Reynolds, Arkansas Lottery
On December 24, a lucky Arkansas player won the second-largest Powerball prize. Life-changing, of course, but it also got me wondering what that must have been like for the folks at the lottery, whose Christmas plans were probably interrupted. So today, Sharon Strong, Executive Director, and Karen Reynolds, Director of Marketing, from the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery join us to share exactly how it all went down. Enjoy!
22 Jan 2026
“We Have an AI Task Force.” Khalid Jones, Virginia Lottery
The latest episode of La Fleur's Podcast, The Roles of Luck, is out now! Khalid Jones, Executive Director of the Virginia Lottery, joins Robert Tirloni and me to talk about what it takes to modernize a lottery. We start with one of the biggest forces reshaping every industry right now, artificial intelligence.
14 Aug 2025
"Lottery Beyond the Ticket" - Alec Thomson & Chris Rogers
Arizona Lottery's Alec Thomson and Chris Rogers discuss experiential prizes that elevate the brand beyond tickets with Byron, sharing insights on campaign success and future strategies.
6 Jun 2025
Constraints, Competition, and Contributions - Jim Carey.mp3
Jim Carey Jr., New Jersey Lottery Executive Director, discusses the increasing competition in the lottery industry and how the New Jersey Lottery adapts to maintain contributions to public employee pensions in an interview with La Fleur's Magazine.
16 Jan 2025
"At Its Simplest, Bulk Purchasing Is…" - John Martin
Byron La Fleur speaks with John Martin, Director of Maryland Lottery & Gaming, covering a range of topics from responsible gaming to the unique challenges of “bulk purchasing” of lottery tickets. The conversation begins with John’s reflections on a recent Economist article, America’s gambling boom should be celebrated, not feared." (https://www.economist.com/leaders/2024/12/05/americas-gambling-boom-should-be-celebrated-not-feared)
Byron and John then dive into the idea of bulk purchasing: groups buying up massive quantities of tickets or wagers to capture big jackpots. John recounts Maryland’s real-world experience with a group known as “Black Swan,” which aggressively targeted high-dollar prizes on both scratch-off tickets and progressive fast play games. Their coordinated efforts prompted the Maryland Lottery to implement new “guardrails,” such as daily sales thresholds, to keep play fair for regular customers and protect retailers from large financial risks.
The episode also addresses how other state lotteries are handling similar situations. While some might see high-volume buying as extra revenue, there’s concern about fairness, public perception, and the overall integrity of lottery games. Ultimately, John underscores the importance of each lottery deciding for itself how to strike the balance: raising funds for good causes while ensuring players have equitable chances—and a positive experience with the lottery.
13 Nov 2024
"I Wouldn't Use the Word Impossible" - Ryan Mindell, Shad Barnes, Scott Kenyon
In the first episode of The Roles of Luck, host Byron La Fleur interviews Ryan Mindell, Executive Director of the Texas Lottery, discussing his journey to this leadership role. Jessica Parker, editor of La Fleur's Magazine, then reads an abridged version of the story A Local Monster, featuring Shad Barnes, Senior Manager of Digital Marketing at the Oregon Lottery. The episode wraps up with an interview with Scott Kenyon, Deputy Executive Director of Marketing at the Virginia Lottery, on the launch of their new game, Let's Make a Deal.
Who has been a guest on La Fleur's The Roles of Luck
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Alec Thomson
Chris Rogers
Jim Carey Jr
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
8 ratings
Spotify
1.0 / 5
1 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 8 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
3
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
32
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Guest appearances
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