Last Friday, Flourish Fi’s co-founder & CEO, Pedro Moura, appeared on Univision to discuss the third-largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history. Millions of people across the country were buying tickets, chasing the dream of life-changing wealth, and fueling an excitement that only seems to grow when the jackpot hits record-breaking numbers.

But beyond the headlines, there’s something deeper going on: why are people so captivated by lotteries, and what can banks and fintechs learn from it?

The Psychology of Lotteries and Jackpots

Lotteries tap into a powerful mix of anticipation, hope, and reward. The chance to winning even when the odds are definitely against keeps people engaged because:

  • Big, rare rewards create emotional spikes. A tiny chance at a massive payoff makes people dream, plan, and imagine the “what ifs.”

  • The anticipation itself is rewarding. Behavioral science shows the brain releases dopamine not just when we win but when we anticipate a possible win.

  • Variable rewards keep people coming back. We see this in everything from slot machines to social media likes.

On Univision, Pedro shared practical advice for lottery players: enjoy the excitement but stay financially smart. It’s okay to dream and have a plan for the rest of your money that doesn’t rely on luck. She also shared that when it comes to probability, it is more likely that you can be eaten by a shark or win an Olympic medal than you can win a major Powerball jackpot of $1 billion plus. He left the listener with practical advice of investing alongside playing the lottery for a much better payout. 

Lessons for Financial Institutions

Here’s the big takeaway for banks and fintechs: the same behavioral triggers that make lotteries so engaging can be used to improve financial health and customer loyalty.

Gamification and incentives, when done right, takes the thrill people feel from rare, variable rewards and applies it to positive money habits:

  • On-time loan repayments become milestones worth celebrating.

  • Savings goals turn into achievements with visible progress.

  • Financial knowledge becomes a game, not a chore.

At Flourish Fi, we’ve seen firsthand how behavioral science + gamification can make banking more engaging while also improving customer retention and profitability.

Flourish Fi in Action

Our clients across Latin America and the U.S. use the Flourish Fi platform to:

  • Reward on-time payments: Users earn rewards and unlock the chance to win cash for building good habits.

  • Encourage savings: Small, consistent wins keep people motivated to grow their financial safety net.

  • Boost daily engagement: Banking apps stop being “bill-paying” tools and become platforms for financial growth and learning.

The results? Higher engagement rates, improved repayment behavior, and stronger customer relationships. Flourish Fi’s impact was highlighted in a research paper by Prof. Simon Blanchard of Georgetown University and Prof. Mike Palazzolo of UC Davis. Their findings showed that disabling the gamification module led to a 20% drop in app logins, an 18% decrease in bill payments, and a 31% decline in on-time loan repayments. This shows how powerful behavioral design can be for financial engagement and outcomes.

Turning Financial Tasks into Rewarding Experiences

Pedro’s Univision appearance shows just how powerful human motivation can be when paired with the right incentives. For banks and fintechs, the message is clear: design experiences that make financial wellbeing engaging, rewarding, and fun. Make everyone win!

Ready to see how gamification can transform your customer experience?

→ Explore Flourish Fi Solutions

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