ABOUT HOHE BRÜCKE
Winning goes back a long way at HOHE BRÜCKE
Ever since Emperor Franz Joseph himself entrusted Consul Josef Stein with organising the Austrian Class Lottery, thousands of people have been fortunate enough to take home millions in prizes.
I hereby give my assent to the bill passed by both houses of the Imperial Council to abolish the number lottery and introduce the class lottery and present you with the act of law bearing my signature.
– EMPEROR FRANZ JOSEPH
1913
Founded by Consul Josef Stein (owner of the Stein banking house), the second husband of Hermine von Mihalovits, née Imperial Countess Kolowrat-Krakowsky
Licensed by personal decree of Emperor Franz Joseph on 3 January 1913
1913 - 1938
Glücksstelle Stein (Stein Gambling Agency) established as the market leader in the class lottery (slogan: Über die Hohe Brücke führt der Weg zum Glücke, which literally translates to “The path to good fortune leads across Hohe Brücke/the high bridge”)
Organised in the Ministry of Finance by K & K Gefällsdirektion (Imperial and Royal Tax Directorate), later by K & K Generaldirektion der Staatslotterien (Imperial and Royal General Directorate of State Lotteries), and then by Dienststelle der Staatslotterien (Department of State Lotteries) (until 1962)
1928
Branch network expanded to Czechoslovakia (Prague and Karlovy Vary)
Name changed from Deutsch-Österreichische Klassenlotterie (German-Austrian Class Lottery) to Österreichische Klassenlotterie (Austrian Class Lottery)
1938
Business taken over by Consul Stein’s stepson, Zdenko von Mihalovits, for political reasons
Name changed to Ostmärkische Klassenlotterie (Ostmark Class Lottery) (40th lottery)
1939
Name changed to Geschäftsstelle Zdenko Mihalovits (Zdenko Mihalovits Agency)
Integrated into Deutsche Reichslotterie (German State Lottery)
1946
Bad Ischl branch opened in the western zone
New/old name: Österreichische Klassenlotterie (Austrian Class Lottery) (41st lottery)
1953
Bi-weekly draw cycle introduced (previously one draw per month)
1962
“Jubilee customer” honoured: the 1,000th win of a million at Hohe Brücke since 1913 was paid out to a regular player
Organised in the Ministry of Finance by Österreichische Glücksspielmonopolverwaltung (Austrian Gaming Monopoly Administration)
1968
Prize schedule expanded from 5 to 6 classes
1975
Draw schedule changed to weekly draws
1980
Company acquired by Hans Pressel (son-in-law of Zdenko von Mihalovits)
1981–1994
Number of tickets gradually increased from 70,000 to 200,000 and jackpot gradually increased from 8 to 50 million schillings
1982
Bad Ischl branch closed
Final draw first broadcast on live TV
1983
Office premises completely renovated
1985
International business launched in Germany and the Netherlands, later also in Japan and the United States
1991
Hohe Brücke became the largest agency (45% market share)
1994
Main sponsor of Hohe Brücke Open, the largest professional golf tournament in Austria, organised by the PGA European Tour
1995
Company sold to Wilhelm Gorton and Walter Wolf
1997
New markets entered in East and Southeast Europe
Gold lottery with additional prizes of 100kg of gold
1998
First ever TV commercial
Start of interactive TV commercials with a call centre
1999
New IT software and hardware; start of online sales
Special “Millennium Game” to mark the turn of the millennium
2000
New company name: Geschäftsstelle der Klassenlotterie HOHE BRÜCKE Ges.m.b.H.
150th “Anniversary Lottery” launched with a new schedule (“Win a million every day”)
2002
Glücksstelle Moser (Moser Gambling Agency) acquired with a branch in Linz
Number of tickets increased from 200,000 to 250,000 as of the 154th class lottery
2002
Comprehensive product relaunch: replacement tickets discontinued as of the 155th class lottery, Super Class introduced
2003
90th anniversary of HOHE BRÜCKE; class lottery customers taken over from Österreichische Postsparkasse
90th anniversary of the class lottery (13 November); win2day website launched
2004
New service for our customers: Hohe Brücke online account; redesign and modernisation of the premises in Vienna; premises in Vienna sublet to the GRUBER-REISEN travel agency
Doubling of prizes: prizes in the 5th class of the 159th class lottery doubled by the lottery organiser as part of a special promotion
2005
Walter Wolf’s shares in the company acquired by Michael Gröller Glücksstelle AZET (AZET Gambling Agency) acquired with a branch in Salzburg
Letters from the executive directors first used by Austrian Lotteries as a marketing tool
2006
Michalek agency acquired in Vienna
2007
Change of ownership in Austrian Lotteries (BAWAG shares sold to Casinos Austria AG)
2008
Branch in Salzburg completely renovated and cooperation with MyHome Music implemented
2010
Cooperation with Mrs. Sporty (Steffi Graf’s fitness centre) in the Vienna premises
Prize schedule changed – number of prizes in the first class increased
2011
Class lottery customers taken over from Steiermärkische Sparkasse – Hohe Brücke reached a market share of around 50%
25th anniversary of Austrian Lotteries
2012
Hohe Brücke website relaunched: modernisation of the website, customer-friendly navigation, simplified ordering process
Gold Class introduced
2013
100th anniversary of Hohe Brücke – Hohe Brücke website relaunched: modernisation of the website, customer-friendly navigation, simplified ordering process
100th anniversary of the class lottery
2014
HOHE BRÜCKE Ges.m.b.H. & Co. KG – o.z., Bratislava/Slovakia founded
klassenlos.at website launched as a joint website to attract new customers online
2015
New company name after restructuring: HOHE BRÜCKE GmbH
Association of Class Lottery Agencies and Austrian Lotteries jointly implement a two-year sales growth programme
2016
Branches in Linz and Salzburg closed
Executive director Friedrich Stickler, who had been in charge of the Austrian Class Lottery since the inception of Austrian Lotteries, retired
2017
IT department established in Bratislava (focus on online marketing)
Change of ownership in the CASAG/Austrian Lotteries Group: majority acquired by Novomatic and a group of Czech investors
1913
Founded by Consul Josef Stein (owner of the Stein banking house), the second husband of Hermine von Mihalovits, née Imperial Countess Kolowrat-Krakowsky
Licensed by personal decree of Emperor Franz Joseph on 3 January 1913
1913 - 1938
Glücksstelle Stein (Stein Gambling Agency) established as the market leader in the class lottery (slogan: Über die Hohe Brücke führt der Weg zum Glücke, which literally translates to “The path to good fortune leads across Hohe Brücke/the high bridge”)
Organised in the Ministry of Finance by K & K Gefällsdirektion (Imperial and Royal Tax Directorate), later by K & K Generaldirektion der Staatslotterien (Imperial and Royal General Directorate of State Lotteries), and then by Dienststelle der Staatslotterien (Department of State Lotteries) (until 1962)
1928
Branch network expanded to Czechoslovakia (Prague and Karlovy Vary)
Name changed from Deutsch-Österreichische Klassenlotterie (German-Austrian Class Lottery) to Österreichische Klassenlotterie (Austrian Class Lottery)
1938
Business taken over by Consul Stein’s stepson, Zdenko von Mihalovits, for political reasons
Name changed to Ostmärkische Klassenlotterie (Ostmark Class Lottery) (40th lottery)
1939
Name changed to Geschäftsstelle Zdenko Mihalovits (Zdenko Mihalovits Agency)
Integrated into Deutsche Reichslotterie (German State Lottery)
1946
Bad Ischl branch opened in the western zone
New/old name: Österreichische Klassenlotterie (Austrian Class Lottery) (41st lottery)
1953
Bi-weekly draw cycle introduced (previously one draw per month)
1962
“Jubilee customer” honoured: the 1,000th win of a million at Hohe Brücke since 1913 was paid out to a regular player
Organised in the Ministry of Finance by Österreichische Glücksspielmonopolverwaltung (Austrian Gaming Monopoly Administration)
1968
Prize schedule expanded from 5 to 6 classes
1975
Draw schedule changed to weekly draws
1980
Company acquired by Hans Pressel (son-in-law of Zdenko von Mihalovits)
1981–1994
Number of tickets gradually increased from 70,000 to 200,000 and jackpot gradually increased from 8 to 50 million schillings
1982
Bad Ischl branch closed
Final draw first broadcast on live TV
1983
Office premises completely renovated
1985
International business launched in Germany and the Netherlands, later also in Japan and the United States
1991
Hohe Brücke became the largest agency (45% market share)
1994
Main sponsor of Hohe Brücke Open, the largest professional golf tournament in Austria, organised by the PGA European Tour
1995
Company sold to Wilhelm Gorton and Walter Wolf
1997
New markets entered in East and Southeast Europe
Gold lottery with additional prizes of 100kg of gold
1998
First ever TV commercial
Start of interactive TV commercials with a call centre
1999
New IT software and hardware; start of online sales
Special “Millennium Game” to mark the turn of the millennium
2000
New company name: Geschäftsstelle der Klassenlotterie HOHE BRÜCKE Ges.m.b.H.
150th “Anniversary Lottery” launched with a new schedule (“Win a million every day”)
2002
Glücksstelle Moser (Moser Gambling Agency) acquired with a branch in Linz
Number of tickets increased from 200,000 to 250,000 as of the 154th class lottery
2002
Comprehensive product relaunch: replacement tickets discontinued as of the 155th class lottery, Super Class introduced
2003
90th anniversary of HOHE BRÜCKE; class lottery customers taken over from Österreichische Postsparkasse
90th anniversary of the class lottery (13 November); win2day website launched
2004
New service for our customers: Hohe Brücke online account; redesign and modernisation of the premises in Vienna; premises in Vienna sublet to the GRUBER-REISEN travel agency
Doubling of prizes: prizes in the 5th class of the 159th class lottery doubled by the lottery organiser as part of a special promotion
2005
Walter Wolf’s shares in the company acquired by Michael Gröller Glücksstelle AZET (AZET Gambling Agency) acquired with a branch in Salzburg
Letters from the executive directors first used by Austrian Lotteries as a marketing tool
2006
Michalek agency acquired in Vienna
2007
Change of ownership in Austrian Lotteries (BAWAG shares sold to Casinos Austria AG)
2008
Branch in Salzburg completely renovated and cooperation with MyHome Music implemented
2010
Cooperation with Mrs. Sporty (Steffi Graf’s fitness centre) in the Vienna premises
Prize schedule changed – number of prizes in the first class increased
2011
Class lottery customers taken over from Steiermärkische Sparkasse – Hohe Brücke reached a market share of around 50%
25th anniversary of Austrian Lotteries
2012
Hohe Brücke website relaunched: modernisation of the website, customer-friendly navigation, simplified ordering process
Gold Class introduced
2013
100th anniversary of Hohe Brücke – Hohe Brücke website relaunched: modernisation of the website, customer-friendly navigation, simplified ordering process
100th anniversary of the class lottery
2014
HOHE BRÜCKE Ges.m.b.H. & Co. KG – o.z., Bratislava/Slovakia founded
klassenlos.at website launched as a joint website to attract new customers online
2015
New company name after restructuring: HOHE BRÜCKE GmbH
Association of Class Lottery Agencies and Austrian Lotteries jointly implement a two-year sales growth programme
2016
Branches in Linz and Salzburg closed
Executive director Friedrich Stickler, who had been in charge of the Austrian Class Lottery since the inception of Austrian Lotteries, retired
2017
IT department established in Bratislava (focus on online marketing)
Change of ownership in the CASAG/Austrian Lotteries Group: majority acquired by Novomatic and a group of Czech investors