Lottery Funding to Support the Common School Fund
CHICAGO, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Illinois Lottery today announced its results for the first six months of the 2024 fiscal year, in which the Lottery has generated $1.9 billion in sales leading to estimated returns to the State of Illinois of $456 million so far.
These results continue the track record of performance established in recent years with record annual sales in FY19, FY21, and FY23, and record proceeds to the State of Illinois in FY22 and FY23. The major drivers of the record performance are the historic volume of multi-billion dollar multi-state jackpots and increasing digital performance.
Additionally, the Illinois Lottery raised over $4.1 million in the first half of the 2024 fiscal year for good causes in Illinois. The Lottery’s specialty scratch ticket program generates much needed revenue for causes such as homelessness, Alzheimer’s, breast cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, HIV/AIDS, police memorials, Special Olympics, and Illinois veterans. As of January 1, 2024, two additional good causes will benefit from lottery funding: the United Negro College Fund and DREAM Fund.
“For 50 years, the Lottery has provided Illinois residents with fun and entertainment, a chance to win, and an opportunity to make a difference through the funding we generate – with K-12 education as the Lottery’s primary benefactor during most of our time serving Illinois. The Lottery has contributed more than $24 billion in revenue to educational funding in Illinois,” said Harold Mays, Illinois Lottery Director.
During the fiscal period, the Illinois Lottery launched its first-ever $50 Instant Ticket. The ticket was an ‘instant’ success with strong sales performance generating over $500,000 a week for the Common School Fund since mid-December.
“A $50 scratch ticket is not new to the lottery industry, but new to Illinois, and it’s proven to be popular with players and retailers alike,” said Mays. “Already, three Illinois players have won $1 million playing this game. There are three top prizes of $10 million still to be won, and we can’t wait to meet those lucky players.”
During the fiscal period, the year of the billion-dollar jackpot continued with three jackpots of $1 billion or more in Powerball and Mega Millions. The Powerball jackpot rolled to $1.0 billion in July 2023, Mega Millions rolled to $1.6 billion in August 2023, and then Powerball rolled to $1.7 billion in October 2023.
Illinois Lottery players won total prizes of $1.2 billion during the first six months of the 2024 fiscal year, including 26 players who won prizes of $1 million or more.
The largest prize won in Illinois during the reported period was a $23.75 million Lotto jackpot won on a single ticket bought from the family-owned BP gas station at 400 E. 95th Street in Chicago in September 2023. This was the largest Lotto prize won in Illinois in more than seven years.
The Department of Lottery and operating partner Allwyn (formerly known as Camelot) have worked together since 2018 to responsibly grow the Lottery and generate funding to support education and good causes. Allwyn helps lotteries raise funding for good causes and the communities they serve, by driving innovation, digitization, customer insights, efficiency, and player safety.
“With a focus on digital innovation, combined with retail excellence, we are growing the Lottery’s player base and sales by offering engaging game content and new ways to play, backed by a data-driven and machine-learning based approach to Customer Relations Management,” said Keith Horton, Illinois General Manager and General Counsel for Allwyn North America.
The Illinois Lottery is supported by Allwyn’s iLottery platform, website, and app which have helped grow online players and sales year-over-year, with iLottery sales in the first half of the 2024 fiscal year up by a third over the same period in the prior year.
The 2024 Financial Year runs from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, and the full-year audited returns to the state will be published later in the year.
About the Illinois Lottery
The Illinois Lottery, founded in 1974, has contributed over $24 billion to the State’s Common School Fund in support of K-12 public education in Illinois since 1985. The Common School Fund is the Illinois Lottery’s primary benefactor, receiving nearly 99% of Illinois Lottery proceeds. The Illinois Lottery also supports various specialty causes as described in the Illinois Lottery Law (20 ILCS 1605/21.4). For more information about the Illinois Lottery and the causes we support, please visit IllinoisLottery.com.
About Allwyn North America
Allwyn is the private manager of the Illinois Lottery, working in partnership with the Illinois Department of Lottery to operate a modern lottery that benefits the people of Illinois. For more information see: www.Allwyn-NorthAmerica.com
MEDIA CONTACT:
Emilia Mazur
[email protected]
(312) 802-4303
