The Illinois Lottery has published ‘outstanding’ results for the first six months of FY22, revealing it has broken its previous sales record by 6%.
For the half-year period ending December 31, lottery sales totalled $1.7bn as it generated $431m for the state’s Common School Fund, benefitting from an upsurge in users of the Illinois Lottery website and app. Around $4m in sales per week were conducted via this method.
The first half of the fiscal year saw the launch of a new Monday night Powerball draw and opening of 200 new retail locations in Walmart and CVS stores across the state.
Harold Mays, Acting Director at Illinois Lottery, commented: “The Illinois Lottery is a valuable state asset, generating essential revenue for the Common School Fund and good causes across the great State of Illinois.
“Lottery proceeds directly support K-12 education and causes such as breast cancer awareness, Alzheimer’s support, and homelessness prevention. A successful first half-year allows us to continue to deliver for the State.
“We thank our retailers and their teams, who continue to show up every day to sell tickets – they’ve contributed greatly to these results for the State of Illinois.”
Over the six-month period, a total of $1.1bn was won in prizes as players were treated to daily instant games and jackpots. The biggest win was achieved by a Cottage Hills resident, who scooped $8.9m from playing Lotto.
Since 2018, Camelot Illinois has been the private manager of the Illinois Lottery, working in conjunction with the Department of Lottery to help the lottery’s growth which now sees two-thirds of the state play.
Keith Horton, General Manager and General Counsel of Camelot Illinois, added: “With a vast retail network of over 7,000 stores and a world-class website and app, the Illinois Lottery continues to navigate the pandemic to deliver great games, engaging content, award-winning marketing, and a convenient play experience.
“Our strategy is focused on attracting more people to play the Lottery a little. And, thanks to game innovations and a modern play experience, more Illinoisians now play the Lottery on a regular basis.”