Lottery generates $1.2B for programs for PA seniors

MIDDLETOWN — Pennsylvania Lottery officials recently announced that the Lottery generated a profit of nearly $1.2 billion to benefit older Pennsylvanians during the 2021-22 fiscal year.

This is the 11th consecutive year the Lottery has generated more than $1 billion for senior programs, which include property tax and rent rebates, free and reduced-fare transportation, prescription assistance, and more.

The profit was driven by the Lottery selling a total of $5 billion in traditional games, which include Scratch-Off tickets and Draw Games, such as Powerball and Mega Millions.

Meanwhile, the Lottery generated $746.5 million in sales from its online games. The Lottery’s online games continue to be very popular with players since their launch in May 2018.

“This fiscal year was the second-best for sales and second-best for profits in the Lottery’s 50-year history,” said Pennsylvania Lottery executive director Drew Svitko. “That means Pennsylvania seniors will continue to have access to free and reduced-fare transportation, prescription assistance, free meals, rent and property tax rebates and a host of other programs and services that are funded by the Lottery. We are extremely proud of our commitment and mission to continue funding the programs that benefit older Pennsylvanians.”

The 2021-22 fiscal year followed the all-time record fiscal year of 202021, when an extraordinary 20 percent growth rate greatly eclipsed the Lottery’s projections. As a result, it was anticipated that sales and profit for the 2021-2022 fiscal year would decline slightly. Here are some overall highlights from the fiscal year that ran from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022:

• Sales of Scratch-Off games totaled more than $3.5 billion, down by $244.5 million, or 6.5 percent, from the previous year. These games account for 70 percent of total traditional sales.

• Sales of Draw Games in-store and online totaled more than $1.3 billion for the fiscal year, down by $48.9 million, or 3.6 percent, from the previous year’s total. Draw Games currently available for purchase online include Powerball, Mega Millions, Treasure Hunt, Cash4Life, PICK games and Match 6 Lotto.

• The Lottery totaled

more than $746.5 million in online play, down $140.4 million, or 15.8 percent from the prior fiscal year.

• Sales of Fast Play games totaled more than $149.1 million, an increase of more than $5.2 million, or 3.6 percent, from the previous fiscal year.

• Sales of Monitor Games, which include Keno and Xpress Sports games, totaled an estimated $55.7 million this fiscal year, an increase of more than $800,000, or 1.5 percent, from the previous fiscal year.

• Traditional game prizes paid to winners were more than $3.3 billion. A total of 76 winning tickets of $1 million or more were paid to players during the 2021-22 fiscal year.

• More than $655 million in prizes were paid out to winners of online eInstant games and to winners who purchased Draw Games online.

• More than 10,000 licensed Lottery retailers statewide, many of them small and family-owned businesses, earned an estimated $286.4 million in sales commissions.

The Pennsylvania Lottery operates as a bureau within the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. Financial statements are available at palottery.com, under Annual Sales & Benefit Reports.