“We are incredibly grateful to our loyal players, hardworking retailers, and dedicated staff and Board whose contributions have created opportunities for so many deserving South Carolinians,” said the Lottery’s Executive Director Hogan Brown. “The Lottery will keep the momentum going and continue to raise funds for education in a responsible manner.”

COLUMBIA, SC (January 10, 2024) – South Carolina’s students have 8 BILLION reasons to celebrate the Lottery’s birthday this year. The Lottery turned 22 on Sunday and is announcing proceeds raised for education have now exceeded $8 BILLION.

“We are incredibly grateful to our loyal players, hardworking retailers, and dedicated staff and Board whose contributions have created opportunities for so many deserving South Carolinians,” said the Lottery’s Executive Director Hogan Brown. “The Lottery will keep the momentum going and continue to raise funds for education in a responsible manner.”

Since the first lottery tickets were sold in South Carolina on January 7, 2002, an average of almost a million dollars a day has been raised for education. Lottery players have won more than $20 billion in prize money and lottery retailers have earned in excess of $2 billion in commissions since the games began.

In the year ahead, lottery players can enjoy a newly released Rewards program for cash and other fun prizes, and exciting changes are coming to South Carolina’s own five-number game, Palmetto Cash 5, in March.

Chairman of the SC Lottery Commission, Sam Litchfield adds, “Achieving $8 billion for education is a meaningful milestone for us and for our state.  These funds have and will continue to allow South Carolinians to earn a great education from start to finish. We are so lucky to have a Board made of commissioners and staff all dedicated to transfer as much as possible to education in our great state of South Carolina”

Lottery proceeds are deposited into the Education Lottery Account, from which the General Assembly makes appropriations in support of higher education scholarships and grants, K-12 public education programs and community education programs throughout the state.

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