The Hoosier Lottery is on pace to potentially meet or exceed the $1.75 billion annual ticket sales record it set just last year.
Data presented Wednesday to the State Lottery Commission show lottery ticket sales through the first 10 months of Indiana's budget year are running $8.1 million, or 0.6%, higher than the same period in the prior budget year.
Big draw game jackpots primarily are responsible for the year-over-year sales growth as Hoosiers continue purchasing fistfuls of tickets trying to win Powerball, MegaMillions and Hoosier Lotto jackpots that have been at or near all-time highs several times in recent months.
Hoosier Lottery records show Powerball revenue is up $16.7 million, or 14.5%, compared to this time last year; MegaMillions revenue has increased $12.8 million, or 16.4%; and Hoosier Lotto revenue has grown $8.6 million, or 23.2%, relative to last year.
At the same time, the popularity of big-jackpot draw game sales may be slightly depressing scratch-off lottery ticket sales, which comprise the overwhelming majority of Hoosier Lottery revenue.
Scratch-off sales declined $15.6 million, or 1.4%, between July 2023 and April 2024, compared to the same 10-month period in the prior year, data show.
That drop, however, was nearly entirely made up by sales of non-jackpot draw games, such as Daily 3, Daily 4, Ca$h 5, and FastPlay, that collectively are up $11.3 million, or 7.6%, versus last year.
The Hoosier Lottery is hoping to boost both of those categories by releasing "Team USA" themed scratch-off and FastPlay tickets, along with a "Team USA" second-chance contest, ahead of the Summer Olympics set to begin July 26 in Paris.
Data show approximately 65% of Hoosier Lottery revenue, or $1.1 billion, annually is returned to lottery players in the form of game prizes.
The remainder, after deducting retailer commissions, authorized expenses, and a $19.7 million incentive payment for the lottery's sales and marketing operator, is paid to the state.
The bulk of that money is used to reduce the annual excise tax paid by Hoosier motor vehicle owners, while a total of $60 million is earmarked for police, firefighter and teacher pensions, records show.
According to the Hoosier Lottery, assuming lottery revenues remain on track through June 30, an estimated $368.6 million will be distributed to the state this year for what the lottery describes as "good causes."
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