Monthly Milestones
25 YEARS & COUNTINGTo celebrate 25 years (and counting) of making Louisiana a better place to live, work and play, the Louisiana Lottery invites you to take a trip through the historical milestones that helped us become what we are today in 2016 – a thriving company dedicated to maximizing revenue for the state, while offering players exciting games and supporting local businesses. We'll add new milestones every month!JANUARYJanuary 7, 1992. The Louisiana Lottery launches its first Mardi Gras game, Mardi Gras Doubler, with 11 integrated scenes and a top prize of $50,000. Since then, carnival season games have become a staple both at the $1 and $2 price points due to their popularity. January 15, 1996. The Problem Gambling Helpline is launched by the state, and the Lottery adds the number to all tickets and advertising. 
January 16, 2008. Carl Hunter of Metairie wins the single largest prize in Louisiana Lottery history, a $97 million Powerball jackpot, from a ticket he purchased along with a gallon of milk at West Metairie Shell.January 22, 1992. The first draw-style jackpot game, Lotto is introduced with a starting jackpot of $2 million paid as a 20-year annuity. Happy 25th birthday, Lotto! 
January 25, 2001. The Lottery launches its first $10 game, The Golden Ticket, which included one scratch-and-reveal ticket for a chance to win a $250,000 or $25,000, plus 10 additional games to win smaller prizes-- all packaged inside of a gold foil pouch. Every pouch contained at least one winning ticket worth $3. Today, $10 games account for 24 percent of scratch-off sales.DECEMBER
December 16, 2013. The Lottery launches the first $5 Duck Dynasty-branded scratch-off in the country, with five tickets scenes featuring members of A&E Network’s hit reality series.December 1999. Eight years after starting sales, cumulative Lottery transfers to the state treasury reach $1 billion.
December 17, 2007. The Lottery launches its Let the Good Times Roll scratch-off featuring the artwork of Louisiana artist Darrin Butler, who won the Louisiana JAZZ art contest sponsored in conjunction with the Office of the Louisiana Lieutenant Governor and the Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism. His stained wood art of a New Orleans second-line becomes the Lottery Mardi Gras game for the 2008 carnival season. NOVEMBER
November 23, 1991. The Lottery launches its fourth scratch-off and first holiday game, Holiday Cash!November 16, 2011. The Lottery begins sales for the multistate game, Mega Millions, a $1 per play draw-style game featuring starting jackpots of $12 million and drawings on Tuesdays and Fridays. By joining a second multistate game, the Lottery was able to offer players an additional option with new draw nights, in advance of Powerball’s move to a $2 ticket price in January 2012.
November 2006. The Louisiana Lottery becomes the first in the country to receive verification from the North American Association of State & Provincial Lotteries (NASPL) that its quality assurance program meets industry best practices for its processes and procedures in defining, developing, and accepting software products for installation. The Lottery pursued and implemented this best practice to reduce risk, improve performance, reduce costs and increase public confidence and player satisfaction and has retained the certification via an ongoing renewal process since first receiving it. OCTOBER
October 4, 2015. Changes are made to the multistate jackpot game Powerball in an effort to produce larger jackpots and better overall odds of winning. A 10X multiplier is added to the Power Play add-on feature for drawings with jackpots under $150 million. The match-4 plus Powerball prize jumps from $10,000 to $50,000.
October 6, 1990. By a 7 to 3 margin, Louisiana voters approve a constitutional amendment (Act 1045 of the 1990 Legislature) creating the Louisiana Lottery Corporation as a way to generate state revenue without increasing taxes. The decision on creating a Lottery was based on estimated annual sales of $129 million to $164 million which the Lottery has surpassed every year.SEPTEMBER
September 6, 1991. The first instant scratch-off game Louisiana Treasures goes on sale with a top prize of $5,000. Players could collect five nonwinning tickets and enter them into a Grand Drawing for $250,000 held in Shreveport. The five-scene $1 game launches at a quantity of 52 million and stays on sale for just five months.
September 8, 2009. The Lottery partners with the New Orleans Saints to launch the first-ever team themed scratch-off game with a series of second-chance drawings for game ticket packages and autographed merchandise. Saints go on to become World Champions the same season!
September 14, 1998. Designed in house by Lottery Art Director Dwain Richard, Louisiana’s first $5 scratch-off game $100,000 Bayou Jackpot launches with 1.2 million tickets that feature blackjack, roulette, dice and horse racing play areas. A month and a half later, another 1.2 million tickets were ordered to keep up with player demand.
September 16, 2006. To replace CashQuest, the Lottery brings back Easy 5 with a starting jackpot of $50,000. New for the relaunch, the ezmatch option becomes available as a $1 instant-win ticket add-on that is still a popular component of the game today. 
September 26, 1992. The Robert H. LeBas Family Partnership of Church Point claims the largest Lotto jackpot of $21,208,165 from a ticket purchased at Kelly’s IGA in Church Point. Store owner John Kelly Lejeune helps out the winner by storing the ticket in his store’s safe and hiring security until the winner can make the trip to Lottery headquarters in Baton Rouge to claim the prize. Lotto jackpots regularly exceeded $2 million and were originally offered as a 20-year annuity until June 17, 1995 when they become lump-sum cash prizes.AUGUST
August 31, 1992. The second Louisiana Lottery draw-style game, Pick 3, launches with daily drawings. The numbers 6-6-7 are drawn that evening and have since come up straight 12 times in the more than 8,600 Pick 3 drawings that have occurred since then.
August 8, 1997. The first $3 scratch-off game, Weekly Grand launches (#014) giving players the chance to win $1,000 a week for 20 years! The ticket features two different play areas, combining a key-number match and match-3 playstyles. The two grand-prize winners are still receiving payments today after winning their prizes in March 1998. JULY
July 1, 2002. After renting its first official office space on Industriplex Boulevard in Baton Rouge. The Lottery’s headquarters moves to its permanent building in downtown Baton Rouge.
July 1, 2004. A constitutional amendment approved by voters takes effect to dedicate Lottery proceeds to the Minimum Foundation Program, which funds K-12 public education in Louisiana. Since the Lottery’s inception the vast majority of its proceeds were appropriated to public education, but the constitutional amendment makes the dedication official to rid any public confusion.
25 YEARS & COUNTINGTo celebrate 25 years (and counting) of making Louisiana a better place to live, work and play, the Louisiana Lottery invites you to take a trip through the historical milestones that helped us become what we are today in 2016 – a thriving company dedicated to maximizing revenue for the state, while offering players exciting games and supporting local businesses. We'll add new milestones every month!JANUARYJanuary 7, 1992. The Louisiana Lottery launches its first Mardi Gras game, Mardi Gras Doubler, with 11 integrated scenes and a top prize of $50,000. Since then, carnival season games have become a staple both at the $1 and $2 price points due to their popularity. January 15, 1996. The Problem Gambling Helpline is launched by the state, and the Lottery adds the number to all tickets and advertising. January 16, 2008. Carl Hunter of Metairie wins the single largest prize in Louisiana Lottery history, a $97 million Powerball jackpot, from a ticket he purchased along with a gallon of milk at West Metairie Shell.January 22, 1992. The first draw-style jackpot game, Lotto is introduced with a starting jackpot of $2 million paid as a 20-year annuity. Happy 25th birthday, Lotto!January 25, 2001. The Lottery launches its first $10 game, The Golden Ticket, which included one scratch-and-reveal ticket for a chance to win a $250,000 or $25,000, plus 10 additional games to win smaller prizes-- all packaged inside of a gold foil pouch. Every pouch contained at least one winning ticket worth $3. Today, $10 games account for 24 percent of scratch-off sales.DECEMBERDecember 16, 2013. The Lottery launches the first $5 Duck Dynasty-branded scratch-off in the country, with five tickets scenes featuring members of A&E Network’s hit reality series.December 1999. Eight years after starting sales, cumulative Lottery transfers to the state treasury reach $1 billion.December 17, 2007. The Lottery launches its Let the Good Times Roll scratch-off featuring the artwork of Louisiana artist Darrin Butler, who won the Louisiana JAZZ art contest sponsored in conjunction with the Office of the Louisiana Lieutenant Governor and the Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism. His stained wood art of a New Orleans second-line becomes the Lottery Mardi Gras game for the 2008 carnival season. NOVEMBERNovember 23, 1991. The Lottery launches its fourth scratch-off and first holiday game, Holiday Cash!November 16, 2011. The Lottery begins sales for the multistate game, Mega Millions, a $1 per play draw-style game featuring starting jackpots of $12 million and drawings on Tuesdays and Fridays. By joining a second multistate game, the Lottery was able to offer players an additional option with new draw nights, in advance of Powerball’s move to a $2 ticket price in January 2012.November 2006. The Louisiana Lottery becomes the first in the country to receive verification from the North American Association of State & Provincial Lotteries (NASPL) that its quality assurance program meets industry best practices for its processes and procedures in defining, developing, and accepting software products for installation. The Lottery pursued and implemented this best practice to reduce risk, improve performance, reduce costs and increase public confidence and player satisfaction and has retained the certification via an ongoing renewal process since first receiving it. OCTOBEROctober 4, 2015. Changes are made to the multistate jackpot game Powerball in an effort to produce larger jackpots and better overall odds of winning. A 10X multiplier is added to the Power Play add-on feature for drawings with jackpots under $150 million. The match-4 plus Powerball prize jumps from $10,000 to $50,000.October 6, 1990. By a 7 to 3 margin, Louisiana voters approve a constitutional amendment (Act 1045 of the 1990 Legislature) creating the Louisiana Lottery Corporation as a way to generate state revenue without increasing taxes. The decision on creating a Lottery was based on estimated annual sales of $129 million to $164 million which the Lottery has surpassed every year.SEPTEMBERSeptember 6, 1991. The first instant scratch-off game Louisiana Treasures goes on sale with a top prize of $5,000. Players could collect five nonwinning tickets and enter them into a Grand Drawing for $250,000 held in Shreveport. The five-scene $1 game launches at a quantity of 52 million and stays on sale for just five months. September 8, 2009. The Lottery partners with the New Orleans Saints to launch the first-ever team themed scratch-off game with a series of second-chance drawings for game ticket packages and autographed merchandise. Saints go on to become World Champions the same season!September 14, 1998. Designed in house by Lottery Art Director Dwain Richard, Louisiana’s first $5 scratch-off game $100,000 Bayou Jackpot launches with 1.2 million tickets that feature blackjack, roulette, dice and horse racing play areas. A month and a half later, another 1.2 million tickets were ordered to keep up with player demand.September 16, 2006. To replace CashQuest, the Lottery brings back Easy 5 with a starting jackpot of $50,000. New for the relaunch, the ezmatch option becomes available as a $1 instant-win ticket add-on that is still a popular component of the game today. September 26, 1992. The Robert H. LeBas Family Partnership of Church Point claims the largest Lotto jackpot of $21,208,165 from a ticket purchased at Kelly’s IGA in Church Point. Store owner John Kelly Lejeune helps out the winner by storing the ticket in his store’s safe and hiring security until the winner can make the trip to Lottery headquarters in Baton Rouge to claim the prize. Lotto jackpots regularly exceeded $2 million and were originally offered as a 20-year annuity until June 17, 1995 when they become lump-sum cash prizes.AUGUSTAugust 31, 1992. The second Louisiana Lottery draw-style game, Pick 3, launches with daily drawings. The numbers 6-6-7 are drawn that evening and have since come up straight 12 times in the more than 8,600 Pick 3 drawings that have occurred since then. July 1, 2002. After renting its first official office space on Industriplex Boulevard in Baton Rouge. The Lottery’s headquarters moves to its permanent building in downtown Baton Rouge. 
July 11, 2011. Capitalizing on the popularity of alligator hunters and reality TV stars Troy and Jacob Landry of Pierre Part, the Lottery launches the $2 scratch-off game Choot ‘Em®. The pair participates in many of the Lottery marketing efforts, including autograph signings, TV and radio appearances and exclusive web video interviews. Within about two weeks of the game’s launch, the Lottery’s distribution center is depleted and another 1.2 million tickets are ordered to keep up with demand. Choot ‘Em goes on to become run the most successful $2 scratch-off in the U.S. for fiscal year 2012. July 30, 2012. Entering into a strategic alliance with the popular hunting magazine Louisiana Sportsman, the Lottery launches a $2 scratch-off game by the same name. The five game scenes features wildlife shots from the magazine’s archive and the popular fleur-de-lis logo. JUNE
June 17, 2015. The Lottery launches an Instagram account as an effort to further promote its brand with visual updates and cultural happenings around the state. The first post features Judy Joseph, the Lottery's 2015 Saints experience winner during her tour of the team's practice facility. 
June, 2003. The Lottery’s retailer network begins participating in the AMBER Alert. 
June 27, 2010. For the first time the Lottery converts entire ticket terminal system. MAY
May 8, 1994. The Lottery begins using automated drawing machines for daily Pick 3 drawings about two years after the game’s launch in August 1992. Prior to the change, drawings were conducted live on the air from WBRZ-Channel 2 in Baton Rouge, using equipment about the size of a small car.
May 25, 2013. Louisiana’s 15th Powerball jackpot-winning ticket is sold at Franklin Shell Gas in New Orleans. The $50 million prize is split with two other winning tickets sold in Delaware and Florida with The Williams Trust of New Orleans claiming Louisiana’s portion.APRIL
April 3, 2012. The Lottery launches Crystal Hot Cash in partnership with Crystal Hot Sauce’s Baumer Foods. Games surrounding Louisiana brands – especially food – continue to appeal to players!
April 15, 2008. Drawing for first ever $10 raffle game Millionaire Raffle where 506 winning raffle numbers won $1.5 million in cash prizes. Only 300,000 tickets were sold for the game, which sold out 11 days before the drawing. 
April 27, 2007. The Lottery conducts its first ever $1,000,000 Spectacular Second-Chance Drawing live on stage in downtown Baton Rouge from among five finalist entries. The game relaunched the $10 price-point scratch-off that is now a staple in the Lottery product mix.
MARCHMarch 1, 1999. The third of the Lottery’s draw-style games, Pick 4, is introduced with daily drawings. Today Pick 4 is a steadily growing game with about $40 million in annual sales.
March 2, 2015. The Lottery launches a $2 Tony Chachere’s-themed scratch-off called Spice It Up! featuring the creole seasoning brand’s iconic can and character. Following incredible sales success and marketing success, it went on to be recognized by the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries as the “Best Instant Game of the Year.”March 4, 2001. Power Play is added to Powerball, giving players who 
purchase the $1 add-on the chance to multiply nonjackpot prizes up to five times depending upon the Power Play multiplier randomly selected during the drawing. Today, the Power Play mix of multipliers also includes a 10X anytime the advertised jackpot is $150 million or less. 
March 5, 1995. Kicking it off with a parade around the state, Louisiana becomes the 19th lottery to join the multistate game Powerball. Today there are more than 47 lotteries that offer Powerball, with Louisiana having sold 15 jackpot-winning tickets since joining.
March 9, 1998. The Lottery’s first Bingo game launches at the $2 price point. Today Bingo games are a thriving niche product offered exclusively at the $3 price point along with other extended play games like Crossword.March 24, 1992. The first in a long line of games celebrating crawfish season, Crawfish Cash, launched.
