Third Quarter 2015 Lottery Proceeds Up Thanks to Phenomenal Scratch-Off Sales

For the third quarter of fiscal year 2015, the Louisiana Lottery Corporation transferred more than $45.2 million to the state’s coffers, bringing cumulative transfers for the year to nearly $121 million, more than $8.8 million ahead of budget and on target with last year.

With third-quarter revenue of $129,204,789 the Lottery contributed $45,221,675 to the state treasury, 10.3 percent better than 2014. By law, 35 percent of Lottery proceeds are transferred to the state treasury and dedicated for K-12 public education. The Louisiana Lottery ranks second among U.S. lotteries in percentage of revenue transferred to its government.

Retailers earn 5 percent sales commission on Lottery tickets, plus incentives for cashing winning tickets and bonuses for selling winning tickets, totaling more than $7.1 million for January to March of 2015.

Lottery President Rose Hudson credited the Lottery's nine-month performance to phenomenal scratch-off sales which are up over 13 percent from last year, helping to offset lackluster Powerball sales.

"Three-fourths of the way through fiscal year 2015, our scratch-off sales growth trend continues," noted Hudson. "Over the last five years, our strategies for increasing scratch-off payouts from 59.41 percent to 62.75 percent by coupling administrative cost savings and unclaimed prizes have paid off. Our players love more prizes, and so we have seen scratch-off sales soar 41 percent – the most successful growth in the Louisiana Lottery's 24-year history, resulting in an additional $19.6 million in recurring annual revenue for the state."

Lottery ticket purchasers must be at least 21 years of age. Anyone with a gambling problem, or friends of anyone with a gambling problem, is encouraged to call toll-free 1-877-770-7867 for assistance. For security purposes, players should sign the back of their tickets after purchasing.