2020-07-01 16:18:05.35

The Missouri Lottery transferred a total of $333 million to the state for the exclusive use of public education during FY20, which officially ended June 30.

Overall, Lottery sales for the fiscal year topped $1.5 billion, with more than $1.03 billion returned to players as prizes and approximately $89.5 million going to Lottery retailers in the form of commissions and bonuses.

Several factors contributed to the Lottery’s success in FY20, including the highest sales recorded to date for Scratchers and the Pick 3 and Pick 4 Draw Games. This year’s profit of $333 million exceeds the Lottery’s strategic goal by $28.6 million or 9.4%.            “Each year, we calculate a benchmark number from the previous five years’ profits and add 1% to establish our goal for the next fiscal year,” said May Scheve Reardon, executive director of the Missouri Lottery. “This allows us to stretch ourselves to generate even more money for education, while providing a realistic estimate for those who determine which education programs will benefit from Lottery funds.”

One hundred percent of profits from Missouri Lottery ticket sales go to public education, and the proceeds are allocated by the governor and the state’s legislature during the annual appropriation process. These funds represent approximately 4% of the annual funding for Missouri’s public education system.