PENNSYLVANIA, March 7 - (17) Crowds numbering as high as 30,000 have visited

Gobbler's Knob for a multi-day festival celebrating the

town's most famous resident, Punxsutawney Phil.

(18) Groundhog Day revelers inject about $1 million into

the region's economy each year, selling out 2,600 hotel rooms

in Jefferson County and neighboring counties.

(19) The average visitor spends $200 per day on lodging,

food, gas and souvenirs while visiting Punxsutawney.

(20) Phil's impact is not limited to the Commonwealth of

Pennsylvania. Phil has a worldwide presence due to social

media and his cinematic starring role in the classic and

legendary 1993 Columbia Pictures movie Groundhog Day starring

Bill Murray.

(21) While Punxsutawney Phil continues to inspire

legions of revelers each year, a second Groundhog named Gus

has won the hearts and minds of millions of Pennsylvanians

and helped raise critical funding for senior citizen

programs.

(22) Gus the Groundhog, the second-most-famous groundhog

in Pennsylvania, has served as the Pennsylvania Lottery's

brand ambassador for scratch-off games for about 13 years,

helping the Lottery generate over $13 billion for older

residents.

(23) Popular among lottery players, Gus the Groundhog is

best known for his signature tagline, "Keep on Scratchin.'"

(24) While it's not possible to attribute all profit to

the "Gus" campaign, Gus the Groundhog is an integral part of

the Lottery's comprehensive marketing efforts to responsibly

sell entertaining lottery products and generate funds to

support vital State-sponsored programs for older

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