The last fiscal year proved to be a good one for Arizona, due to residents buying a record amount of lottery tickets.
“On every front – sales transfers to beneficiaries, and commissions paid to retailers – the Arizona Lottery reached dizzying new heights in FY2021 that come at the most advantageous time possible for our state,” said Gregory Edgar, Executive Director of the Arizona Lottery.
According to the state’s annual report, the Arizona Lottery brought in a record of $1.47bn in sales, a 31% increase from the previous fiscal year. The latest sales data is also revised upward from a preliminary count of $1.44bn in July.
This broke the previous state record. The Lottery paid out $978m in total prizes, and $98m paid out to state retailers.
But this isn’t an anomaly. Missouri, Illinois, Mississippi, Minnesota, New Hampshire and Florida have also reported record sales this year.
The largest recipient was the state’s general revenue fund, receiving $195m. The University Bond Fund, which finances capital investments borrowing, received $38m. The Healthy Arizona Fund is administered by the Department of Health Services. It received $22m.
Part of Arizona’s Lottery proceeds go to state coffers and other charitable causes.
Edgar was pleased with this year’s result and praised retailers. "Our Arizona Lottery retailers showed amazing resilience throughout FY2021, surviving and even thriving as they served their customers and helped our players,” he said.
