KY Mega Millions, Powerball sales down 50%. What does that mean for scholarships?

Lottery tickets in Kentucky took a nosedive amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Chip Polston, the state lottery’s vice president of communications, told WLEX-TV that Kentucky’s Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots sales are down 50%, or nearly $9.2 million, compared to the same period last year.

Polston said the Kentucky Lottery would still honor the commitment it made to send thousands of students to college through its proceeds despite the sales drop. Last year, 126,000 Kentucky students were given more than $250 million from the organization for their college expenses, Polston said.

Overall, Polston said revenue from lottery sales is down $11 million compared to the same time period in 2019.

Lottery tickets have also been declining in other states during the virus outbreak.