How much money did the Kentucky Lottery rake in last year? Here’s a breakdown by county
No one’s ticket matched all six numbers to win the Powerball drawn Wednesday night, so the grand prize is climbing toward the billion-dollar mark and is now at an estimated $935 million.
The winning numbers for Wednesday’s drawing are 37, 46, 57, 60, 66 and Powerball 8.
Kentucky Lottery players also missed out on winning one of the largest jackpots in Mega Millions history this week — the $1.13 billion prize went to a player in New Jersey.
Still, Kentucky did have its share of winners for Tuesday’s Mega Millions draw, including 33 players who won $500. Two of those players were “megaplier” winners, meaning their prizes were multiplied. The winning numbers were 7, 11, 22, 29, 38 and Mega Ball 4.
If you’re noticing more lottery jackpots topping the billion-dollar mark, know it’s not in your head and actually by design. Even people who don’t normally buy lottery tickets are enticed to do so when the jackpot balloons to enormous amounts, and for each draw without a winner, the pot grows, drawing more people to the game, CNBC reports.
That’s leading to more lottery sales in Kentucky, too.
“Total Lottery sales have increased due to entertaining games, a dynamic sales team and great retailer partners generating a significant increase in funds available for scholarships and grant programs for Kentucky college students,” Kentucky Lottery spokesperson Terry Sebastian told the Herald-Leader in an email Wednesday.
So which Kentucky counties spend the most money on lottery tickets, and where do the sales proceeds go? Here’s what to know.
Which Kentucky counties spend the most money on lottery tickets?
According to Kentucky Lottery sales figures by county for last year (fiscal year 2023), the following are the top 10 counties that see the most sales:
Jefferson County: $330,759,036
Fayette County: $88,232,668
Hardin County: $50,780,712
Kenton County: $49,851,070
Boone County: $37,776,423
Warren County: $36,940,899
Christian County: $36,030,321
Davies County: $33,028,653
Bullitt County: $28,157,753
Campbell County: $27,508,417
For comparison, the three Kentucky counties that saw the lowest sales include the following:
- Robertson County: $261,580
- Hickman County: $434,650
- Elliot County: $479,201
It’s worth noting the figures above are Kentucky Lottery sales at retailer locations. The total online sales for fiscal year 2023 was $424,715,355, according to records the Herald-Leader obtained with an Open Records Act request.
In fiscal year 2023, sales totaled $1,839,372,974.
Where does the Kentucky Lottery money go?
The Kentucky Lottery prizes itself on its fundraising efforts to help Kentuckians save money on their college education. The agency has raised roughly $7 billion since its inception in 1989, and since 1999, $5 billion has gone to grants and scholarship funds, the lottery reports.
“I tell our staff what you do every day is to send Kentucky college students to school,” Kentucky Lottery Corp. President and CEO Mary Harville told the Herald-Leader in an interview in late 2022.
Some critics have argued, however, that state-run lotteries fail to deliver on their central promise: promoting education.
They argue lotteries often compound inequalities by disproportionately benefiting students in wealthier school districts who probably didn’t need help paying for college. Low-income and nonwhite neighborhoods in general fund the bulk of lottery ticket sales.
So where does the money actually go?
According to the Kentucky Lottery, 70 cents of every ticket sale goes toward players in the form of prizes, incentives and other rewards. The second-largest stake, 20%, goes to the state to finance college scholarships and grants. Lottery retailers and administrators take the remaining to 10% of sale proceeds.
Here’s a list of Kentucky scholarship programs the state lottery funds:
- Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship: For every year a high school student earns a 2.5 or higher grade point average, they get money for college.
- Dual Credit Scholarship Program: High school and homeschool students who take dual-credit courses can get help paying for them through this scholarship program. Eligible students can get up to two of their dual-credit classes covered.
- Kentucky Tuition Grant: This is a need-based scholarship to help Kentucky residents attend eligible private colleges in the state.
- Kentucky National Guard Tuition Award Program: This covers 100% of in-state tuition for full- or part-time students serving in the Kentucky National Guard. They can use it at any public college in Kentucky.
- Work Ready Scholarship: Students get help paying for tuition to earn career-related certifications for jobs in high-demand sectors.
- College Access Program: These need-based grants help students from low-income households afford tuition at public or private colleges and universities in the state.
Do you or a loved one have a gambling problem? Help is available. Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit ncpgambling.org.
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