Illinois Lottery Celebrates Record Sales and Milestone Year on 50th Anniversary
A Golden Year for the Illinois Lottery
As it celebrates its 50th anniversary, the Illinois Lottery is also celebrating another record-breaking year of sales and returns to the State of Illinois.
The Illinois Lottery is reporting sales of $3.86 billion and lottery proceeds of $883.6 million, which are both higher than the previous year. Fiscal year 2024 was notable for having five multi-state jackpots over $1 billion for the first time in lottery history. These five large jackpots figured prominently in the Lottery’s performance for 2024, marking the third consecutive year of record sales and returns to support the Common School Fund and other good causes.
Governor’s Praise
“Since its inception, the Illinois Lottery has been a valuable state asset, and now 99% of proceeds go into the Common School Fund,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “We are proud this year to celebrate both the Lottery’s golden anniversary and another record year of net income, which will support our K-12 students and other good causes, such as supporting Illinois veterans and commission scholarships for the Illinois DREAM Fund.”
A Celebration Fit for 50 Years
From May to October this year, the Illinois Lottery has been celebrating its 50th year by introducing a family of Instant tickets named Celebration with second-chance drawings.
The Illinois Lottery also offered sweepstakes where players could win gift cards and held events throughout the State offering lottery-branded merchandise, gift cards and cash prizes. Other promotional activities included a tour of 50 lottery retail outlets across the State in their prize truck and a giant disco ball event in downtown Chicago, giving away $10,000 in prizes. The celebration involved lottery players and retailers alike, to recognize their ongoing participation and to say thank you.
A Record-Breaking Year for Players
“For 50 years, the Lottery has been giving Illinois residents an opportunity to play, a chance to win, while making a difference at the same time,” said Illinois Lottery Director Harold Mays. “As we reflect on the Lottery’s rich history and the impact it has had, we’re particularly proud to announce another year of record returns to the State of Illinois to help supplement funding for K-12 public education and the specialty causes we support in Illinois.”
Illinois Lottery players won big during the period with over 117 million winning tickets sold, including 75 players who won prizes of $1 million or more, and one online player that won $552 million on Mega Millions in June 2024 – making it the largest lottery prize ever won online in the U.S.
Instant Ticket Success
Instant Ticket sales got a boost in 2024 with the introduction of the Illinois Lottery’s first $50 scratch-off ticket, at a time when most U.S. lotteries experienced Instant Ticket sales decline.
Allwyn’s Partnership
Since 2018, Allwyn North America has been the operating partner to the Illinois Lottery and works closely with the Department of Lottery to deliver these results. Supported by Allwyn’s state-of-the-art iLottery platform, online players and sales through the Lottery’s website and app have been growing year-over-year and generated $686 million in sales in the 2024 fiscal year, up by almost a third on the prior year.
A Look to the Future
“We continue to focus on modernizing the Illinois Lottery, with an emphasis on improving the retail experience and growing the Lottery’s digital presence,” said Keith Horton, General Manager and General Counsel for Allwyn North America. “With direct marketing activity to players built on data-driven and machine-learning models, stoked by engaging game content with the first $50 instant ticket and over 30 Fast Play games across retail, online and via Scan-N-Play, we continue to prepare the Illinois Lottery for the future.”
Conclusion
The Illinois Lottery’s 50th anniversary is a significant milestone, and it’s clear that the Lottery’s efforts to innovate and adapt have paid off. With record-breaking sales and returns, the Lottery is well-positioned to continue making a positive impact on the State of Illinois for years to come.
FAQs
Q: What are the record-breaking sales and returns for the Illinois Lottery?
A: The Illinois Lottery is reporting sales of $3.86 billion and lottery proceeds of $883.6 million, both higher than the previous year.
Q: What were some notable events in the Lottery’s 50th anniversary celebration?
A: The Illinois Lottery introduced a family of Instant tickets named Celebration with second-chance drawings, offered sweepstakes, and held events throughout the State offering lottery-branded merchandise, gift cards, and cash prizes.
Q: What is the impact of the Lottery on the State of Illinois?
A: The Lottery’s proceeds support K-12 public education and other good causes, with 99% of proceeds going into the Common School Fund.
Q: What is the future outlook for the Illinois Lottery?
A: The Lottery continues to focus on modernizing and adapting, with an emphasis on improving the retail experience and growing the Lottery’s digital presence.
