Lottery sales set half-year revenue record for Illinois
Bolstered by significant jackpots, the Illinois Lottery has generated record returns for the state during the first six months of the current fiscal year.
Lottery officials reported $468 million in state revenue generated by $1.8 billion in sales from July through December. The fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30.
"I'm proud to announce another record sales period, leading to increased returns to public education in Illinois," Lottery Director Harold Mays said. "The Illinois Lottery is a valuable state asset with the core purpose of generating essential funding to the State of Illinois to support K-12 education and good causes across Illinois."
Two nationwide lottery jackpots that grew to more than $1 billion each helped spur sales, officials said.
The first was a $1.34 billion Mega Millions jackpot won in July by an Illinois resident and shared with another individual that became the largest ever lottery prize awarded in Illinois. The winning ticket was sold at a Des Plaines convenience store.
In November, a $2.02 billion Powerball winning ticket was sold in California.
In addition to the $1.34 billion Mega Millions prize, Illinois Lottery players have collected nearly $1.2 billion in prizes during first six months of the year as well. That includes 32 players winning $1 million or more.
In fiscal year 2022, the lottery posted a record $834 million in revenue for Illinois, state records show. Current sales are on pace to eclipse that record.
The state's lottery program has been managed by Camelot Illinois since 2018. That includes a "responsible gaming program" that was recognized recently for demonstrating industry best practices. The lottery's program received the highest level of certification from both the World Lottery Association Responsible Gaming Framework and the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries, officials said.
"Ensuring we offer our players a responsible playing environment is at the foundation of everything we do at the Illinois Lottery," Mays said. "We are proud to see our efforts validated as best practice by industry bodies. But our work doesn't stop here. We believe in continuous improvement and will continue to build our approach to responsible gaming to support our players and retailers."
About two-thirds of the adult population of Illinois report they now play the lottery, which is an increase from about half the adult population since Camelot started as the private manager, lottery officials reported.
"A successful lottery attracts more people to play a little," said Keith Horton, general manager and general counsel of Camelot Illinois. "With a retail network of over 7,000 stores and a world-class website and app, the Illinois Lottery continues to deliver fun, innovative games, engaging content and a convenient play experience."