Massachusetts Lottery generates record sales

Fifth straight record-setting sales year produces US$986.9 million dollars in net profit.

US.- State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg announced that the Lottery ended its fiscal year with an estimated US$989.9 million in profit, US$1 million higher than the record of US$985.9 million set last fiscal year. The Massachusetts Lottery is the single largest source of unrestricted local aid to the Commonwealth’s 351 cities and towns.

This year’s sales of $5.231 billion surpassed last year’s record of US$5.014 billion, making the fifth consecutive year of record-setting sales. This last fiscal year started on July 1, 2015 and it ended on June 30, 2016.

Goldberg, who serves as Chair of the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission, said: “I am very pleased that the Lottery has once again been able to deliver record-setting revenues that will benefit all of our cities and towns. The local aid derived from Lottery profits is crucial to municipal budgets and the funding of important initiatives and services at the local level.”

Treasurer Goldberg cited solid overall performance in the Instant Ticket category, a substantial increase in KENO sales over last fiscal year and Powerball’s record-setting jackpots in January as primary contributors to the record-setting numbers.

The Lottery awarded a record US$3.842 billion in prizes in 2016. With 73.4 percent of all revenue returned to players in the form of winnings, the Massachusetts Lottery has the highest payout percentage of any lottery in the country. Meanwhile, Lottery retailers earned US$299.5 million in retailer commissions and bonuses, topping the mark of US$286.7 million set last fiscal year.

“These record-setting figures are the result of the team effort by Lottery employees and our expansive network of retail partners across the state,” said Michael Sweeney, the Lottery’s Executive Director. “We’re delighted to see that cities and towns, Lottery players and our retailers all saw some great returns again this year.”