The Kentucky Lottery Corporation’s Board of Directors learned Friday that sales and proceeds set a new record in Fiscal Year 2018.
A release says sales topped out over $1 billion, up $42 million or 4.2 percent from Fiscal Year 2017. Cash dividends to the General Fund of $253 million, is up $11.4 million or 4.7 percent more than Fiscal Year 2017. Officials say both of these numbers are record levels in the Lottery’s 29-year history.
Lottery officials report scratch-off tickets once again were the largest individual game category, finishing the year at $613.1 million, an increase of $9.3 million, or 1.5 percent, from the previous year. Mega Millions saw the largest percentage increase of any game, rising 36.9 percent, or $10.7 million, to $39.8 million. Officials say the increase was due in large part to several large jackpot runs over the course of Fiscal Year 2018. Powerball also saw solid jackpot performance, bringing in $77.9 million in sales, up 8.0 percent.
According to lottery officials, daily draw games continued to perform strong and Keno continues its positive growth trend, ending the year with $82.8 million, up 9.3 percent.
KLC President and CEO Tom Delacenserie says several new initiatives really helped push sales to this record-breaking level. Some of the reasons for the increase, according to Delacenserie, includes increased emphasis on marketing and in-store messaging, changes in prize structures that players really liked, and new measures implemented by their staff and retailers. He notes Fiscal Year 2018 was a year where they laid the groundwork for continued success, and they look to continue this growth pattern into Fiscal Year 2019.
In other business, the board approved rules and regulations for eight scratch-off tickets and seven iLottery games, along with amended Powerball and Mega Millions rules. The board also re-elected Mark Sommer as chair and Jan Buddeke as vice chair.
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