HISTORY
Prior to independence, all thirteen original colonies established lotteries, usually more than one, to raise revenue. The first recorded lottery in Virginia was held in 1612 by the Virginia Company that raised ₤29,000 for the Virginia Company. The lottery proceeds helped establish some of the nation’s earliest and most prestigious universities, including Virginia’s College of William and Mary. Lottery funds were also used to build churches and libraries. The 1849 Code of Virginia included a prohibition of gambling.
Virginia voters approved a government-run lottery in 1987 without designating a particular purpose for Lottery funds. Sales began September 20, 1988. In 1989, the General Assembly directed Lottery proceeds to capital construction projects. From 1990 to 1998, Lottery proceeds went to Virginia’s General Fund. Starting in 1999, a provision in Virginia’s budget sent Lottery proceeds to local public school divisions to be used solely for educational purposes. In November 2000, Virginia voters approved the creation of the State Lottery Proceeds Fund by an 83.5-point margin. The measure, which is a permanent part of Virginia’s Constitution, directs all Lottery profits be used solely for educational purposes. Through 2009, the Lottery has sold $21.1 billion in wagers, of which $7.1 billion in profits were turned over to the Commonwealth. Critics argue that Lottery revenues merely displace other general fund revenues that would otherwise be spent on education without increasing total education funding. While S. Vance Wilkins, Jr. was the Minority Leader in the Virginia House of Delegates, he observed, “There’s absolutely no point in earmarking except for fooling people into thinking we were doing something for education when we didn’t do a thing…It didn’t change the budget one penny. It’s a sham.”
Under Virginia law, all unclaimed prizes go to the Virginia Literary Fund, which is also used for educational purposes. As of 2009, $190.1 million in unclaimed prizes have been donated to the Literary Fund.
GAMES
Win For Life, Mega Millions, Powerball, Fast Play and scratcher games, Millionaire Raffle
RESULTS
The official websites for results can be found here.
HISTORY
In 1976 a referendum was held regarding the establishment of a state run lottery. Sixty-six percent of those casting ballots voted in favor of the referendum.
Public Act No. 82 established the Vermont Lottery Commission during the 1977 session of the General Assembly and provided for its termination on June 30, 1980 unless the 1979 Assembly authorized continuation.
GAMES
Pick 3, Pick 4, Weekly Grand, Megabucks Plus, Hot Lotto, Powerball, Mega Millions
RESULTS
The official websites for results can be found here.
HISTORY
The voters of Texas approved an amendment to the Texas Constitution in November 1991 authorizing lottery sales in Texas.
The Texas Lottery Commission created an unusual contest for the Lottery logo – designs from a contracted ad agency were pitted against designs from the general public. One logo from each source was placed in head to head competition, and the winning logo – a cowboy hat thrown high in celebration (still in current use) – was the public design (the winner was Susan Holten, from Carrollton).
The Lottery’s first game was the scratch-off ticket Lone Star Millions, with the first ticket sold to Gov. Ann Richards at Polk’s Feed Store in Oak Hill. First-day sales of 23.2 million tickets set a then-world record, with first-week sales (ending June 5, 1992) also setting a world record.
Lotto Texas began sales on November 7, 1992, with the first drawing on November 14, 1992 and the first jackpot (from Schulenburg) won on November 28, 1992. By November 1993, Texas Lottery sales would exceed $1 billion, breaking the Florida Lottery’s record set in 1989.
The Texas Lottery Commission was formed via legislation in 1993 to take over management of the Lottery from the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts; the legislation also gives the Commission oversight of charitable bingo games (moving that duty from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission).
Texas joined the Mega Millions consortium in 2003, with sales beginning December 3 and the first drawing to include Texas was two days later. Though no Texas ticket won the jackpot, one ticket matched the first five numbers for $175,000. The first Texas jackpot winner of Mega Millions was not until the drawing of October 4, 2004; a Carrollton player took home the $101 million prize.
As part of the cross-selling arrangement between the operators of Mega Millions and Powerball, the Texas Lottery Commission agreed to begin selling Powerball tickets on January 31, 2010; the first drawing including Texas was three days later.
In 1997 a major scandal rocked the Texas Lottery. Accusations of fixed contracts with the company that manages the lottery surfaced. The scandal went away when the director simply appointed the previously accused management company as the winning bid after a different company had already been chosen.
GAMES
Lotto Texas, Texas Two Step, Cash Five, Pick 3, Daily 4, Mega Millions, Powerball
RESULTS
The official websites for results can be found here.
HISTORY
The Tennessee Lottery is run by the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation (TELC), which was created on June 11, 2003 by the Tennessee General Assembly through the Tennessee Education Lottery Implementation Law.
The TELC is responsible for the operation of a lottery, and is deemed to be acting in all respects for the benefit of the people of Tennessee. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL); it participates in the Mega Millions and Powerball games.
The TELC sold its first ticket on January 20, 2004. On July 28, 2007, Tennessee switched from ball drawings to those using a random number generator (RNG). However, Powerball (which relocated its drawings from Iowa to Florida in 2009) continues to be ball-drawn, although, as part of the move, the PowerPlay multiplier is now also drawn by an RNG. Likewise, Mega Millions is ball-drawn in Atlanta, with the Megaplier RNG selection conducted in Texas, as some lotteries with Mega Millions do not have the Megaplier option.
Tennessee also has a third, smaller jackpot game, Tennessee Cash, which replaced Pick 5 in October 2010.
Persons must be at least 18 years of age to purchase or redeem TELC tickets.
GAMES
Cash 3, Cash 4, Tennessee Cash, Powerball, Mega Millions
RESULTS
The official websites for results can be found here.
HISTORY
In November 1986, 60 percent of the electorate in a statewide referendum voted to amend the state constitution to allow for a state-operated Lottery. In 1987, legislators authorized the creation of the South Dakota Lottery, its commission and the sale of instant tickets.
On Sept. 30, 1987, six months after the legislation was signed into law, the Lottery sold its first instant ticket. The Lottery repaid its $1.5 million start-up loan plus interest to the state in three months.
For the next two years, Video Lottery was studied intensely by legislative and private groups. In 1988, legislation was introduced to authorize Video Lottery, but the bill fell one vote short of the required two-thirds majority in the State Senate. In 1989, similar Video Lottery legislation was introduced on behalf of the Lottery Commission and this time passed.
On Oct. 16, 1989, South Dakota pioneered the first state Video Lottery in the nation. In 1992, Video Lottery appeared on the general election ballot as an initiated measure for repeal. South Dakotans voted by a 63 percent to 37 percent margin to keep Video Lottery. Shortly after the election, a lawsuit was filed questioning the constitutionality of Video Lottery. The lawsuit eventually made its way to the State Supreme Court, where on June 22, 1994, justices declared Video Lottery unconstitutional. In a special legislative session in July 1994, lawmakers passed a resolution to place a constitutional amendment on the general election ballot to reauthorize Video Lottery. A court order to shut down Video Lottery was handed down on Aug. 12, 1994. South Dakotans voted by a 53 percent to 47 percent margin to reauthorize Video Lottery. On Nov. 22, 1994, Video Lottery was restarted. On Nov. 7, 2000, voters defeated a measure to outlaw Video Lottery by a 54 to 46 margin. Voters rejected the repeal of Video Lottery a fourth time in Nov. of 2006 by defeating an initiated measure by a 67 to 33 percent margin.
The South Dakota Lottery’s third product line — Lotto — was authorized by legislators in 1990. Soon afterward, the South Dakota Lottery joined the Multi-State Lottery Association to offer Lotto*America. In November 1990, the first Lotto*America ticket was sold. The multi-million dollar game was replaced by Powerball in April 1992.
In April 1993, Dakota Cash became South Dakota’s very own cash Lotto game.
The South Dakota Lottery joined with Montana and Idaho in February 1994 to offer Tri-West Lotto. Tri-West was changed to Wild Card in February 1998 and revised as Wild Card 2 in May 1999.
Daily Millions was added to the Lotto line-up in September 1996. It was replaced with Cash 4 Life in March 1998, Rolldown in September 2000, and Hot Lotto in April 2002.
The South Dakota Lottery began offering Mega Millions in May 2010.
The Lottery is a totally self-funded agency. No tax dollars are used for its operation.
GAMES
Dakota Cash, Wild Card 2, Hot Lotto, Powerball, Mega Millions
RESULTS
The official websites for results can be found here.
HISTORY
The South Carolina Education Lottery (SCEL) began in 2002.
South Carolina is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL), best known for Powerball. Like most US lotteries, on January 31, 2010, it participated in the cross-sell lottery expansion, adding Mega Millions.
Although its drawings are held daily, the SCEL is unique among US lotteries in that players cannot purchase tickets on days when elections (primary or general) are held.
The minimum age to purchase SCEL tickets is 18.
GAMES
Pick 3, Pick 4, Palmetto Cash 5, Powerball, Mega Millions
RESULTS
The official websites for results can be found here.
HISTORY
GAMES
The Numbers Game, Keno, Wild Money, Powerball, Mega Millions
RESULTS
The official websites for results can be found here.
HISTORY
The Pennsylvania Lottery is created with enactment of Act 91 of 1971. Pennsylvania Lottery proceeds were initially targeted to provide property tax relief for Pennsylvania seniors. Since 1971, Lottery-funded programs have grown to include rent rebates, free and reduced-fare transit, the low-cost prescription drug programs PACE and PACENET, long-term living services, and the 52 Area Agencies on Aging, including more than 600 full- and part-time senior centers across Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Lottery remains the only state lottery that designates all proceeds to programs that benefit older residents.
GAMES
The Daily Number, Big 4, Quinto, Treasure Hunt, Cash 5, Match 6, Powerball, Mega Millions
RESULTS
The official websites for results can be found here.
HISTORY
The Oregon Lottery was created through the initiative petition process. In November 1984 voters approved an amendment to the Oregon Constitution requiring the establishment and operation of a state lottery. Since then, the Oregon Lottery has become a critical funding source for important Oregon programs.
GAMES
Mega Millions, Powerball, Megabucks, Pick 4, Lucky Lines, Win for Life
RESULTS
The official websites for results can be found here.
HISTORY
In April 2003, the Oklahoma legislature passed two separate pieces of legislation referring the creation of a state lottery to a vote of the People of the Great State of Oklahoma.
Senate Joint Resolution 22 referred State Question 706 to a vote of the People. The overwhelming passage of this State Question on November 2, 2004, created the Oklahoma Education Lottery Trust Fund and detailed the legal expenditures from the fund for education purposes listed in the law (see the Oklahoma Constitution, Article 10, Section 41).
House Bill 1278, referred to the People as State Question 705, created the Oklahoma Education Lottery Act (Title 3A, Sections 701-735 of the Oklahoma Statutes; Chapter 58 of the 2003 Session Laws). Oklahoma voters also overwhelmingly approved State Question 705 on November 2, 2004.
The Oklahoma Education Lottery Act created an Oklahoma Lottery Commission to initiate, supervise, and administer the operation of the Lottery. The Commission is governed by a Board of Trustees composed of seven members appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Board is required to appoint and provide for the compensation of an executive director who may hire other staff as necessary and who will be responsible for the administrative management and daily operations of the commission.
GAMES
Pick 3, Cash 5, Hot Lotto, Powerball, Mega Millions
RESULTS
The official websites for results can be found here.
