The New Hampshire Lottery is in the midst of a record year.
And with a month left to go, its historic run is set to become even more impactful.
The Lottery sets all-time records in sales and profits
Recent data released last month by state officials shows that New Hampshire Lottery sales reached record status weeks ago.
And the new benchmark continues to grow – rapidly.
By mid-April, gross Lottery sales had eclipsed the previous yearly high of $392.2 million; by mid-May, sales for fiscal year 2021 had eclipsed $434 million.
Already, that total signifies a year-over-year increase of more than 30 percent compared to the previous fiscal year.
Even more important: those sales have been enough to push net profits–much of which bolster education for New Hampshire students–to the highest-ever point in a single fiscal year.
The latest released figures show the Lottery has already generated $107 million in net profit in the current fiscal year, which ends June 30.
Lottery officials expect profits to total $130 million by the end of the month.
The previous net-profit record, tallied in fiscal year 2019, was $105.5 million.
Lottery participation grows across nearly all games
The Lottery’s success this fiscal year is not limited to one game.
Jumps in sales have been seen across the board:
- Dueling Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots reaching a combined $1.58 billion in January
- More than 200 percent growth from last year in Fast Play
- Roughly 136 percent growth in NH iLottery from the previous fiscal year
- Bumps KENO 603 (51 percent), Gimme 5 (37 percent), and scratch-offs (21 percent)
Across all games, Lottery sales have averaged more than $10 million in sales per week.
Notably, the record-setting figures do not include sales and revenue from sports betting, which is overseen by the Lottery and operated primarily by DraftKings Sportsbook.
New Hampshire education funded by lottery sales
One-quarter of all Lottery revenue in New Hampshire is earmarked for the state’s education coffers.
That means a bundle of money has arrived at school systems in the state, with more on the way.
“The New Hampshire Lottery has already delivered more than $107 million to New Hampshire’s public education system this year alone–a remarkable achievement that benefits our kids,” said Governor Chris Sununu in a statement.
Meanwhile, New Hampshire Lottery Executive Director Charlie McIntyre called it “an extraordinary milestone” that maximizes the state’s education revenue.
More than 1,400 retailers in New Hampshire offer Lottery games.
Such widespread participation has helped the Lottery’s annual sales increase by more than $116 million and 37.5 percent in the past five years, according to Lottery tallies.
“While we celebrate this accomplishment, as we look ahead, the New Hampshire Lottery is well-positioned to continue building on this momentum to benefit the students and teachers of New Hampshire for years and years to come,” added McIntyre.
More than $2 billion have been given to education efforts in New Hampshire since 1964.
