The Florida Lottery recently surpassed $47 billion in all-time contributions to the Sunshine State’s education system.
That staggering amount places the Sunshine State behind New York in total lottery proceeds for educational programs and services.
The Florida Lottery, which began in 1988, said it has helped nearly 1 billion students attend college during the last 36 years.
How the Florida Lottery enhances education
Florida Lottery Secretary John F. Davis said in a release earlier this month that it’s a major milestone for the lottery.
“We are incredibly proud to reach this $47 billion milestone. This achievement highlights our ongoing commitment to enriching the educational experience for students throughout Florida.”
While Lottery dollars help K-12 programs throughout the state, they also fund services at colleges, vocational and technical schools, as well as the Bright Futures Scholarship Program.
The lottery has contributed more than $8 billion to Bright Futures. It is responsible for sending more than 983,000 students to college through the program, Davis said.
“Every dollar contributed helps to build a brighter future for our youth, supporting their dreams and educational aspirations.”
Two years ago, the Lottery reached another milestone when it contributed $2.2 billion to Florida’s Educational Enhancement Trust Fund. It marked the first time the Lottery contributed more than $2 billion to education in a single year.
Florida Lottery ranks second in educational contributions
The New York Lottery is the top state when it comes to educational contributions. Though it should be noted that its state lottery began in 1967, more than two decades before Florida’s began.
The New York Lottery has contributed more than $86 billion toward education during its 57 years in existence. New York has a population of 19.6 million.
The Florida Lottery comes in second at $47 billion. There are 22.6 million residents in Florida.
Just behind the Florida Lottery is the California Lottery. Created just three years before Florida’s system, that state’s lottery has contributed just over $46 billion to public schools in the Golden State. California has a population of 38.9 million.
Outside of those three, no other state has yet to reach the $40 billion mark in lottery funds for educaitonal purposes.
The next-highest total comes from Texas, with a population of 30.5 million. The Texas Lottery, which started in 1997, has generated more than $39 billion for education. The Illinois Lottery, which was created in 1974, is fifth at $24 billion. That state’s population is 12.5 million.
It’s worth noting that some states don’t contribute lottery proceeds to education. One example is Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Lottery sends its proceeds to senior citizen programs. The state lottery, which began in 1971, has contributed $36.2 billion toward those programs. Pennsylvania’s population is 12.9 million.
