LINCOLN, Neb. — Total sales of Nebraska Lottery Scratch and Lotto tickets increased in the Lottery's most-recent fiscal year, resulting in increased transfers to Nebraska Lottery beneficiary funds and returns to players.
Preliminary sales figures released by the Lottery show total sales at $131.7 million for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2011, an increase of 1.3 percent over the previous year.
This is the highest revenue period since the Nebraska Lottery began in 1993, and marks the eighth consecutive year of increased sales.
Nebraska Lottery Director Jim Haynes stated that the Lottery continues to provide Nebraskans with fun and excitement as it has done since September 1993.
"We're very proud of the sales estimates for the recent fiscal year," said Haynes. "For a comparatively small organization like the Nebraska Lottery to increase sales for eight years in a row is a testament to the high level of innovation and efficiency we've been able to achieve."
With 22 employees working from a location in downtown Lincoln, the Nebraska Lottery is one of the smallest lotteries in the United States.
The Lottery contracts with vendors to supply systems, advertising, and other services. A new terminal system contract with GTECH Corporation, which went into effect July 1, is expected to generate increased revenues on behalf of the Nebraska Lottery in the future.
"The system conversion to GTECH was highly successful. We installed new equipment at over 1,150 retailers this summer, and the response from both retailers and players has been overwhelmingly positive," said Haynes. "The new system gives us many options for future products that we think will resonate with our players, which will in turn allow us to continue to support our beneficiary funds."
Nebraska Lottery proceeds benefit the environment, education, the Nebraska State Fair, and compulsive gambler's assistance. During the last fiscal year, the increase in sales resulted in a total of $32 million for Nebraska Lottery beneficiaries, a slight increase from the previous fiscal year.
"Our mission as a lottery is to generate funds for good causes across Nebraska. When we increase sales, the entire state reaps the rewards," said Haynes.
Over $413 million has been raised for the Nebraska Lottery's beneficiary funds since the Lottery began in 1993. All 93 counties in Nebraska have benefited from projects funded with these Nebraska Lottery proceeds.
Other highlights for the fiscal year include:
- Collected $832,055 in state income taxes from prize winnings;
- Collected $4,612 in unpaid income taxes; and,
- Collected $29,203 in unpaid child support.
Prizes above $5,000 have state and federal taxes automatically withheld, at 5 and 25 percent, respectively. By law, the Nebraska Lottery automatically checks for unpaid income taxes and child support on prizes of more than $500. The Nebraska Lottery marked $1 billion in total sales (since 1993) in March of 2006.
Job well done Nebraska.
I hope that lotto sales in Nebraska continue to make new records.
I wonder if Nebraska would be doing as well if they weren't virtually surrounded by states who do the same fake computer drawings as they do, with the exception of Iowa, who uses Illinois' numbers on all but one of it's state-run games.
Nebraska has a captive customer base due to the lack of options to cross state lines to get lottery tickets where the winners are decided by real ball drawings instead of the fake drawings done by highly fallible and manipulatable computers.
I'm thankful Tennessee has neighboring states conducting genuine, fair, real ball drawings so I wouldn't be stuck playing the fake computer ones in Tennessee.