The near-world record Mega Millions jackpot run — in tandem with a Powerball jackpot run that rose to more than $680 million — led to the most successful sales month in the nearly 30-year history of the Kentucky Lottery.
Overall sales for the month were $115.5 million, which is $33.2 million (or 40.3%) more than budgeted. This shatters the previous record sales month from January 2016, when a world-record Powerball jackpot of $1.6 billion led to sales of $105.1 million.
This in turn led to $34.4 million in monthly net income to the Commonwealth for the month, again a record. This surpasses the previous record, also set in January 2016 by $1.8 million.
Kentucky players hoping to win the $1.5 billion jackpot awarded in October spent $21.2 million on Mega Millions tickets alone. This exceeded the $3.8 million October budgeted sales for the game by $17.4 million. Powerball ticket sales for the month were $13.3 million, which exceeded the budgeted sales for the game in October by $7 million (or 114%).
Lottery Scratch-off tickets also posted a solid month, realizing $55.1 million in sales. That's $9.3 million (or 20.3%) higher than budgeted.
The Lottery's online sales portal also saw its highest sales level in the site's history, driven in part by the number of players going there for Mega Millions and Powerball tickets. Instant Play games online realized $1.5 million in sales, beating the old record by $300,000.
"While jackpot games were obviously the major driving force behind these record sales, our other products also did really well," said the Lottery's President and CEO Tom Delacenserie. "Great performance by our Scratch-offs and strong online sales helped bring home the record month. We have a solid plan ahead for November to help sustain the forward momentum, as our state's college students are counting on us for scholarship and grant proceeds."
Last paragraph about sums up what I've been saying for some time now. On-line sales is where lotteries need to go. As an outsider living in KY, I don't necessarily (IMHO) this to be a progressive state. That being said this is NOT the case with the Kentucky Lottery, especially with on-line sales. We are very fortunate to be able to play with a few clicks. KLC also thought of the merchants and does not offer Pick 3 or Pick 4 tickets or the same scratch tickets as the stores. Again forethought pays off.
MY FB reply didn't cross over. What I said was the last paragraph basically sums up what I've been harping on for some time now...on-line sales is the way to go. That's my abbreviated response, FB was much, much longer, but am lucky to be offered on-line purchases!
Sorry for the double post; I see the FB one finally crossed over. Good luck everyone on the lottery (ies).
Congratulations to President and CEO Tom Delacenserie and his team for a job well done. He made the right move from Florida to Kentucky.
If only David Lee Edwards was still with us. Rest in Peace.
I look at the amount of money bet on the Lottery and am amazed.
OO
Overall sales for the month were $115.5 million, which is $33.2 million (or 40.3%) more than budgeted. This shatters the previous record sales month from January 2016, when a world-record Powerball jackpot of $1.6 Billion led to sales of $105.1 million.
It's a fact KY lottery players will buy more tickets when either the PB or MM jackpots are huge so it should be no surprise more tickets were sold when both jackpots were huge. And when those sales are high, sales on other games should go up too.
Wonder how many other state lotteries had record sales during the two jackpot runs?
Winners from where
Hun?
Eehh..whatever, they still hold numbers.... I only play Powerball and Mega Millions... KY not good for pick 3 or 4... Will see some hits on those probably Nov or Dec.... u know how they do it. ..... make it seem like we winning....scratch offs are a joke too... will drop a popul at number... make the month... naw.....make the year....
"KY not good for pick 3 or 4"
KY's pick-4 game is no different than any other state where I played pick-4 with the exception with ease of cashing tickets. And because the KY pick-3 pays 20% more than others, it's accually a much better game.
"make it seem like we winning"
I've always thought it was "either/or"; if my ticket wins, I get paid, if it doesn't, I don't.