Category: Arkansas Lottery

Arkansas Lottery Spending Nearly 70% of Revenue on Prizes

Financial reports filed with the Arkansas Governor’s Office show the state-run lottery has spent nearly 70% of its revenue on prizes in Fiscal Year 2022.

Recent reports show the Arkansas Lottery has taken in approximately $434.6 million. Of that money, some $301.3 million went to prizes.

For perspective, the typical state-run lottery budgets approximately 60% of its revenue for prizes.

The Arkansas Lottery could pay millions of dollars more to scholarships every year if it simply would reduce its prize budget and raise its scholarship budget.

Unfortunately, the Lottery has shown little interest in doing that.

You can find recent financial reports from the Arkansas Lottery here.

Photo Credit: Powerball and Mega Millions Lottery Billboard in Missouri by Tony Webster, on Flickr.

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Arkansas Lottery Still Spends Most of Its Money On Prizes, Little On Scholarships: September Report

Financial reports released Monday show the Arkansas Lottery is still paying the state’s college scholarships pennies on the dollar, and that the lion’s share of the Lottery’s revenue is going to prizes awarded to lottery players.

In September only 19.5% of the Lottery’s revenue went to scholarships. Seventy percent went to prizes.

For perspective, the typical state lottery budgets approximately 25% – 30% of its revenue for education and about 60% for prizes.

The Arkansas Lottery could pay millions of dollars more to scholarships every year if it simply would reduce its prize budget and raise its scholarship budget. Unfortunately, the Lottery has shown little interest in doing that.

Below is a breakdown of lottery revenue, scholarships, and prizes for Fiscal Year 2022.

Scholarship Spending

Month	Gross Lottery Revenue	Paid to Scholarships	% Going to Scholarships
July	$47,591,757.56	$8,338,564.13	17.5%
August	50,243,929.03	6,786,603.75	13.5%
September	46,864,567.90	9,160,216.22	19.5%
Total	$144,700,254.49	$24,285,384.10	16.8%

Prize Spending

Month	Gross Lottery Revenue	Total Prizes	% Going to Prizes
July	$47,591,757.56	$33,228,956.66	69.8%
August	50,243,929.03	33,998,197.59	67.7%
September	46,864,567.90	32,794,810.04	70.0%
Total	$144,700,254.49	$100,021,964.29	69.1%

Photo Credit: Powerball and Mega Millions Lottery Billboard in Missouri by Tony Webster, on Flickr.

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