Last week the Arkansas Lottery released its financial report for the month of May.
The report indicates the Arkansas Lottery grossed more than $57.6 million last month, but paid less than $7.6 million to college scholarships — about 13 cents out of every dollar the Arkansas Lottery made. The Lottery budgeted 61.6% of its revenue for prizes.
So far this fiscal year most of the Arkansas Lottery’s revenue — 68% — has gone to prizes. Only 15.8% has gone to college scholarships.
Below is a breakdown of Lottery revenue and scholarship funding so far this fiscal year.
Scholarship Spending
| Month | Gross Lottery Revenue | Paid to Scholarships | % Gross Revenue |
| July | $49,780,369.99 | $8,592,573.93 | 17.3% |
| August | 49,672,105.04 | 7,862,917.44 | 15.8% |
| September | 47,501,224.72 | 7,691,576.99 | 16.2% |
| October | 42,615,839.96 | 8,447,337.00 | 19.8% |
| November | 43,115,514.84 | 8,207,598.88 | 19.0% |
| December | 50,329,644.30 | 5,970,922.53 | 11.9% |
| January, 2021 | 62,994,737.27 | 10,913,192.32 | 17.3% |
| February | 42,099,444.22 | 5,592,370.95 | 13.3% |
| March | 67,975,057.80 | 8,341,917.38 | 12.3% |
| April | 65,520,420.72 | 12,299,938.64 | 18.8% |
| May | 57,605,418.67 | 7,588,364.37 | 13.2% |
| Total | $579,209,777.53 | $91,508,710.43 | 15.8% |
Prize Spending
| Month | Gross Lottery Revenue | Total Prizes | % Going to Prizes |
| July | $49,780,369.99 | $35,641,717.48 | 71.6% |
| August | 49,672,105.04 | 35,023,856.83 | 70.5% |
| September | 47,501,224.72 | 33,422,556.14 | 70.4% |
| October | 42,615,839.96 | 29,995,072.50 | 70.4% |
| November | 43,115,514.84 | 30,548,473.72 | 70.9% |
| December | 50,329,644.30 | 33,661,170.75 | 66.9% |
| January, 2021 | 62,994,737.27 | 41,745,065.17 | 66.3% |
| February | 42,099,444.22 | 27,955,512.19 | 66.4% |
| March | 67,975,057.80 | 47,945,090.78 | 70.5% |
| April | 67,975,057.80 | 46,942,442.72 | 69.1% |
| May | 65,520,420.72 | 40,336,944.48 | 61.6% |
| Total | $589,579,416.66 | $403,217,902.76 | 68.4% |
