Georgia Lottery Hits Record For First Quarter With $389.9M In Profits For Education

By T.A. DeFeo | The Center Square contributor, The Center Square Georgia

November 20, 2022

(The Center Square) — The Georgia Lottery Corp. reported its most profitable first quarter since its start in 1993.

The lottery transferred $389.9 million to the state treasury’s Lottery for Education Account, $25.1 million more than it did in the first quarter of last year. The first quarter ran from July 1 to Sept. 30.

"The Georgia Lottery is excited to return this record-breaking amount to Georgia for allocation to education for students and families," Georgia Lottery President and CEO Gretchen Corbin said in a release.

Georgia Lottery profits pay for educational programs, including the state’s HOPE Scholarship and Pre-K programs. According to a news release, "more than 2 million students have received a HOPE Scholarship, and more than 1.7 million have participated in the state’s pre-kindergarten program, which is voluntary."

According to a release, "the Georgia lottery has transferred more than $25.7 billion to the state for education since its creation."

"As we celebrate another record quarter for the Georgia Lottery, we’re especially mindful of the direct impact these funds will have on our students and their families," Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, said in a release. "Our state’s HOPE Scholarship and Pre-K programs serve an essential role in educating the next generation, and this record-breaking quarter will ultimately benefit those students the most."

The focus of the work of The Center Square Georgia is state and local-level government and economic reporting that approaches stories with a taxpayer sensibility.