Latest Lottery Winner: Georgia Schools

ATLANTA, GA — Gov. Nathan Deal announced on Wednesday the Georgia Lottery Corp. transferred its fiscal year 2016 profits -- $1.09 billion -- to the state lottery treasury.

This is the first time the Georgia Lottery has transferred more than $1 billion in a single fiscal year and is the largest funding transfer in the 23-year history of the lottery.

“Educational programs funded by the lottery continue to lay the groundwork for Georgia’s evolving and growing workforce,” said Deal. “Since the inception of the Georgia Lottery in 1993, a total of $17.6 billion has been generated for educational programs. These funds have made it possible for more than 1.7 million college students to receive the HOPE scholarship and more than 1.4 million 4-year-olds to attend lottery-funded Pre-K programs."

This year's profits smashed last year's then-record transfer by more than $117 million.

Georgia Lottery players won $2.75 billion in prizes in the 2016 fiscal year, which ended June 30, and retailers earned more than $270.7 million in commissions.

In 2014, Americans spent $70 billion on lottery tickets, according to CNN Money, more than the $62 billion spent on all of other forms of leisure and entertainment.

Lottery profits pay for Georgia’s HOPE Scholarship Program and Georgia’s Pre-K Program.

See also:

• Mega Millions Jackpot For Tuesday Hits $449 Million
• Marietta Woman Wins $700K in Georgia Lottery
• Smyrna Woman Wins New Car from Georgia Lottery
• Mableton Man Wins $1 Million Lottery Using Old High School
• Douglasville Man Wins New Harley in Ga. Lottery
• Father Wins $12500 Prize From Georgia Lottery
• $1 Million Winning Powerball Ticket Sold In Cartersville

Image: Gov. Nathan Deal during a visit to Whitefoord Avenue Elementary School in Atlanta. Credit: Governor's Office