Business & Tech
Rhode Islanders Spend The Second-Highest On Lottery Tickets
The average Rhode Islander spends more than $600 per year playing the lottery.
PROVIDENCE, RI — A new study shows that Rhode Islanders love to play the lottery. According to GoBankingRates, Ocean State residents pony up more than $600 on average each year, the second-highest in the country.
The bad news? Despite the high investment, the returns aren't great. Despite spending the second-highest on lottery tickets, Rhode Island sees the second-lowest number of lottery prizes awarded at just $157 million per year.
Neighboring Massachusetts came in first place when it comes to lottery spending, averaging $933 per person, per year. Nationally, the average person spend $288.06 per year on lottery tickets. The study does not include Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Mississippi, Nevada and Utah, which do not have state lotteries.
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The ranking comes just under a year after mobile sports better was legalized in Rhode Island.
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Patch editor Dave Copeland contributed to this report.
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