Texas Lottery® Commemorates 20 Years with Anniversary Scratch Off Game

(AUSTIN) – Today, the Texas Lottery® launched the 20th Anniversary scratch-off game to commemorate the lottery’s two decades of generating revenue for the state of Texas.

 

With more than $21.5 million in prizes, the 20th Anniversary game features nine top prizes of $250,000 and more than 100 second-tier prizes of $1,000. Odds of winning any prize in the new game are one in 3.52, including break-even prizes.

 

“We continually strive to incorporate innovation into our products to provide Texans with the best games available,” said Texas Lottery Commission Executive Director Gary Grief. “We are in constant pursuit of new technologies and games that enhance the services we provide to our customers, reduce our operating expenses and generate funds for Texas schools.”

 

When the Texas Lottery began, Lone Star Millions was the only game in town. Today, players can choose from a variety of approximately 80 scratch-off games and seven draw games, including Powerball®, Mega Millions®, Lotto Texas®, Texas Two Step®, Pick 3™, Daily 4™ and Cash Five®.  Plans are also underway for a new draw game, All or Nothing™, to be launched later this year.

 

The Texas Lottery was launched on May 29, 1992, when the first ticket was purchased by Gov. Ann Richards at Polk’s Feed Store in Oak Hill. Richards had previously signed House Bill 54 on Aug. 26, 1991, creating the Texas Lottery.  On Nov. 5 of the same year, Texas voters approved the Lottery by a two-to-one margin.

In its first 24 hours, the Lottery set a world record for first day sales when Texans purchase 23.2 million tickets. The Lottery’s start-up costs, with interest, were earned back during the first three hours of ticket sales.

“Over the past 20 years, the Texas Lottery has generated $20 billion in revenue for the state and we are particularly proud of the $14 billion our retailers and players have helped us to contribute to public education since 1997. Those numbers are certainly something to commemorate and we look forward to another 20 years,” said Grief.

 

20 years of the Texas Lottery:

$65 billion in total sales, including a record sales year of $3.8 billion in fiscal year 2011.

Distributed more than $38 billion in prizes paid to winning players.

Contributed $14 billion to the Foundation School Fund, which supports public education in Texas.

Texas Lottery products are sold by nearly 17,000 retailers across the state.

Based on calendar year 2011 sales, the Texas Lottery ranked fourth among United States lotteries and 15th among lotteries worldwide, according to La Fleur’s Magazine.