Half of all Americans play the lottery
New Gallup survey results have again debunked the popular myth created by anti-lottery crusaders that low-income Americans buy a disproportionate number of lottery tickets.
Roughly half of Americans say they have bought a state lottery ticket within the last year, similar to the figures recorded in 2003 and 2007, but down considerably from the 57% who said they played the state lottery in 1996 and 1999. This trend has occurred even as the number of states with lotteries grew over this period from 37 states and the District of Columbia to 44.
These latest data are from a Gallup survey conducted June 14-23. The exact reason for the decline in Americans' reports of playing the lottery during the last 13 years is not clear, although gamblers now also have a wider range of gambling avenues from which to choose, including the proliferation of online poker and online fantasy sports leagues, according to Gallup.
Poorer, less educated less likely to buy lottery tickets
Critics of state-sponsored lotteries argue that they disproportionately prey on the hopes of disadvantaged groups such as the poor and less educated, who can least afford to be spending on non-essentials. According to some lottery critics, lottery winnings can have an outsized appeal to economically vulnerable Americans who have less disposable income.
The latest Gallup update, however, shows that Americans whose annual household income is less than $36,000 per year were substantially less likely than higher-income Americans to say they have purchased a state lottery ticket within the past year. Four in 10 lower-income Americans say they bought a lottery ticket during that time, while more than half of middle- (56%) and upper-income Americans (53%) say the same.
There are also modest differences by education. Less than half of Americans (47%) with a high-school diploma or less say they have purchased a state lottery ticket — on par with those with postgraduate education (45%). However, more than half of Americans with some college, as well as those whose highest education is a college degree, say they have bought a state lottery ticket (53% each).
While these findings may defy common conceptions of gamblers as lower-income and less-educated Americans, they echo previous Gallup studies from 1999, 2004 and 2007. In each of those three years, higher-income Americans were more likely than lower-income Americans to say they gambled. In two of the three, Gallup found that more highly educated Americans were more likely than less-educated Americans to say they gambled.
Nearly two-thirds of Americans gamble in some fashion
Playing a state lottery is the most popular of 11 common gambling activities measured in Gallup's latest update on gambling behavior, with barely a quarter of Americans reporting engaging in the second-most-popular mode of gambling — visiting a casino (26%). Other than participating in a sports-related office pool (15%), no more than one in 10 Americans say they participated in each of the other types of gambling tested within the past year, including wagering on professional sports events (10%) or playing video poker (9%).
Few Americans concerned about their gambling behavior
Gambling does not appear to represent a major problem for Americans. Fewer than one in 10 (7%) say they sometimes gamble more than they should, and an identical 7% say gambling has at some point been a source of problems in their family. There has been little change in responses to these two questions over the years.
Lower-income Americans are slightly more likely than those making more money to say they sometimes gamble more than they should, but the differences are not large (11% vs. 6% or 7%). Similarly, one in 10 lower-income Americans report that gambling has been a source of problems in their family, compared with 6% of middle-income and 3% of upper-income Americans.
Implications
In a year marked by a record lottery jackpot in excess of $1 billion, many states are seeing increased revenues from lottery ticket sales. In fact, Massachusetts' state treasurer announced this week that the state saw record highs for both lottery sales and profits in the last fiscal year, selling $5.23 billion in lottery tickets. These trends are occurring despite little evidence of an increase in the percentage of the adult population who play the lottery in recent years.
Many states' lottery revenue supports dedicated policy funds, such as education (for example, Florida), environmental protection (Colorado) or assistance to the elderly (Pennsylvania). By tying revenues to support of public goods, states position their lotteries as a means to supplement popular policies. The role of the lottery remains controversial in some quarters, however. The nonprofit North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research has found that rather than supplementing the budgets of programs for which lottery revenues are dedicated, some states use lottery revenues to fund those programs at normal levels, and then move government funds to other budget items.
Whatever the big-picture consequences of state lotteries, about half of Americans find playing the lottery rewarding enough on a personal basis that they buy a ticket — at least occasionally.
Survey methods
Results for this Gallup poll are based on telephone interviews conducted June 14-23, 2016, with a random sample of 1,025 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. For results based on the total sample of national adults, the margin of sampling error is ±4 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All reported margins of sampling error include computed design effects for weighting.
Each sample of national adults includes a minimum quota of 60% cellphone respondents and 40% landline respondents, with additional minimum quotas by time zone within region. Landline and cellular telephone numbers are selected using random-digit-dial methods.
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I knew that was BS from day 1
haha i've always noticed cheaper people (less fortunate) don't want to spemnd on the lottery.. Then most players are people with income that want more
Hello Alabamanians!! Time to read AND comprehend this article. I should have worded it POLITICIANS in Alabama.
I'm willing to bet even the anti-lottery crusaders buy lottery tickets. Just another case of...Do as I say, not as I do.
a random sample of 1,025 adults.....living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.
A year ago a "random sample of 1025 adults" would probably show Jeb Bush winning the Republican Party nomination. I'm not disagreeing with the accuracy of the survey, just wondering why it included all 50 states when only 44 states have a state lottery. And considering 635 million PB tickets were sold for the Jan 13 drawing, the sales numbers probably included thousands of "one-time-players".
If a $1.58 billion jackpot for a $2 bet won't entice non players, what will?
Good catch on the 50 states. You think they'd confine it to States that had a lottery. LOL!
"If a $1.58 billion jackpot for a $2 bet won't entice non players, what will?"
Valid point. My husband who is extremely anti-lottery even participated in that drawing. He hasn't purchased a ticket since.
Lots of people who live in states without lotteries still play the lottery. For a long time I lived in a state that didn't have a lottery but I was a regular player anyway. Plus there were questions about gambling in general in the survey.
Comparing lottery play to a political candidate is a false narrative. Even comparing the number of adults who eat Cornflakes is a better comparison than a political comparison.
This was a good survey.
LOL. Yeah that's why a Florida Senator won the jackpot prize of Lucky $200,000 a year for life cause he was too poor and had no comment when he won.
Ur from Cali, so let me ask u this, why is that no MM PB jackpot winning tickets are sold from Beverly Hills, Malibu, and Santa Barbara?
Designated Lucky Retailers
Lucky Retailers are those Lottery Retail locations that sold at least one $100,000 winning ticket during the previous calendar year, or paid out an average of 400 or more winning tickets per week during the previous calendar year, or paid out an average of $4,000 or more in winning tickets per week during the previous calendar year.
ROBERT BURNS WINE
157 N ROBERTSON BL
BEVERLY HILLS, CA. 90211
76
427 N Crescent Dr
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
** Paid out an average of 400 or more winning tickets per week during the previous calendar year
*** Paid out average of $4,000 or more worth of winning tickets per week during the previous calendar year
SHELL
23387 PACIFIC COAST HWY
MALIBU, CA. 90265
*** Paid out average of $4,000 or more worth of winning tickets per week during the previous calendar year
7-ELEVEN
331 W MONTECITO ST
SANTA BARBARA, CA 93101
*** Paid out average of $4,000 or more worth of winning tickets per week during the previous calendar year
PAT'S LIQUOR
424 N MILPAS ST
SANTA BARBARA, CA. 93103
*** Paid out average of $4,000 or more worth of winning tickets per week during the previous calendar year
MILPAS LIQUOR
314 N MILPAS ST
SANTA BARBARA, CA. 93103
** Paid out an average of 400 or more winning tickets per week during the previous calendar year
*** Paid out average of $4,000 or more worth of winning tickets per week during the previous calendar year
7-ELEVEN
1909 CLIFF DR
SANTA BARBARA, CA. 93109
** Paid out an average of 400 or more winning tickets per week during the previous calendar year
*** Paid out average of $4,000 or more worth of winning tickets per week during the previous calendar year
7-ELEVEN
3430 STATE ST
SANTA BARBARA, CA. 93105
** Paid out an average of 400 or more winning tickets per week during the previous calendar year
*** Paid out average of $4,000 or more worth of winning tickets per week during the previous calendar year
And my anti-lottery dad didn't buy a ticket even for the 1.5 Billion. There is gonna be a large minority of people who for one reason or another will NEVER buy a ticket regardless of its size. Exactly how big of a minority is unknown, atleast to me.
Hi realtorjim!
Thanks so much for the information!
One thing I clearly remember about Beverly Hills is that during the $1Billion dollar jackpot run, a news reporter went to a convenience store
in Beverly Hills and the clerk said that all the maids, housekeepers and personal assistance were buying tickets for they employer and one of the maids picked up $2,500.00 worth of tickets...
(I am glad this survey confirmed who is really spending the money....)
"Comparing lottery play to a political candidate is a false narrative."
I was comparing one random sampling with another and commented what a political poll "would probably show". A CNN/ORC random sampling from 7/01/2015 shows exactly what I said and uses similar demographics.
Less than half of Americans (47%) with a high-school diploma or less say they have purchased a state lottery ticket
And a political survey will show a percentage of voters with a high school diploma voting for one candidate or another.
The latest Gallup update, however, shows that Americans whose annual household income is less than $36,000 per year were substantially less likely than higher-income Americans to say they have purchased a state lottery ticket within the past year.
And again household income is included in most political surveys.
My point had nothing to do with politics or methods used by pollsters, but that a $1.5 billion will bring out lots of new players. Considering candidates from both parties bragged about bringing out lots of new voters, my comparison is spot on.
In this Gallop poll it makes a point to say "Poorer, Less Educated Less Likely to Say They Bought State Lottery Ticket". But whether they say it or not, IMO they purchase less lottery tickets than those with higher incomes.
Based on the 25 year graph, I thought it was follow-up survey.
If the lottery was mostly played by the poor, then common sense would dictate that most lottery retailers would be located in poor areas but that isn't yhe case. That was never the case. So with the myth busted that only the poor play the lottery, the other myth that "the lottery is a tax on the poor" can also be
The "tax on the poor" thing has always been a false statement, and was concocted by anti-lottery people to sway public opinion. Taxes are compulsory, while the lottery is voluntary.
It's just like how anti-gun forces concocted the term "assault rifle" in order to get people to hate guns. There is actually no such thing as an "assault rifle".
True enough Todd, that's why I get upset (sometimes) about 'them' taxing lottery wins when it was a voluntary 'tax' if you will to begin with.
Just like @ work, if my salary is topped out which it does occasionally. The hosp. gives me 3%, but the IRS considers it a bonus which it is not and taxes it over 48%.
I'd be content with the IRS if regulations were changed so that at least winnings from any source would not be subject to Federal tax unless it is over $10K. But you know as well as I this country has the most tax regulations of any other country in the world. In other words 'ain't gonna happen'.
That is correct...AR as in AR15 = Armalite Rifle, the MFR.
Todd @ 23000 posts..awesome !
How does a poll indicating what percentage of various demographic groups have bought at least one lottery ticket in the past 12 months tell us anything at all about the actual number of tickets bought by any of them? Based on the information presented here the poll tells us absolutely nothing about who buys the most tickets.
My yearly gross income is $13,224 and I buy a Lucky Day Lotto ticket here in Illinois everyday. I hope I hit before trump gets the keys to the white house so I can move to Canada.
After Trump is in the White House it may be more advantageous for you to stay: taxes will be lowered.
I don't see how taxes will be lower nor do I see where he will get the money to build the "Great Wall" along the U.S. southern border. Guess he must have access to money trees. I'm on S.S. disability so taxes won't affect me. I have not filed a tax return in over 12 years, (not enough income.) Not counting on winning any money in the lottery either, (it is just a dream) I'll have to stay here and suffer like millions of other poor people will. Population of the U.S. should go down from all the suicides though.
Hope on with all reason for hope being gone. Keep playing Lucky Day--good luck to you, Smoke Fan.
Trump not only can purchase Gail Howard's lottery system, he also has the financial ability to hire clairvoyant Beti Schulz for her expertise. Obviously with this combination lottery wins will be great, thus the building of the "Great Wall" can be accomplished. Also, as a backup, Trump can redirect lottery profits from education to the "Great Wall Fund". In this manner the wall will benefit from the front end of the lottery as well as the back end.
The money trees are his alone, grown on the family farm, and consumption is not for use by constituents, or non-constituents for that matter. However, public funds may be utilized to study their growth and develop hybrids. The Grant $50 can be cross-fertilized with the Franklin $100 which will likely result in a tenfold Trump $1500 bill.
You mention increased suicides, let's hope not, but hopefully the $255 burial cost benefit will stay in place as a safeguard.
You also mentioned lower taxes. I think you misunderstood how the context of the word "lower" was meant. I believe it was meant in the manner of 'muffle', which can also be equated to 'envelop', which can also be equated to 'shield'. So, taxes being lowered really means taxes being shielded, i.e. protected from being lowered.
Sorry you can't see it. But just because you personally have trouble seeing it does not make you correct.
Congratulations on not paying taxes for 12 years. I and everyone else paying taxes is footing the bill for you.
This is BS. (The parts I can comprehend, anyway.)
Especially on lottery winnings-Should be TAX FREE LIKE IN CANADA...
Whoa. That was just nasty. The poster says he is on SS disability which they probably got because they worked and paid into social security and then had some life changing disaster befall them. They do not pay taxes because they make so little money on a payout on what is a form of disability insurance. I didn't even get the sense that they were bragging on not paying taxes just that lower taxes wouldn't be enough to influence their decision.
Unfortunately this is becoming another place I will probably avoid until after the election.
Nothing nasty about it. We all have our crosses to bear. I think the idea of putting a strongly-worded argument out there, combined with a sympathy-garnering statement is passive-aggressive.
If someone wants to debate a point, that's fine with me. Just don't combine it with a "woe-is-me" statement to try and prevent anyone from disagreeing.
Thank you! And good luck to you.
Yes, it is. It was meant to be.
Trump may even open up opportunities for him to make more than the $13k he currently makes while keeping him safer. If that doesn't sound appealing he can always start walking to Canada as he should make it there before the elections.
If people really think the nation will be horrible economically and totally inhabitable under a Trump administration they should immediately seek another country to call home. I have heard a large number of folks from Hollywood as well as half of the Democrats who are currently employed by the federal government planning to move to Canada if Hillary doesn't win.
I just saw "Hillary's America" and it is an eye opener, I would suggest everyone especially Democrats to see it. Many things never taught in school or mentioned by our beloved media.
Our government has no shame on how it tax people, how many ways it tax people and how much it tax people. They are in essence parasites.
Some people are clueless about how the Harding/Coolidge Administration lowered all taxes and created prosperity and full employment!
Thanks for being a ray of sunshine in an environment of Economic Ignorance!
"After..."
Insider info? Maybe I should parlay heavy on the British Columbia lottery.
Euromillions will cost 2.50 euro the combination. Poor people don't spend on 50 combinations twice a week at that price. We have full system forms.
Eventually people owning businesses are the biggest players. They use their black cash to play. Drug money also plays gambling.
It is a remarkable work of fiction.
Yes, but like Samuel Clemens' "The Adventure of Tom Sawyer" and "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn", the works contain just enough truth and personal experiences to keep people wanting more.
Note: Posted comments may not necessarily reflect personal reflections of the poster and are intended for amusement only.
Keep drinking your party's Kool aid.
Fact: Democrats were opposed to freeing the slaves while Republicans had compassion and wanted to abolish slavery.
Fact: The KKK was an arm of the Democrat party.
Fact: Democrat Andrew Jackson was a racist, had numerous slaves that were subject to repeated lashings. He also fathered children through his slaves.
Fact: Hillary Clinton was mentored by Saul Alinsky (also did her college thesis on him), a radical community organizing con man who Obama himself tried to emulate.
Fact: Margaret Sanger the founder of Planned parenthood main objective was to severely reduce black babies through abortions.
The only fiction that exist is the thought process inside your head.
Perhaps you should but use caution as your acquaintances may not be too pleased.
It behoves me that politicians act like they r concerned about the well being of poor people.Poor people don,t have enough money to buy lottery tickets.
The comment was addressing the word "after" which, in this case, would indicate an event will occur, not may occur. If this were to be known prior to such an event then one would have an advantage to place a bet on the side of knowledge (i.e. insider info). Since BC is in the news as taking such bets, it was the place of mention. I am sure my acquaintances are able to detect tongue in cheek dialogue.
While I agree it's a false statement, they keep on saying it.