People in Arizona are spending record amounts of money on lottery tickets, a sales surge that is surpassing that of other states.
In a recent national comparison of state lottery sales, Arizona ranked first out of 43 states and the District of Columbia in percentage increase from fiscal 2009 to 2010, according to the trade publication La Fleur's Magazine.
In fiscal 2011, which for Arizona ended June 30, the Lottery sold $584 million in tickets, its most ever.
However, the Arizona Lottery is small compared with those in other states such as New York and Massachusetts, each of which posts billions of dollars in sales each year. Arizona's spending per capita still is lower than most lotteries, too.
But state officials say the Arizona government needs the revenue it gets from Lottery sales even more in an era of budget cuts. They point to the changes made to make the games more enticing to players, such as improving odds of winning, selling new kinds of games and improving displays.
The Lottery also has added retailers.
The changes were especially important in the face of a weak economy that has consumers cutting their spending.
"We knew we would have to act to counteract the recession, especially in Arizona," Executive Director Jeff Hatch-Miller said. "We knew we had to really get out there and start listening more clearly to the players."
Last year, the Lottery started participating in the multistate Mega Millions jackpot game.
In 2008, it added $20 instant "scratcher" tickets to its games, which also had tickets ranging from $1 to $10. Hatch-Miller said the Lottery also made games and retailer displays more visually appealing.
In 2010, the Auditor General's Office suggested the Lottery increase the number of retailers where people could buy tickets.
It added 97 new locations that brought in an additional $2 million in sales in fiscal 2011, Deputy Director Karen Emery said.
Hatch-Miller said lottery tickets are sold in every community in Arizona at 2,800 retailers.
Also, over the past few years, Hatch-Miller said, the state Lottery improved the average odds of winning to about 69 percent from about 60 percent. More expensive tickets have slightly better-than-average odds.
"When times are tough, people need a good rate of return if they're going to play the game," Hatch-Miller said. "It's better that they play the game — even though (the state) gets a slightly smaller percentage — than they don't play it at all."
Not everyone agrees.
Steve Voeller, president of the Arizona Free Enterprise Club, a tax watchdog and free-market policy group, questions why Arizona officials deliberately encourage spending on gaming during an economic downturn.
"That's like a tobacco executive saying, 'We have to be more creative on how to get more kids smoking,' " Voeller said.
"I am all for people participating in what they want to, but I don't think the state should be in the business of running gambling to make money and especially trying to get more people hooked on this activity."
Voeller said that it's "unfortunate" that more people seem to be playing, given the shakiness of the U.S. economy.
"Maybe it's out of desperation, or they are hoping to get rich quick," Voeller said. "But the odds of winning aren't good, and it's a very expensive activity."
Hatch-Miller said he wouldn't want people to play lottery games if it might damage their economic security.
Rob Stepp of Phoenix said he usually plays the jackpot games every week he has extra cash.
"If I've got the money, I'll play," Stepp said. "But if I can't afford it, I won't."
Stepp said he doesn't play for entertainment — he wants to win. But he hasn't seen any big returns yet.
State comparison
Total lottery sales nationwide fell slightly in 2009 after years of straight growth, according to the most recent information from the U.S. Census.
Forty-three states and the District of Columbia have lotteries. For per capita sales, Arizona's relatively small lottery ranked 35th out of 44 in fiscal 2010, according to La Fleur's. But for sales growth, Arizona ranked first, increasing 14 percent from 2009 to 2010.
During that time, 28 lotteries had sales growth. Most grew 1 to 7 percent.
The beginning of the fiscal year varies among state lotteries, so the numbers don't compare exactly with the same time periods.
La Fleur's hasn't published state-by-state lottery-sales information for 2011. But the Arizona Lottery reports total sales rose 5.6 percent from fiscal 2010 to fiscal 2011.
State programs
July marked the Arizona Lottery's 30th anniversary. Since 1981, it has sold $8.5 billion in tickets.
The Lottery has given $2.7 billion to the state.
A portion of Lottery sales benefits the general fund and a variety of state programs aimed at improving community health and transit systems, protecting wildlife and developing the economy.
In fiscal 2011, of the $584 million in ticket sales, the Lottery sent a record $146 million (25 percent) to the state, $105 million of which went into the general fund.
It paid out nearly $363 million (62 percent) in prizes and $39 million (7 percent) in commissions to retailers who sell tickets. It spent the rest on operational costs.
The rising sales were welcomed by the state, Hatch-Miller said.
"Even though there was a recession and times were tough, that meant for us that the state needed that money even more," he said.
Congrats Arizona, Hope you have some happy winners.
Good for Arizona, I hope they are having fun!
"Voeller said that it's "unfortunate" that more people seem to be playing, given the shakiness of the U.S. economy.
"Maybe it's out of desperation, or they are hoping to get rich quick," Voeller said. "But the odds of winning aren't good, and it's a very expensive activity."
Hey Mr Voeller, here's an idea: If you think the lottery is a bad idea, don't play it.
As for what the rest of humanity does: Mind your own friggin' business!
tiggs sister lives in Surprise AZ and says the lottery stinks out there..Maybe she's not as lucky as tiggs?...She is a whole lot older then tiggs..
The only thing a "whole lot older" than you in Arizona might be a mummy in the natural history museum.
That'll work...
i was suprised to read that they had lottery since 81, thought they were late to the party.
cali did't start til. 85 i think,thats why i quit playing for a couple years.
California probably waited for the planets to be in proper alignment so Governor Moonbeam could do the Sacred Pelican Dance around Ariella Huffington's huge ass while the moon was properly lined up with Uranus and Al Gore was getting a massage from Henry Waxman atop the Four Seasons.
Or something like that.
Go figure.
There you go again, needlessly injecting your political whining into an unrelated thread, while at the same time maligning the people of the state of California.
Knock it off you prejudiced hillbilly.
"Uranus and Al Gore" this says it all...
You're in fine form, Ridge.
I imagine these numbers are boosted by lottery lovers in Nevada and Utah crossing over state lines to play.
george deukmejian (hope i spelled that right)was gov. of cali from 83 to 91,think he's prolly the one that signed the law.
LOL uranus and algore LOL,they go together very well.
Maligning the people of California? Me?
What a joke!
The people of California malign themselves well enough, they certainly don't need me to do it.
Your state is virtually bankrupt and buried in debt due to the wild spending of your liberal legislators and what do you do about it?
You keep re-electing them!
Yes! Pelosi, Feinstein, Boxer, Waxman and the whole liberal state legislature that's continuing the spending spree! And you were instrumental in putting the idiot we have in the White House in office! And you'll probably try to do it again! You must like being screwed!
I'm not whining, I'm laughing, the whole country is!
So calm down, you California fruitcake.
Rosie's Den Destroyed by fire: A 74 year popular lottery store on Rt 93 will be missed by Nevadans & other interstate players-was only 25 miles from State line- hope they rebulid soon!
EddessaKnight
Not to change the subject, but I am. Massachusetts had another winner, this time Mega Millions!
Pennsylvania is long overdue for a big winner!
Ooohhh...what a big man you are: Generalizing about all the diverse people of the most populous state in the nation, lumping them together into one ideology, and insulting them all at once! Meh... Heck, I've only lived here less than a year and you foolishly try to blame me for those clowns in office?
No, all you do is reveal yourself as the prejudiced jerk and bigot that you are, and the worst part of Lottery Post.
All the smartest people and people with money have left or are leaving California just like they're leaving NYC because of your liberal guns and money confiscating heroes and the catering to illegal aliens and the sanctuary cities and all the other liberal nonsense. Enjoy the future Detroit West, numbnuts.
It makes perfect sense that you move in just when all the smart people are moving out.
Are you a dancin' boy or just a dope?
I'd bet both.
One thing's for sure though - you're a joke.
Awww...you just sound jealous, like you wish you were here!
There are plenty of jobs to be had if you are creative or tech savvy, and not just some dumb hick. But you might not like it here so much, a racist redneck would not feel too comfortable in such a diverse place as the City of Angels.
Some big companies that are thriving and investing here: Apple, Facebook, Space-X. What have you got? Hollywood is also growing and thriving, and along with CA being top producing/exporting in agriculture, this state is actually selling and exporting to other countries, not beholden to them.
You're just a jealous old man, filled with regret, waiting to die alone.
Hollywood is growing and thriving? Well that's just spectacular! In fact, that's fabulous! You must be thrilled all the way down to your lace panties!
I'll bet you can't wait for Sean Penn's next news conference about what a great guy Hugo Chavez is and how we ought to be more like Venezuela!
I'll tell ya what, my little ballerina. Go put on your makeup and your tutu, make yourself a nice Brandy Alexander, get out your Judy Garland and your Johnny Mathis and your Barbara Streisand and your Barry Manilow and your Broadway Showtunes records and have yourself a nice cry and then go outside and hug a friggin tree, you moron.
It'd be nice if every idiot like you would jump on that sinking ship and we put a fence around it so you couldn't come back and gave the whole lib-infested, rotting mess back to Mexico. I'd even be willing to pay more taxes to facilitate getting rid of all you America-hating traitors in that fashion.
And you'd like it it cuz you'd never again have to see the American flag that you despise so much.
Yeah, go west young man!
Umm... listen closely, my delicate little fruitcup, you're a little late, the party's over and they're turning out the lights.
Nice move, dumbass.
I live in Arizona. The only two games worth playing are Mega Millions and Power Ball. The other games are done with RNG and not a ball machine. My hit average per month was pretty good when they were using the ball machines. I used to average 3 or 4 four number hits a month on the Pick 5 game. A lot of box hits on the Pick 3. And every once in a while 3 or 4 numbers on the Pick 6 game. Since they switched to RNG I haven't hit squat so I quit playing the local state games and just concentrate on Mega and Power. And yes, Arizona has seen an increase in lottery sales. That is due to the high unemployment rate in the state. People are desperate for a win. I'm just telling it like I see it.
Governor Brewer was doing a good job to improve the employment rate in your state by cracking down on illegal aliens and a lot of them had already moved to California in fact. But Obama has Attorney General Eric Holder actively suing your state for simply trying to enforce the laws already on the books.
And now that Obama has signed an executive order approving the Dream Act against the will of Congress and the American people, it will become almost impossible to stop or even slow down the mass invasion by illegals across our southern border. He knows these criminals will vote for him if he can get them on welfare and food stamps right away.
So look for your employment situation to get a lot worse now.
Hah, you are a funny character, rdgrnr, I must say.
But I think I've figured out what you are. This whole belligerent activist hillbilly persona that you've adopted is really just a clever fabrication. You're just some guy playing a role, like Borat or that feller Colbert. Except that your Oracle of the Appalacians is a more wacky cartoonish version of a character like Spongebob Squarepants or Yosemite Sam. In fact, you seem to have borrowed much of your mannerisms from good 'ole Sam, especially the temper part, except that he's now been inducted into the Tea Party. Heck, you should probably adopt Sam's image for your avatar instead of that ugly mug you have up there now.
That's why any intelligent conversation or argument with you is pointless, as one is not dealing with a real person, but a fictional character, and a wiley one at that. All you'd get back in reply is pre-scripted garbage, cut-and-pasted from the character's playbook. Trying to have an argument with you would make about as much sense as trying to argue with a sock puppet.
It's unfortunate though, that your tiresome zealotry is allowed to constantly pollute the forums, as that reflects badly on Lottery Post. But it is what it is.
So go ahead sock puppet, spew forth your angry bigoted reply. Get your last word in, as I get the last laugh at what a pathetic joke you are.
Yours Truly
Bugs
You poor soul, you're just a little too high-strung is all.
Just remember if you ever need me I'm here for ya.
We all are.
She is trying very hard , but someone has been getting federal tax I.d.'s not social security numbers mind you, AND THEY HAVE BEEN BUYING PROPERTY WITH THEIR NEW TAX NUMBERS, , one fun fact, not as many companies are hiring illegals anymore, and their not exporting the work, no, they found a new way to screw america, they have been bringing in exchange students to do the work, instead of unemployed Americans.
Wow man!!..Like wow man.....Ride on man..
Wow. I didn't know sales hit a record. I hope they keep it up.
I finally registered to simply comment that I agree with you completely. The reason for increase in lottery sales is simply due to the high unemployment rate, I have personally gone thru it myself while living in Phoenix. Since having to settle for a job that pays me half of what I used to make, desperation and need are now part of everyday life so I let my entrepreneur spirit loose, only to find out that it takes money to make money. Then I decided 1 year ago to venture into trying to understand lottery algorithms and study each "Trend" to maybe someday score a win, nothing spectacular. My dream is to symply get a couple of 100k to start my own business but to win just that, the odds seem astronomical but I continue to dream and play. I now avoid playing any RNG game because I think they are rigged therefore worthless to me. I focus on Mega and Powerball only also, with the goal to get 5 numbers using the megaplier or powerplay on each game, thanks for reading & Good luck to you in Tucson!