Hoosier Lottery Revenue Meets Budget Goal Despite COVID-19

The Hoosier Lottery generated more than $300 million for the state in the last fiscal year, which supports teacher retirement and police and firefighter pensions.

That revenue meets budget projections, despite the impact of COVID-19.

Lottery officials were predicting a revenue shortfall as recently as May. But the Hoosier Lottery just barely cleared its budget goal – about $212,000 more than projected.

READ MORE: Indiana Faced $900 Million Budget Shortfall, Still Ended Fiscal Year With $1.4 Billion Reserve

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That’s in part because the state surpassed $1 billion in scratch-off sales for the first time ever.

Melissa Pursley is COO of IGT, the private company that runs the lottery.

“I believe that players turned to the Hoosier Lottery as an added form of entertainment as many entertainment options were closed to them for public safety,” Pursley said.

Still, the lottery projects it will bring in less money for the state in the new fiscal year than it did in the last one as the pandemic continues.

Contact reporter Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.