RICHMOND, Va. — More and more Virginians are looking to get rich quick, or so it seems. Virginia Governor Ralph Northam announced Wednesday the Virginia Lottery sold $2.14 billion worth of tickets in the fiscal year ending June 30.
That’s a record.
Profits from those lottery sales hit $600 million for the first time ever. Those profits will go to fund programs at Virginia public schools.
“Not only is the Lottery generating record profits, but the General Assembly has raised the Lottery per Pupil Allocation, giving school districts throughout Virginia more flexibility to use lottery funds to meet their local needs,” the governor said.
Virginia Lottery Executive Director Kevin Hall noted lottery profits will help fund child nutrition programs, early reading intervention, career education and other important classroom programs.
“An additional $14 million in unclaimed prizes this year has been deposited in the Literary Fund, which provides low-interest loans to help localities upgrade their school facilities and technology,” Hall said.
The Virginia Lottery launched 30 years ago, in September 1988.
