The Pennsylvania Lottery last week celebrated the 45th anniversary of its first game. Since March 7, 1972, the Lottery has paid out almost $45 billion in prizes and paid $27 billion to help senior citizens. At that time the top prize was $50,000. Some of the first 18-year old players are now eligible to receive some of its benefits for seniors.
The first Millionaire drawings held on television were in March 197, followed by the first scratcher, “Instant Lottery” a few months later. Nightly drawings arrived in 1977l.
Executive Director Drew Svitko declared “From humble beginnings, the Pennsylvania Lottery has grown to offer a wide variety of in-state and multi-state draw games, scratch-off instant games, and we recently introduced Fast Play games.”
Last year the lottery had record sales of over $4.13 billion, which generated more than $1.2 billion for seniors and over $2.63 million in prizes.
Svitko added. “In our last fiscal year, we achieved record sales of over $4.13 billion, from which we generated more than $1.12 billion to benefit older Pennsylvanians and paid more than $2.63 billion in prizes — which were also new records.”
These benefits include property tax and rent rebates, transportation, care services and prescription help for seniors.
Lottery sales are made through about 9,200 vendors, which include counter sales and touch screen, self-service terminals. The lottery was the first in the nation to introduce self-service terminals. Customers can locate the nearest terminals using mobile phone and casino apps.
