Kentucky Lottery hits $8 billion milestone
“Each year, lottery proceeds fuel scholarships and grants that have empowered over 1.1 million Kentucky students and their families,” President and CEO Maggie Garrison said in a release issued Tuesday. “Our contribution to education is a remarkable milestone and reflects the Kentucky Lottery’s transformative impact on our state.”
The Kentucky Lottery is celebrating record-breaking results in its mission to fund educational opportunities for students and their families across the Commonwealth.
In fiscal year 2026, which ended June 30, the Lottery hit a milestone of generating more than $8 billion in total earnings for Kentucky since its inception in 1989.
“Each year, lottery proceeds fuel scholarships and grants that have empowered over 1.1 million Kentucky students and their families,” President and CEO Maggie Garrison said in a release issued Tuesday. “Our contribution to education is a remarkable milestone and reflects the Kentucky Lottery’s transformative impact on our state.”
In fiscal year 2026, a record $419 million in total cash dividends was transferred to the state, funding educational programs that help Kentucky students pursue higher education, workforce training and career advancement.
For more information on the programs funded by the Kentucky Lottery, visit the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority which administers them.
The Kentucky Lottery had record sales in fiscal year 2026, totaling $2.38 billion, which is $224 million or 10.4% more than the prior fiscal year. This allowed the 37-year-old company to transfer record funding to the state, which lawmakers will use to invest in high schools, colleges, and universities in every region of the state through scholarship and grants.
Kentucky Lottery players also won big in fiscal year 2026, with a record $1.78 billion in prizes paid to winners. Major highlights include massive national Powerball jackpot runs, twice exceeding $1 billion.
The Kentucky Lottery became the first lottery in the nation to offer a feature called “Connected Play,” allowing online winners to use a mobile app to purchase lottery games at retail with funds in the players Fun Club wallet.
In fiscal year 2026, retailers earned more than $80 million in commissions and incentive payments, which helps to strengthen local businesses in cities and towns across Kentucky.
“The Lottery is helping sustain businesses and strengthen local economies through millions in annual commissions and incentives that our retailers earn as our business partners,” Garrison said, “and our winners are investing their prize money back into every community across the Commonwealth.”
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