The Maine State Lottery Contributions to the State’s General Fund Surpass $1 Billion

Augusta, Maine
November 8, 2010

Maine State Lottery officials announced this week that the Maine State Lottery has surpassed the $1 billion mark in revenue contributions to the state’s General Fund. The General Fund is the primary operating fund of the Maine State Government.

Since inception, the Maine State Lottery has paid over $2 billion in prizes to winners, and this week surpassed the $1 billion mark in revenue contributions to the state’s General Fund. General Fund contributions are then redistributed to over 250 various state programs and services. In addition to the benefits for the winners and the state’s General Fund, Lottery sales have a significant economic impact for small and large businesses alike. Last year alone, the Maine Lottery paid out $14 million in commissions to over 1,300 retail agents and over $268 million in total commissions since its inception.

“We are excited to reach this landmark figure of $1 billion in contributions to the General Fund,” said Maine State Lottery Director, Dan Gwadosky, “and it was great to do so during this 35th Anniversary period. This has been a collaborative effort. We appreciate the hard work of our agents and their employees selling instant and on-line lottery games in their stores, and providing the needed support to the players and the games. Our agents have always been an integral part of the Lottery’s growth and success.”

The idea of starting a Maine lottery operation was first championed by Rep. Arthur Genest of Waterville. In 1973, Genest sponsored a bill to introduce a lottery in Maine. When the public was asked to vote on the issue in a statewide referendum, the answer was a resounding “yes,” and the Lottery began operations in 1974. Then Governor Kenneth M. Curtis drew the first lottery numbers on June 27, 1974. The numbers were printed on large rubber balls and drawn from a gumball machine. Instant 'scratch' tickets were sold the next year.