Executive Director
Massachusetts State Lottery Commission

- 150 Mount Vernon St.
- Dorchester, MA 02125 - US
- 781-849-5555
- $5,820,650,000Sales
- $1,112,576,000Transfers to Beneficiaries
- $4,283,225,000Prizes Paid to Players
- 8,471Retailers
Lottery Impact on the Economy
- In Massachusetts, 8,471 retailers generated $5,820,650,000 in gross sales.
- This economic activity generated $1,112,576,000 in transfers to beneficiaries.
- $4,283,225,000 was awarded to players in prizes.
History of Massachusetts State Lottery Commission
The Massachusetts State Lottery was established by the legislature in 1971 in response to the need for revenues for the 351 cities and towns of the Commonwealth. Sales began on March 22, 1972, with a weekly passive game simply called The Game. The first drawing was held on April 6.
Two years later, the Lottery introduced the industry’s first instant scratch ticket with a game called, not surprisingly, The Instant Game. The revolutionary new product transformed the entire lottery industry.
The weekly and instant games were sold side by side until 1976, when they were joined by the Daily Numbers Game, the Lottery’s first regular draw game. A short-lived lotto game, the first of its kind in the country, debuted in 1978, but was pulled after 13 weeks due to sluggish sales and low jackpots. The advent of a computerized system in 1981 changed everything, and a new lotto – Megabucks – was launched in 1982. A version of the game is still in the product mix today.
Proceeds from the Lottery are allocated to the cities and towns of the Commonwealth. The Lottery is the single largest source of unrestricted local aid.