- $894,541,365Sales
- $236,696,163Transfers to Beneficiaries
- $559,690,376Prizes Paid to Players
- 3,648Retailers
Lottery Impact on the Economy
- In Wisconsin, 3,648 retailers generated $894,541,365 in gross sales.
- This economic activity generated $236,696,163 in transfers to beneficiaries.
- $559,690,376 was awarded to players in prizes.
History of Wisconsin Lottery
Wisconsin voters approved a constitutional amendment authorizing a state lottery in 1987, and the Wisconsin Lottery began ticket sales on September 14, 1988. It was the first lottery to launch with both an instant game, Match 3, and a pulltab game, Wisconsin Red. Match 3 sold more than 50 million tickets in six weeks.
The Lottery’s first draw game was Megabucks Lotto*America, adding its own brand to the multistate lotto game. Tickets went on sale in August 1989, and Wisconsin quickly became the highest-grossing member of the Lotto*America group.
SuperCash! launched in February 1991 as the Lottery’s second draw game, followed by Powerball in April 1992 (replacing Megabucks Lotto*America), Wisconsin’s Very Own Megabucks game in June and Daily Pick 3 in September.
Since the beginning, Lottery proceeds have been used for property tax relief for eligible Wisconsin taxpayers.