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Since
1999, all Virginia Lottery profits have
been used
for public education in the Commonwealth, for
kindergarten through 12th grade.
In Fiscal Year 2008, the Virginia Lottery had sales of more than $1.3 billion. Of this total, the Lottery contributed $455.3 million, or 32.5%, to public education grades K-12. 56.6% went back to
players in the form of prizes, 5.6% went to the retailers who sell Virginia Lottery tickets, and
5.3% went to operational expenses.
To view the Virginia Lottery's Fiscal Year 2007
Annual Report, click here.
When Virginians voted
in 1987 for a
state-operated lottery, many made
the
assumption
that they voted on how to spend
the Lottery’s proceeds.
This was not the case.
The lottery
proceeds, which are approximately
one-third of lottery sales, were
to be used as determined by
the
General Assembly.
The
use of the proceeds has changed
over
time.
In 1989, lottery
proceeds were dedicated
to
capital construction projects.
From 1990 to
1998, the lottery
proceeds were transferred to
the
state’s
General Fund. Starting in 1999,
a
state
budget amendment sent
lottery proceeds
to
local public
school divisions to be used
solely
for educational purposes.
In the year
2000,
more
than
80% of Virginia voters said
yes to the
creation of the
State Lottery Proceeds Fund.
The
measure, now a permanent
part of Virginia's
Constitution,
directs all Virginia
Lottery
profits be
used solely for
educational purposes.
The following table shows
the distribution of
lottery revenue for the
last 20
years:
|
Fiscal
Year |
Sales
|
Prizes
|
Retailer
Compensation |
Operating
Expenses |
Proceeds |
| 2008 |
$1.386 b |
$792.3 m |
$77.7 m |
$73.7 m |
$455.3 m |
| 2007 |
$1.362 b |
$791.7 m |
$76.4 m |
$68.0 m |
$437.1 m |
| 2006 |
$1.365 b |
$773.5 m |
$76.2 m |
$69.7 m |
$454.9 m |
| 2005 |
$1.333 b |
$774.6 m |
$75.6 m |
$66.2 m |
$423.5 m |
| 2004 |
$1.262
b |
$720.2
m |
$70.7
m |
$68.1
m |
$408.1
m |
| 2003 |
$1.135
b |
$638.1
m |
$63.0
m |
$69.3
m |
$375.2
m |
| 2002 |
$1.108
b |
$613.7
m |
$62.2
m |
$75.2
m |
$367.7
m |
| 2001 |
$1.002
b |
$557.3
m |
$55.9
m |
$73.1
m |
$329.1
m |
| 2000 |
$973.0
m |
$537.3
m |
$55.2
m |
$67.2
m |
$323.5
m |
|
1999 |
$934.5
m |
$506.9
m |
$52.1
m |
$68.8
m |
$321.9
m |
|
1998 |
$914.2
m |
$503.8
m |
$49.5
m |
$69.8
m |
$318.9
m |
|
1997 |
$920.8
m |
$475.5
m |
$49.5
m |
$64.8
m |
$342.5
m |
|
1996 |
$924.3
m |
$489.6
m |
$49.1
m |
$64.1
m |
$332.6
m |
|
1995 |
$902.5
m |
$487.3
m |
$48.4
m |
$65.6
m |
$311.6
m |
|
1994 |
$875.5
m |
$465.6
m |
$47.5
m |
$65.8
m |
$303.5
m |
|
1993 |
$843.4
m |
$444.7
m |
$45.0
m |
$63.5
m |
$297.0
m |
|
1992 |
$846.6
m |
$454.3
m |
$45.2
m |
$64.5
m |
$290.8
m |
|
1991 |
$790.3
m |
$421.0
m |
$41.9
m |
$53.3
m |
$294.5
m |
|
1990 |
$474.8
m |
$252.4
m |
$24.7
m |
$43.1
m |
$156.5
m |
|
1989 |
$409.1
m |
$205.9
m |
$20.6
m |
$41.6
m |
$140.5
m |
| TOTAL |
$19.766
billion |
$10.905
billion |
$1.086
billion |
$1.295
billion |
$6.685
billion |
 Literary Fund
By
law, all unclaimed Virginia Lottery prizes go
to the Literary Fund. The Literary
Fund is used solely for educational purposes, such as school
construction, renovation, and teacher retirement funding.
The Lottery
transferred $10.5 million to the Literary Fund
in Fiscal Year 2008. Since 1988, the
Lottery has transferred more than $176.8
million in unclaimed prizes to the Literary
Fund.
Set-Off Debt Collection Act
The Lottery also participates
in the Set-Off Debt Collection Act, in which
prize payments are withheld to
pay certain obligations that the
prize winner owes. Examples of these
obligations are state and federal
taxes, child support and tuition
from state universities or colleges.
The Virginia Lottery collected $1 million
in FY 2008, for a total of more
than $15.4 million since 1988.
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