Georgia Lottery
Voters approved the Georgia Lottery on November 3, 1992, with the aim of proceeds going toward education. The formation of the GA lottery was subjected to considerable controversy since the state decided to contract management of its lottery to a company in Rhode Island called GTECH, despite the bid being a significant 33% higher than all other contenders.
Despite the drama, ticket sales started on June 29, 1993, for both the Georgia Millionaire and Instant Cash games. Both were big hits, selling over 52 million tickets in the first week. The success continues in GA, where the state lotto sold $1.1 billion in tickets in its first year, a US lottery record.
Today, the GA lottery offers Georgia FIVE, Powerball, Mega Millions, Cash4Life, Cash Pop and a few others.
Proceeds from the GA lotto still go to education, with around $1 million a day funding state educational programs. 5% of ticket revenue goes to retailers, while 50% goes to players.
