Five months after topping the $38 billion mark, the Florida Lottery (Lottery) announced today that it has reached $39 billion in contributions to the state’s Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (EETF).
“This is a huge win for both our students and our schools,” said Florida Lottery Secretary John F. Davis. “As Secretary, providing funding so that every student in Florida has access to a quality education and the opportunity to better themselves is something that I hold near and dear to my heart because I know that a quality education can change lives from acceptable to exceptional. I am inspired everyday by the level of devotion each and every Lottery employee shares when it comes to creating fun and entertaining games for the enhancement of education in Florida, and I look forward to what the future holds.”
The Lottery has experienced double-digit growth for nine consecutive months this fiscal year, with total sales to date 22.28%, or $1.207 billion, higher than the same period last year. These increased sales translate into record education contributions. In January, the Lottery’s EETF transfers exceeded $269 million – the largest contribution to the EETF in the Lottery’s 33-year history, beating the January 2016 transfer during the world-record $1.58 billion POWERBALL jackpot series by $31 million! With an average of more than $5.9 million transferred to education a day, futures are looking brighter for Floridians.
The benefits of these Lottery dollars flow from community to community – from the Panhandle to the Keys. Since 1988, the Lottery has established itself as a committed and dependable funding source for public education, contributing more than $1 billion annually for the past 19 consecutive years while remaining one of the most efficiently operated Lotteries in the country.
