There’s a tiny chance of winning the lottery, but that doesn’t stop Americans from buying tickets. This past year, income from state lotteries was a combined $66.8 billion.
LendEDU, a student loan marketplace, conducted a study that looked at states that spent the most on lottery tickets. The study consisted of 43 states. The seven states not included were Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Mississippi, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming because they don’t have their own state lottery. The study measured lottery spending per capita, calculated by dividing a state’s lottery revenue by its population.
Luck for Your Buck
People spend a lot on the lottery. If we divide the income made by all of the U.S. lotteries by the population of the U.S., each American spends an average of $206.69 on lottery tickets per year. (Don’t let lotto tickets put you in debt. See where your credit stands before trying to get lucky by checking two credit scores for free on Credit.com.)
Unsurprisingly, the most populated and largest states make the most revenue from the lottery. The top three states with the most profit? New York, California and Florida. Although these states make the most, their residents aren’t necessarily buying the most tickets. In fact, California didn’t even make it in the top 15 states that spend the most on lotto tickets per capita. Here are the 15 states that did.
15. Illinois
Lottery Spending Per Person: $221.68
14. Ohio
Lottery Spending Per Person: $233.57
13. Michigan
Lottery Spending Per Person: $254.40
12. Florida
Lottery Spending Per Person: $256.05
11. South Carolina
Lottery Spending Per Person: $262.61
10. Pennsylvania
Lottery Spending Per Person: $277.42
9. Connecticut
Lottery Spending Per Person: $301.89
8. New Jersey
Lottery Spending Per Person: $316.52
7. Maryland
Lottery Spending Per Person: $354.28
6. Georgia
Lottery Spending Per Person: $356.34
5. West Virginia
Lottery Spending Per Person: $359.78
4. New York
Lottery Spending Per Person: $398.77
3. Delaware
Lottery Spending Per Person: $420.82
2. Rhode Island
Lottery Spending Per Person: $513.75
1. Massachusetts
Lottery Spending Per Person: $734.85
Image: BanksPhotos
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