Kentucky Lottery’s board reports strong year-to date sales through the end of November.
Vice President and Corporate Controller Maggie Garrison reported total sales were $447.5 million, which is $31.7 million ahead of prior year (7.6%) and $20.5 million (4.8%) ahead of budget.
“The performance of Mega Millions during the over $1.5 billion run back in October is the main factor in this increase, but we’ve also seen positive performance in our Scratch-off tickets as well,” she said.
Garrison said Scratch-off sales for the period were $251.5 million, which is $9.8 million (4.1%) more than the same period last year and $4.9 million (2%) more than budgeted.
Mega Millions sales cited by Garrison stand at $37.4 million for the year. This is $23.8 million (174.5%) ahead of the same period last year and $18.9 million (101.8%) above budget. From July 27 through October 23 when the jackpot was hit, there were $27.4 million in Mega Millions tickets sold in Kentucky. Normal budgeted sales for this period would have been $10.8 million.
President and CEO Tom Delacenserie reported on the resulting income before transfer of dividends.
“So far this year – not including unclaimed prizes – we’ve earned $117.7 million,” Delacenserie said. “That’s $15.6 million more than we’d produced this same time last year and is $18.9 million or 9.2% ahead of budget. Given that our proceeds fund college scholarship and grants programs, including the popular KEES scholarship program, we know these much-needed funds will be put to good use.”
In other business, the board approved:
• Replacement of the Lottery’s IBM iSeries/PureFlex hardware and software system;
• An extension of the current contract with Pollard Banknote Limited for secondary Scratch-off production and related services;
• A contract amendment with Smartplay International for random number generator systems and related services, and;
• Rules and regulations for four scratch-off tickets, four Instant Play games, and amended Powerball and Mega Millions rules.
The next meeting of the KLC’s board of directors will be January 24. The meeting will begin at 10 a.m. at the KLC headquarters in Louisville.
