Illinois Lottery Sales Hit Record $2.3 Billion Last Year

Sales of Illinois lottery tickets grew by 3 percent last year to set a new record.

Officials said Monday that sales totaled nearly $2.3 billion. That tops the old record of $2.2 billion, which was set just a year earlier.

Out of that revenue, $690 million was used to support state programs. Education got most of the money, but statewide construction projects got $54 million and $4 million went to causes like research on breast cancer and multiple sclerosis.

The sales figures are from the 12 months that ended on June 30. The total of nearly $2.3 billion amounts to more than $177 for every person in Illinois.

Lottery officials say sales have climbed every year for nine straight years.