Hoosier Lottery Turns 25

The Hoosier Lottery is celebrating its 25th anniversary, which comes Monday. Since its launch in 1989, the lottery has distributed more than $9.4 billion in prizes to winners. More importantly, says Executive Director Sarah Taylor, it has returned more than $1 billion to police, firefighter and teacher retirement and pension funds, and more than $3 billion to reduce motor vehicle excise taxes. Taylor says Hoosier Lottery ticket sales have topped $1 billion this year for the first time. Indiana voters approved a lottery referendum in November 1988. The Indiana General Assembly ratified the Lottery Act six months later. Scratch-off sales and “Hoosier Millionaire” began in October 1989. The lottery began operating its first multi-state big jackpot game, Lotto America, a year later. Lotto America was later renamed Powerball.

In October 2012, the Hoosier Lottery announced an outsourcing deal with Rhode Island-based GTECH Corp. At the time, then-director Karl Browning said the deal would bean an additional $2.1 billion in profit over 15 years.

Taylor says the lottery is celebrating the anniversary today at its Indianapolis headquarters and regional offices in South Bend and Evansville. The organization is also acknowledging 15 employees that have been with the lottery since 1989.

Source: Hoosier Lottery