Each summer, on July 17, lotteries in the U.S. celebrate National Lottery Day.
The celebration gives us a chance to pause and share what lotteries do.
When you play the lottery, you’re playing for North Carolina. That’s because your play raises money for a great cause, public education.
Lotteries have been around a long time. George Washington operated a lottery to raise money to build the “Mountain Road” as settlers moved west. Benjamin Franklin used lotteries to raise money to buy cannons for use in the Revolutionary War. In North Carolina, as early as 1759, lotteries raised money to build bridges and roads, dredge rivers, and build schools, factories, and churches.
So, where does the money go?
You know the answer to this one because it’s part of our name. All the money raised here supports education.
Other lotteries support other good causes. The Pennsylvania Lottery raises money for senior programs. The Colorado Lottery raises money for outdoor programs.
Last year, the N.C. Education Lottery raised $729 million for education in our state, including providing salaries for most of the support staff in our public schools; helping to build and repair schools; helping to make college more affordable; supporting the NC Pre-K program for four-year-olds; and helping to cover the costs of getting students to and from school. You can see here how the money helped education programs in your county. Nationwide, U.S. lotteries generated $23.7 billion last year for good causes across the country.
What do winners do with their prize money?
They use the money to make their dreams come true. When we meet with winners, they often share plans to buy a home, buy a new car, and take a vacation. Some say they will use the money to catch up on bills, save for retirement, or save for a college education for their kids. Many winners say they want to do something good to give back.
How do lotteries encourage responsible play?
We believe that when you have the tools you need to play our games responsibly, everyone wins. That’s why we developed our Play Smart program. Learn how to play smart here. You can get some winning tips so that you play our games the way they are supposed to be played – for fun.
Good luck to all our players on National Lottery Day. Hope you win a prize that will make your day, your month, or maybe even change your life.
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