For two decades, the North Carolina Education Lottery has provided life-changing educational opportunities and winning moments for our state. Since the first ticket was purchased on March 30, 2006, the lottery has evolved into one of the top-performing and most responsible in the nation. Today, players and our state are winning more than ever.
Education Wins
Since its launch 20 years ago, the lottery has raised more than $12 billion to help fund educational opportunities in North Carolina. For three years in a row, the lottery has provided more than $1 billion dollars to the state.
What has two decades of lottery funding brought to North Carolina? More than 100 new or renovated schools have been built in counties that would otherwise not be able to afford them. Lottery funds made it possible for at-risk children to attend pre-K and easier for thousands of students to afford a college education. Lottery proceeds also help to keep workers in schools and school buses on the road.
Here’s a quick look at what winning for education means:
- More than $4 billion for school construction projects
- 62 counties received lottery-funded grants to build and expand schools
- $458 million in need-based grants awarded to build new schools in FY25 alone
- $3 billion funded school support staff salaries
- More than 270,000 children provided a free pre-kindergarten education
- $800 million funded more than 1.3 million college scholarships and grant awards
Player Wins
Today’s lottery player enjoys more dynamic games with more life-changing prizes. When the lottery first launched in March 2006, the biggest prize on a scratch-off ticket was $100,000. Today, North Carolinians can scratch a ticket for a chance at a $10 million top prize. In the lottery’s first full year of operation, players took home $451 million in prizes. In fiscal year 2025, players won more than $4.9 billion in prizes.
The lottery continues to evolve to meet players’ needs. As customers moved their purchases online, the lottery adapted with the introduction of Online Play. As customers demanded more winning experiences, the lottery responded.
These forward-thinking decisions place the lottery in a stronger position to meet the needs of its customers and diversify its business to better weather increasing competition and economic conditions.
Economic Wins
The North Carolina Education Lottery is the only lottery in the nation to increase sales every year of operation. Nearly all the money raised from those sales, 96 cents of every dollar, finds its way back to people in North Carolina as prizes, funding for education programs, and retailer commissions.
The lottery also helps to support more than 7,200 businesses across the state who sell lottery products. Lottery ticket purchases attract customers to our retail partners and provide increased business that allows them to thrive and provide jobs across our state.
Responsibility Wins
The North Carolina Education Lottery is dedicated to operating responsibly. The Play Smart program encourages players to enjoy lottery games in a positive way. The lottery’s commitment to player protection earned it the highest possible certification from the World Lottery Association, an honor held by only eight lotteries in the United States.
The lottery contributes $1 million annually to the North Carolina Problem Gambling program.
Transparency Wins
North Carolinians can be proud of all their lottery has achieved in 20 years. They can learn how their own community has been positively impacted. The money raised for education and the impact of those dollars on each county can be found on the lottery’s website.
Biannual independent audits have all declared the lottery to be a top performer. In a recent review by the North Carolina Office of the State Auditor, the lottery received the highest possible marks.
Future Wins
The North Carolina Education Lottery continues to innovate and evolve so that it will remain a reliable partner in education in our state. What will not change is the commitment to responsibly provide games that provide life-changing wins for North Carolina.
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