ALBUQUERQUE – The New Mexico Lottery has announced $50.5 million was raised for scholarships in Fiscal Year 2023.
This record return beats the Fiscal Year 2021 record return of $46.5 million by $4 million and brings total dollars raised for New Mexico education to $998.3 million since the inception of the Lottery.
Sales by Product (unaudited, rounded)
| FY 2023 (unaudited, rounded) |
FY 2022 (rounded) |
|
| Scratchers | $87,992,000 | $80,132,000 |
| Powerball | $33,694,000 | $25,839,000 |
| Mega Millions | $26,000,000 | $11,744,000 |
| Roadrunner Cash | $6,799,000 | $7,322,000 |
| Lotto America | $6,074,000 | $3,923,000 |
| Pick 3 Plus | $4,855,000 | $4,900,000 |
| Pick 4 Plus | $1,928,000 | $1,942,000 |
| Fast Play! | $1,117,000 | $1,072,000 |
| Total | $168,459,000 | $136,874,000 |
David Barden, New Mexico Lottery CEO and Board President of the Multi-State Lottery Association, said, “We are very grateful to Lottery retailers, players, and staff for their role in helping to reach this record return. Dollars raised for the scholarship fund is a big win for New Mexico college students and their families.”
Students weren’t the only winners this past Fiscal Year. New Mexico Lottery players also won big in Fiscal Year 2023, claiming more than $53.4 million in draw game prizes and more than $20.6 million in Scratcher prizes.
While Powerball® and Mega Millions® jackpots fueled sales, the Lottery’s instant product line had an exceptional sales year as well. Notable games in the lineup included the ORO family of games, Super Cash Spectacular, and $250,000 Riches.
Challenges and Change in FY 2024
While FY 2024 began with two billion-dollar blasts (Powerball surged to $1 billion in July and Mega Millions grew to $1.58 billion in August), the year is still hard to anticipate. Record gas prices, a challenged economy, and anticipation of a lack of additional jackpot runups could hinder Lottery ticket sales.
Despite these challenges, the Lottery continues to innovate. “The New Mexico Lottery is committed to providing fun, exciting games that will create winning experiences and generate maximum revenue for scholarships for New Mexicans,” stated Barden.
A recent addition to the Fast Play! game lineup has already produced an increase in product sales. The Powerball First Millionaire of the Year® promotion has returned for a fourth year. And numerous second-chance promotions are scheduled to create added value and winning opportunities for players.
Legislative Lottery Scholarships
All profits from the sale of New Mexico Lottery games fund an in-state college tuition assistance program. Since 1996, the New Mexico Lottery has raised nearly $1 billion for education and more than 144,000 students have attended college on Legislative Lottery Scholarships.