The Georgia Lottery said Wednesday it posted record high numbers for sales and profits in fiscal year 2012. But the program still can't keep up with the increasing demand for lottery-funded programs.
The lottery said it totaled $3.8 billion in sales between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2012. That's more than $236 million ahead of last year's sales. It transferred more than $900 million to state coffers to fund the HOPE scholarship and pre-kindergarten programs, about $55 million more than last year's figures.
While successful, the lottery can't keep up with growing enrollment and rising tuition in Georgia's colleges. To prevent HOPE from going broke, lawmakers overhauled the program to do away with full scholarships for most students. It also no longer pays for books or campus fees.
Still, the numbers were a bright spot for the organization, which was eager to boast about the highest numbers in the lottery's 19-year history. Part of the growth was fueled by strong performing instant games and the world-record $656 million Mega Millions jackpot in March.
Georgia Lottery chief executive Margaret DeFrancisco said the board would continue to work to increase revenues by exploring "new channels" for growth.
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