“B” is for the 2016 Georgia lotto proceeds, as in “big” and “billion”

Georgia’s lottery program just hit the big one, transferring more than $1 billion to public education for the first time in its 23-year history.

The announcement from Gov. Nathan Deal’s office Wednesday says $1.09 billion in fiscal year 2016 profits that have been delivered to the state treasury for education by Georgia Lottery Corp. surpassed last year’s record-setting amount by $117 million.