PUEBLO The Colorado Lottery has recorded a banner year of sales totaling $401.4 million and generating $104 million in proceeds. The record marks the second-best sales year in the Lotterys 21-year history.
The highest sales year was 2002 when Powerball was introduced. The Lottery posted $407 million in sales that year coupled with $110 million in proceeds.
To record this level of sales and more importantly to generate $100 million for our proceed recipients says a lot about Lottery employees and how hard they work to provide the types of products our players have come to expect commented Lottery Director Peggy Gordon.
F Conservation Trust Fund -- $41.6 million for local parks and recreation projects ($555 million since 1983)
F Colorado Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation -- $10.4 million for state parks ($138 million since 1983)
F Great Outdoors Colorado Trust Fund (GOCO) -- $49.6 million for parks recreation wildlife open space and environmental education projects (Total to GOCO since it began in 1993: $361 million)
F State Public School Contingency Reserve -- $2.4 million ($14.5 million since 2001)
The Lotterys Scratch games set an all-time record with sales of $260.9 million in FY04 and continue to be the driving sales force for the Lottery. In fiscal year 2004 Powerball sales totaled $85 million Lotto $40.8 million and Cash 5 recorded its best sales total ever of $14.5 million.
While the Lotterys proceeds recipients were celebrating a cash windfall Lottery players were big winners as well. Overall $236.6 million in prizes was awarded for all Lottery games in FY04 for a 21-year total of $3 billion. But players and proceeds recipients werent the only winners -- some 2800 Lottery retailers earned $30.2 million in commissions and bonuses in fiscal year 2004 ($370 million since 1983).