Eighth annual continental event recognizes lotteries’ positive contributions to communities
Olympia, WA (July 13, 2026) – Washington’s Lottery is celebrating the start of Lottery Week in style, having finished its fiscal year on June 30, 2026, by breaking the $1 billion sales mark for the third time in four years, grossing an unofficial total of $1,003,657,051 in sales for FY26. While full-year beneficiary contributions won’t be finalized for another few weeks, the $223 million 11-month total through May 2026 was already $11 million higher than total contributions in FY25, making this year a wildly successful year for the state’s “Department of Imagination.”
In Washington, most lottery proceeds help fund college grants and scholarships, early childhood education, vocational excellence programs, charter schools, and other education programs across the state. In addition, Washington’s Lottery proceeds support economic development and promote responsible gambling initiatives. Some funds are returned to the state’s General Fund to support other key statewide priorities.
Lottery Week, which runs July 13-17 and is now in its eighth year, recognizes the collective contributions of lotteries throughout the United States and Canada to the communities they serve.
In FY25, U.S. lotteries generated more than $109.3 billion in sales, leading to contributions of more than $28.4 billion for their beneficiaries.
“When someone purchases a lottery ticket, they're doing more than playing for a chance to win. They're also helping support important public programs and services,” said David Gale, Executive Director of the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries. “This week, we celebrate not only the positive community impact of lottery proceeds, but also the commitment and dedication of our lottery and vendor employees. And we thank our players and retailers for making it all possible.”
Lottery Week evolved from an idea implemented by the Massachusetts Lottery in 2018. Declaring July 17, 2018, as the official National Lottery Day, Mass Lottery offered players and retailers a special day of exciting lottery promotions, celebrating the provision of billions of dollars in local aid provided since the state’s Lottery was created in 1972.
Who Benefits
Since 1982, Washington’s Lottery has generated more than $5.7 billion to support several important state programs. The Lottery’s primary beneficiary is the Washington Opportunity Pathways Account (WOPA), which provides much-needed funding for programs including early childhood education, the WA Grant and College Bound program, Washington Award for Vocational Excellence, and more. These programs help provide critical services and support to thousands of Washington residents each year and help improve their lives.
Beneficiary Fact
Washington’s Lottery is proud to be a financial supporter of the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC), which administers state financial aid programs. WSAC leads a variety of initiatives to increase educational opportunities for students, families, and educators across the state, with a particular focus on increasing equity by reaching communities of color and students from low-income families. The Lottery also proudly supports the state’s Early Childhood Education & Assistance Program (ECEAP), a state-funded pre-K program that helps children become kindergarten-ready by building early skills in reading, math and science. The program works closely with parents to support their children’s health and education.
About Washington’s Lottery: The state’s Lottery offers consumers several types of games, including Mega Millions, Powerball, Lotto, Hit 5, Match 4, Pick 3, Cash POP, Daily Keno and Scratch. For more information, visit www.walottery.com or find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @walottery.
Keep it fun. Know your limit. Washington’s Lottery is an advocate for responsible gaming and collaborates with the Evergreen Council for Problem Gambling to provide resources for those in need. More information is available at www.walottery.com/Responsibility.
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Press Contacts
Dan Miller (Curator on behalf of Washington’s Lottery)
E-mail: dan.miller@curatorpr.com
Xiamara Garza-Urbieta (Curator on behalf of Washington’s Lottery)
E-mail: xiamara.garza@curatorpr.com