CLEVELAND, OH – Today marks the 50th anniversary of Ohio Lottery sales, celebrating a journey that began with the sale of the Buckeye 300 game on August 12, 1974, when tickets were priced at $.50 for a chance to win $300,000.
Since its inception, the Ohio Lottery has introduced a wide variety of games, including scratch-offs, draw games, KENO, and EZPLAY Games. Over the past five decades, the Lottery has generated $96.4 billion in sales and awarded $57.7 billion in prizes. Retailers have earned over $6.1 billion in commissions, incentives, and bonuses. The Lottery has contributed $31.5 billion to the Lottery Profits Education Fund, supporting K-12 education in Ohio.
Ohio Lottery Director Michelle Gillcrist expressed pride in the Lottery’s longstanding commitment to funding education, stating, “The Ohio Lottery has proven to be a leader in the lottery industry on many fronts for the last 50 years, but the mission to generate funding in support of education is what I’m most proud of, and we will continue to work for that mission for the next 50 years.”
The 50th anniversary celebrations include the release of a commemorative scratch-off game with a top prize of $15,000,000. Additionally, the Lottery will host a VIP event at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland on September 7, where 150 selected winners will enjoy food, music, ticket giveaways, and activities. Five lucky attendees will share $400,000 in prizes.