ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – In New Mexico, a portion of the proceeds from lottery tickets goes toward funding higher education. Over the fiscal year 2023, those sales put a record-breaking $50.5 million into the scholarship fund, according to New Mexico Lottery officials.
“We are very grateful to lottery retailers, players, and staff for their role in helping to reach this record return. Dollars raised for the scholarship fund is a big win for New Mexico college students and their families,” David Barden, the New Mexico Lottery CEO and board president of the Multi-State Lottery Association, said in a press release.
Scratcher sales generated the most revenue, followed by Powerball and Mega Millions tickets, according to preliminary data from the New Mexico Lottery. All totaled, New Mexicans and visitors spent over $168 million on lottery tickets in fiscal year 2023.
Since New Mexico’s lottery scholarship was created in 1996, the program has raised more than $900 million for students. The funds have helped more than $144,000 students, according to the New Mexico Lottery.
