Though the odds of winning the jackpot are astronomically low, Americans still spend billions of dollars on the lottery each year in the hopes of striking it rich. Across the 44 states that have some kind of lottery available, Americans bought $81.6 billion worth in lottery tickets in 2019. These states doled out $52.7 billion in winnings, with the difference covering the costs of administering the lottery and going to pay for schools and other state programs.
On average, an American adult spent about $320 on lottery tickets in 2019. But this figure varies widely across the country. In five states, the typical adult spent less than $100 per year on lottery tickets, while in five other states, lottery spending per adult exceeds $500. Lottery spending per adult nearly hits $1,000 in one state.
To determine how much the average person spends on the lottery, 24/7 Wall St. used data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 Annual Survey of State Government Finances Tables.
The states whose residents spend the most on the lottery per person tend to be wealthy. Seven of the eight states with the highest lottery spending per adult resident have a median annual household income of more than $70,000. The U.S. median household income is $65,712. Conversely, the seven states with the lowest lottery spending per adult have lower median household incomes than the U.S. as a whole. These are America’s richest and poorest states.
Though very few lottery players actually win significant money, and many contest that lotteries do far more harm than good, the proceeds of the game are intended to benefit the residents of the states where it is played. Each state divides the profits from the lottery differently, using them to fund schools, parks, veterans programs, and more. This money can be important as many states face significant funding challenges. This is every state’s pension crisis, ranked.
Click here to see how much the average person spends on the lottery in every state.
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Alabama
> Lottery spending per adult: N/A (no state lottery)
> Total lottery ticket sales: N/A
> Prize money awarded in 2019: N/A
> Median household income: $51,734 (5th lowest)
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Alaska
> Lottery spending per adult: N/A (no state lottery)
> Total lottery ticket sales: N/A
> Prize money awarded in 2019: N/A
> Median household income: $75,463 (12th highest)
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Arizona
> Lottery spending per adult: $177.98 (14th lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $1.0 billion (22nd highest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $706.5 million ($125.29 per adult)
> Median household income: $62,055 (23rd lowest)
Source: Sean Pavone / Getty Images
Arkansas
> Lottery spending per adult: $222.31 (16th lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $515.5 million (14th lowest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $349.9 million ($150.89 per adult)
> Median household income: $48,952 (3rd lowest)
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California
> Lottery spending per adult: $241.27 (17th lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $7.4 billion (2nd highest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $4.7 billion ($154.00 per adult)
> Median household income: $80,440 (5th highest)
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Colorado
> Lottery spending per adult: $139.53 (9th lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $628.2 million (17th lowest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $416.9 million ($92.60 per adult)
> Median household income: $77,127 (9th highest)
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Connecticut
> Lottery spending per adult: $470.04 (7th highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $1.3 billion (18th highest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $822.9 million ($289.96 per adult)
> Median household income: $78,833 (6th highest)
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Delaware
> Lottery spending per adult: $784.27 (3rd highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $603.7 million (16th lowest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $244.4 million ($317.43 per adult)
> Median household income: $70,176 (16th highest)
Source: Sean Pavone / Getty Images
Florida
> Lottery spending per adult: $391.96 (13th highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $6.8 billion (3rd highest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $4.6 billion ($268.96 per adult)
> Median household income: $59,227 (17th lowest)
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Source: Sean Pavone / Getty Images
Georgia
> Lottery spending per adult: $525.21 (5th highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $4.3 billion (6th highest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $2.9 billion ($354.48 per adult)
> Median household income: $61,980 (22nd lowest)
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Hawaii
> Lottery spending per adult: N/A (no state lottery)
> Total lottery ticket sales: N/A
> Prize money awarded in 2019: N/A
> Median household income: $83,102 (4th highest)
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Idaho
> Lottery spending per adult: $198.51 (15th lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $265.6 million (10th lowest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $190.0 million ($142.07 per adult)
> Median household income: $60,999 (20th lowest)
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Illinois
> Lottery spending per adult: $301.76 (20th highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $3.0 billion (11th highest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $1.9 billion ($193.48 per adult)
> Median household income: $69,187 (17th highest)
Source: f11photo / Getty Images
Indiana
> Lottery spending per adult: $243.21 (18th lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $1.3 billion (19th highest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $860.0 million ($166.51 per adult)
> Median household income: $57,603 (14th lowest)
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Iowa
> Lottery spending per adult: $160.65 (13th lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $390.9 million (13th lowest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $241.9 million ($99.43 per adult)
> Median household income: $61,691 (21st lowest)
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Kansas
> Lottery spending per adult: $114.35 (6th lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $253.1 million (9th lowest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $157.9 million ($71.35 per adult)
> Median household income: $62,087 (24th lowest)
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Source: Davel5957 / Getty Images
Kentucky
> Lottery spending per adult: $306.57 (19th highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $1.1 billion (21st highest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $724.8 million ($209.13 per adult)
> Median household income: $52,295 (7th lowest)
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Louisiana
> Lottery spending per adult: $147.02 (11th lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $524.0 million (15th lowest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $285.3 million ($80.06 per adult)
> Median household income: $51,073 (4th lowest)
Source: SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images
Maine
> Lottery spending per adult: $272.76 (20th lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $299.5 million (11th lowest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $196.8 million ($179.26 per adult)
> Median household income: $58,924 (16th lowest)
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Maryland
> Lottery spending per adult: $466.10 (8th highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $2.2 billion (13th highest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $1.5 billion ($324.67 per adult)
> Median household income: $86,738 (the highest)
Source: DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images
Massachusetts
> Lottery spending per adult: $991.28 (the highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $5.5 billion (5th highest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $4.0 billion ($719.63 per adult)
> Median household income: $85,843 (2nd highest)
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Michigan
> Lottery spending per adult: $449.47 (10th highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $3.5 billion (8th highest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $2.4 billion ($306.63 per adult)
> Median household income: $59,584 (19th lowest)
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Minnesota
> Lottery spending per adult: $146.83 (10th lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $636.8 million (19th lowest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $413.2 million ($95.27 per adult)
> Median household income: $74,593 (13th highest)
Source: SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images
Mississippi
> Lottery spending per adult: N/A (no state lottery)
> Total lottery ticket sales: N/A
> Prize money awarded in 2019: N/A
> Median household income: $45,792 (the lowest)
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Missouri
> Lottery spending per adult: $295.39 (21st highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $1.4 billion (17th highest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $912.5 million ($191.52 per adult)
> Median household income: $57,409 (13th lowest)
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Montana
> Lottery spending per adult: $75.84 (3rd lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $63.9 million (3rd lowest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $34.5 million ($40.95 per adult)
> Median household income: $57,153 (11th lowest)
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Nebraska
> Lottery spending per adult: $123.19 (7th lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $179.8 million (7th lowest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $112.5 million ($77.06 per adult)
> Median household income: $63,229 (25th highest)
Source: f11photo / Getty Images
Nevada
> Lottery spending per adult: N/A (no state lottery)
> Total lottery ticket sales: N/A
> Prize money awarded in 2019: N/A
> Median household income: $63,276 (24th highest)
Source: DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images
New Hampshire
> Lottery spending per adult: $332.45 (15th highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $366.9 million (12th lowest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $240.8 million ($218.19 per adult)
> Median household income: $77,933 (8th highest)
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New Jersey
> Lottery spending per adult: $472.89 (6th highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $3.3 billion (9th highest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $2.1 billion ($306.89 per adult)
> Median household income: $85,751 (3rd highest)
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New Mexico
> Lottery spending per adult: $88.50 (5th lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $143.6 million (5th lowest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $77.0 million ($47.47 per adult)
> Median household income: $51,945 (6th lowest)
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New York
> Lottery spending per adult: $572.53 (4th highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $8.8 billion (the highest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $4.9 billion ($318.80 per adult)
> Median household income: $72,108 (14th highest)
Source: Sean Pavone / Getty Images
North Carolina
> Lottery spending per adult: $324.71 (17th highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $2.7 billion (12th highest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $1.8 billion ($225.20 per adult)
> Median household income: $57,341 (12th lowest)
Source: DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images
North Dakota
> Lottery spending per adult: $57.67 (the lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $33.8 million (2nd lowest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $18.2 million ($31.16 per adult)
> Median household income: $64,577 (20th highest)
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Source: Sean Pavone / Getty Images
Ohio
> Lottery spending per adult: $344.23 (14th highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $3.1 billion (10th highest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $2.1 billion ($234.78 per adult)
> Median household income: $58,642 (15th lowest)
Source: Davel5957 / Getty Images
Oklahoma
> Lottery spending per adult: $80.54 (4th lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $242.0 million (8th lowest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $141.3 million ($47.03 per adult)
> Median household income: $54,449 (8th lowest)
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Oregon
> Lottery spending per adult: $326.49 (16th highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $1.1 billion (20th highest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $239.0 million ($71.25 per adult)
> Median household income: $67,058 (18th highest)
Source: f11photo / Getty Images
Pennsylvania
> Lottery spending per adult: $410.19 (12th highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $4.2 billion (7th highest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $2.9 billion ($287.82 per adult)
> Median household income: $63,463 (23rd highest)
Source: SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images
Rhode Island
> Lottery spending per adult: $812.83 (2nd highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $695.6 million (21st lowest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $286.0 million ($334.18 per adult)
> Median household income: $71,169 (15th highest)
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Source: Sean Pavone / Getty Images
South Carolina
> Lottery spending per adult: $456.19 (9th highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $1.8 billion (15th highest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $1.3 billion ($325.06 per adult)
> Median household income: $56,227 (10th lowest)
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South Dakota
> Lottery spending per adult: $266.01 (19th lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $178.1 million (6th lowest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $37.7 million ($56.33 per adult)
> Median household income: $59,533 (18th lowest)
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Source: Sean Pavone / Getty Images
Tennessee
> Lottery spending per adult: $289.20 (22nd highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $1.5 billion (16th highest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $1.1 billion ($200.31 per adult)
> Median household income: $56,071 (9th lowest)
Source: RoschetzkyIstockPhoto / Getty Images
Texas
> Lottery spending per adult: $273.88 (22nd lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $5.9 billion (4th highest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $4.1 billion ($187.81 per adult)
> Median household income: $64,034 (22nd highest)
Source: Adventure_Photo / Getty Images
Utah
> Lottery spending per adult: N/A (no state lottery)
> Total lottery ticket sales: N/A
> Prize money awarded in 2019: N/A
> Median household income: $75,780 (11th highest)
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Source: Sean Pavone / Getty Images
Vermont
> Lottery spending per adult: $272.86 (21st lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $139.3 million (4th lowest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $106.8 million ($209.28 per adult)
> Median household income: $63,001 (25th lowest)
Source: SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images
Virginia
> Lottery spending per adult: $324.18 (18th highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $2.2 billion (14th highest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $1.4 billion ($209.90 per adult)
> Median household income: $76,456 (10th highest)
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Washington
> Lottery spending per adult: $134.96 (8th lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $803.3 million (22nd lowest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $490.4 million ($82.39 per adult)
> Median household income: $78,687 (7th highest)
Source: Sean Pavone / Getty Images
West Virginia
> Lottery spending per adult: $440.21 (11th highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $631.0 million (18th lowest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $129.0 million ($90.01 per adult)
> Median household income: $48,850 (2nd lowest)
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Wisconsin
> Lottery spending per adult: $148.57 (12th lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $677.3 million (20th lowest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $431.9 million ($94.75 per adult)
> Median household income: $64,168 (21st highest)
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Wyoming
> Lottery spending per adult: $67.91 (2nd lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $30.2 million (the lowest)
> Prize money awarded in 2019: $19.8 million ($44.54 per adult)
> Median household income: $65,003 (19th highest)
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