“You have to be in it to win it!” Although that phrase could refer to anything in life, it most often applies to a lottery. Americans apparently take that advice very seriously.
In 2019, states raked in nearly $81 million in income (excluding commissions) on lottery ticket sales, according to the Census Bureau. The 44 states with state lotteries doled out $52.5 million in winnings that same year. States typically funnel lottery revenues into a general fund, though some states earmark the dollars for specific areas, such as education or senior services, the National Conference of State Legislatures notes.
To calculate how much the average person spends on the lottery in every state, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed U.S. Census Bureau data on the 2020 lottery income and adult population for each state. Five states have no state lotteries, but in those that do, adults spend between an average of $40 annually to $947.
The chances of winning are exceedingly low. For example, the chances were about one in 292.1 million for the Powerball drawing in November 2021. To put that into perspective, the risk of dying from a bee sting is one in 59,507. It all comes down to sheer luck, so here are America’s luckiest — and unluckiest — states.
Despite the slim chances, people still hand over their hard-earned cash in the hopes of winning big with a random sequence of numbers. But that windfall is not as big as one might think thanks to — you guessed it — taxes. That huge check is considered ordinary taxable income for federal and state tax purposes, so the IRS takes 24% of the winnings off the top. After that, it depends on state taxes. Winners in states without an individual income tax (Texas and Florida, for example) would collect a bigger share of their winnings. California and Delaware sponsor lotteries but do not tax the winnings. (Also see the 25 countries where the rich are taxed the most.)
New York state grabs the highest amount of taxes at 8.82%. In Massachusetts, where spending per person ranks highest at $947, the state shaves off a relatively modest 5%. Despite low odds and a humongous tax bite, people will continue to play the lottery.
Click here to see how much the average person spends on the lottery in your state
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Alabama
> Lottery spending per adult: $0 (no state lottery)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $0 (no state lottery)
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $0 (no state lottery)
> Median household income: $51,734 (5th lowest)
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Alaska
> Lottery spending per adult: $0 (no state lottery)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $0 (no state lottery)
> Prize money awarded in 2020:$0 (no state lottery)
> Median household income: $75,463 (12th highest)
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Arizona
> Lottery spending per adult: $181 (15th lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $1.0 billion
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $737.9 million
> Median household income: $62,055 (23rd lowest)
Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
Arkansas
> Lottery spending per adult: $229 (18th lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $531.4 million
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $369.6 million
> Median household income: $48,952 (3rd lowest)
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California
> Lottery spending per adult: $216 (17th lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $6.6 billion
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $4.4 billion
> Median household income: $80,440 (5th highest)
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Colorado
> Lottery spending per adult: $135 (11th lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $608.9 million
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $424.6 million
> Median household income: $77,127 (9th highest)
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Connecticut
> Lottery spending per adult: $434 (8th highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $1.2 billion
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $822.2 million
> Median household income: $78,833 (6th highest)
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Delaware
> Lottery spending per adult: $394 (12th highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $303.1 million
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $189.2 million
> Median household income: $70,176 (16th highest)
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
Florida
> Lottery spending per adult: $411 (10th highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $7.1 billion
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $5.0 billion
> Median household income: $59,227 (17th lowest)
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Georgia
> Lottery spending per adult: $536 (3rd highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $4.3 billion
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $3.0 billion
> Median household income: $61,980 (22nd lowest)
Source: Art Wager / E+ via Getty Images
Hawaii
> Lottery spending per adult: $0 (no state lottery)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $0 (no state lottery)
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $
> Median household income: $83,102 (4th highest)
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Idaho
> Lottery spending per adult: $191 (16th lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $255.7 million
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $185.8 million
> Median household income: $60,999 (20th lowest)
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Illinois
> Lottery spending per adult: $288 (22nd highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $2.8 billion
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $1.8 billion
> Median household income: $69,187 (17th highest)
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
Indiana
> Lottery spending per adult: $250 (19th lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $1.3 billion
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $914.2 million
> Median household income: $57,603 (14th lowest)
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Iowa
> Lottery spending per adult: $143 (12th lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $347.6 million
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $236.3 million
> Median household income: $61,691 (21st lowest)
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Kansas
> Lottery spending per adult: $113 (6th lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $249.3 million
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $166.5 million
> Median household income: $62,087 (24th lowest)
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Kentucky
> Lottery spending per adult: $327 (17th highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $1.1 billion
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $801.2 million
> Median household income: $52,295 (7th lowest)
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Louisiana
> Lottery spending per adult: $135 (10th lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $480.2 million
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $277.9 million
> Median household income: $51,073 (4th lowest)
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Maine
> Lottery spending per adult: $267 (22nd lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $293.3 million
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $213.7 million
> Median household income: $58,924 (16th lowest)
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Maryland
> Lottery spending per adult: $430 (9th highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $2.0 billion
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $1.4 billion
> Median household income: $86,738 (the highest)
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Massachusetts
> Lottery spending per adult: $947 (the highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $5.2 billion
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $3.9 billion
> Median household income: $85,843 (2nd highest)
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Michigan
> Lottery spending per adult: $490 (5th highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $3.8 billion
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $2.6 billion
> Median household income: $59,584 (19th lowest)
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Minnesota
> Lottery spending per adult: $144 (13th lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $623.7 million
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $440.2 million
> Median household income: $74,593 (13th highest)
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Mississippi
> Lottery spending per adult: $123 (8th lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $280.1 million
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $198.3 million
> Median household income: $45,792 (the lowest)
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Missouri
> Lottery spending per adult: $299 (19th highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $1.4 billion
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $1.1 billion
> Median household income: $57,409 (13th lowest)
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Montana
> Lottery spending per adult: $71 (3rd lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $59.9 million
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $36.8 million
> Median household income: $57,153 (11th lowest)
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Nebraska
> Lottery spending per adult: $118 (7th lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $171.7 million
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $108.3 million
> Median household income: $63,229 (25th highest)
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Nevada
> Lottery spending per adult: $0 (no state lottery)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $0 (no state lottery)
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $0 (no state lottery)
> Median household income: $63,276 (24th highest)
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
New Hampshire
> Lottery spending per adult: $334 (16th highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $369.2 million
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $246.9 million
> Median household income: $77,933 (8th highest)
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New Jersey
> Lottery spending per adult: $436 (7th highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $3.0 billion
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $2.0 billion
> Median household income: $85,751 (3rd highest)
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
New Mexico
> Lottery spending per adult: $78 (4th lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $127.1 million
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $68.3 million
> Median household income: $51,945 (6th lowest)
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New York
> Lottery spending per adult: $540 (2nd highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $8.3 billion
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $4.6 billion
> Median household income: $72,108 (14th highest)
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North Carolina
> Lottery spending per adult: $336 (15th highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $2.8 billion
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $2.0 billion
> Median household income: $57,341 (12th lowest)
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North Dakota
> Lottery spending per adult: $40 (the lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $23.3 million
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $12.7 million
> Median household income: $64,577 (20th highest)
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Ohio
> Lottery spending per adult: $355 (14th highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $3.2 billion
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $2.3 billion
> Median household income: $58,642 (15th lowest)
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
Oklahoma
> Lottery spending per adult: $89 (5th lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $267.9 million
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $166.7 million
> Median household income: $54,449 (8th lowest)
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Oregon
> Lottery spending per adult: $276 (23rd highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $927.4 million
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $223.5 million
> Median household income: $67,058 (18th highest)
Source: Ultima_Gaina / iStock via Getty Images
Pennsylvania
> Lottery spending per adult: $407 (11th highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $4.1 billion
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $2.9 billion
> Median household income: $63,463 (23rd highest)
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Rhode Island
> Lottery spending per adult: $502 (4th highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $429.4 million
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $156.7 million
> Median household income: $71,169 (15th highest)
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Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
South Carolina
> Lottery spending per adult: $485 (6th highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $2.0 billion
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $1.4 billion
> Median household income: $56,227 (10th lowest)
Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
South Dakota
> Lottery spending per adult: $262 (21st lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $175.4 million
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $36.1 million
> Median household income: $59,533 (18th lowest)
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Tennessee
> Lottery spending per adult: $293 (21st highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $1.6 billion
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $1.1 billion
> Median household income: $56,071 (9th lowest)
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Texas
> Lottery spending per adult: $294 (20th highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $6.4 billion
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $4.4 billion
> Median household income: $64,034 (22nd highest)
Source: DenisTangneyJr / E+ via Getty Images
Utah
> Lottery spending per adult: $0 (no state lottery)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $0 (no state lottery)
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $0 (no state lottery)
> Median household income: $75,780 (11th highest)
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Vermont
> Lottery spending per adult: $252 (20th lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $128.7 million
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $91.6 million
> Median household income: $63,001 (25th lowest)
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
Virginia
> Lottery spending per adult: $304 (18th highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $2.0 billion
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $1.3 billion
> Median household income: $76,456 (10th highest)
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Washington
> Lottery spending per adult: $124 (9th lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $736.8 million
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $530.2 million
> Median household income: $78,687 (7th highest)
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West Virginia
> Lottery spending per adult: $378 (13th highest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $542.1 million
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $127.9 million
> Median household income: $48,850 (2nd lowest)
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Wisconsin
> Lottery spending per adult: $150 (14th lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $684.5 million
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $453.5 million
> Median household income: $64,168 (21st highest)
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Wyoming
> Lottery spending per adult: $51 (2nd lowest)
> Total lottery ticket sales: $22.5 million
> Prize money awarded in 2020: $13.8 million
> Median household income: $65,003 (19th highest)
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