Florida Residents Don’t Splurge on Lottery Tickets Like Other Americans, Study Shows

Rising lottery jackpots excite millions of Americans with the prospect of winning big. The chances of earning those large jackpots are slim, but that doesn’t stop record amounts of lottery ticket sales year after year. 

Forty-five states participate in the Powerball lottery game, and many dream of beating the highest-ever earnings in 2022. $2.04 billion was won in November 2022 on a Powerball lottery ticket in California.

With so much money on the line, where in the U.S. are Americans splurging the most on lottery tickets?

Counting America’s Lottery Spending

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Lottery Geeks ranked which states Americans spend the most money on lottery tickets. They used Total FY23 Lottery Sales data and compared it with population numbers from every state where lotteries are legal. Information from FY23 Total Transfers to Beneficiaries was also a factor in determining the final ranking. 

These are the states where Americans pour the most money into hoping they hit the lottery jackpot.

1. Rhode Island

Rhode Island lighthouse overlooks Atlantic Ocean at sunrise.
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  • Average lottery spending per person: $939
  • Total state lottery sales in 2023: $1,027,026,255

2. Massachusetts

Lake in Massachusetts surrounded by fall foliage.
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  • Average lottery spending per person: $877
  • Total state lottery sales in 2023: $6,123,919,000

3. Maryland

Maryland countryside with cornfields and farms.
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  • Average lottery spending per person: $845
  • Total state lottery sales in 2023: $5,210,509,834

4. West Virginia

Train tracks in West Virginia.
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  • Average lottery spending per person: $812
  • Total state lottery sales in 2023: $1,441,012,707

5. Delaware

Houses in Bethany Beach, Delaware.
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  • Average lottery spending per person: $745
  • Total state lottery sales in 2023: $758,610,068

6. New York

Long Island, New York.
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  • Average lottery spending per person: $536
  • Total state lottery sales in 2023: $10,544,770,000

7. Georgia

Live oak trees in Savannah, Georgia.
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  • Average lottery spending per person: $520
  • Total state lottery sales in 2023: $5,679,798,592

8. Ohio

Barn on country road.
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  • Average lottery spending per person: $495
  • Total state lottery sales in 2023: $5,818,973,230

9. Michigan

Path through a forest.
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  • Average lottery spending per person: $491
  • Total state lottery sales in 2023: $4,922,869,158

10. South Dakota

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  • Average lottery spending per person: $456
  • Total state lottery sales in 2023: $414,635,291

Rhode Island’s Lottery Revenue

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Rhode Island is ranked as the state that spends the most on lottery tickets, with a good amount going to the state budget after payouts and operational costs. Rhode Island sold its first lottery ticket in 1974, and they launched the Mega Millions game in 2010. Reportedly, before Rhode Island sold Mega Millions lottery tickets, citizens would drive to Massachusetts to play. The largest Mega Millions jackpot stands at over $1.5 billion

About 8% of what’s spent on each lottery ticket goes to the state of Rhode Island. Since lotteries began in Rhode Island, over $8 billion has gone to state funding, which promotes education, public safety, health care, and more. 

History of American Lotteries

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Lotteries in the U.S. weren’t always popular. In the 1800s, because of religious and social standings, lotteries were made illegal by 1894. Then in the 1960s, lotteries made a comeback in the U.S. after a need for increased state spending amid rising inflation.

New Hampshire was the first state to legalize government-run lotteries in 1964, with several states doing the same through the following decades. Mississippi was the last state to approve a lottery in 2019. 

Some States Lack Lotteries

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Five states in the U.S. do not sell lottery tickets: Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada and Utah. There have been several attempts by officials to legalize or loosen lottery laws in each state. For example, Alabama lawmakers in May 2024 created a proposal that would initiate a state lottery, but they failed to pass it in the state Senate. 

Alaska has rejected lotteries in the state in favor of charitable gaming like gambling in tribal casinos due to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. Pro-lottery Hawaii lawmakers faced criticism from opponents who say gambling would hurt poor communities. Nevada’s dedication to other forms of gambling and Utah’s state constitution’s blocking of “games of chance” recently stopped each state’s chance of having lotteries. 

The Sunshine State or Land of Regret?

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Deciding to move to a different state is a big deal, and Florida is on many people’s radar. The Sunshine State’s warm weather and state income tax-free policies may draw you to call it your new home. But it doesn’t come without its drawbacks.

12 Regrets Florida Transplants Have

8 Wild Things You Can Find Washed Ashore on Florida Beaches

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Heading to Florida for your next beach vacation? From bizarre marine creatures to mysterious treasures, Florida’s shoreline keeps beachgoers on their (barefoot) toes with surprises.

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