California Lottery raises $2 billion-plus for schools in 3rd straight year, officials say

California Lottery officials announced Monday that its games have raised over $2 billion for public education for the third year in a row.

“Total sales once again exceeded $9 billion, resulting in contributions of more than $2.287 billion for public education programs statewide, from kindergarten to the community college, California State University, and University of California systems,” Lottery officials stated citing final audit figures for the 2023-2024 fiscal year.

The California Lottery is beginning its 40th year after games first went on sale in 1985.

“I want to thank our players, retail partners, and employees for their decades-long commitment to our mission,” California Lottery Director Harjinder K. Shergill Chima said. “It is that commitment to providing supplemental funding to California public education that sustains our work across the state and allows us to perform year after year for all of California.”

The funds are largely discretionary among school budget decision-makers but are intended to give support for programs that students might not otherwise have access to, officials stated.