Maryland Lottery

The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency is a part of the US state of Maryland's history and economy. Established in 1973, it has provided revenue for the state of Maryland. The fourth-largest contributor to the state's economy, the Maryland Lottery has generated more than $13.3 billion in revenue since its inception to support the state, including public health, public safety, education and the environment.

The Maryland Lottery is an independent agency of the Maryland government. Its games include Mega Millions, Powerball, Multi-Match, Keno, Bonus Match 5, and numerous Scratch-offs. The Maryland Lottery is headquartered in Suite 330 at 1800 Washington Boulevard, in Montgomery Business Park, Baltimore.

The minimum age to buy Maryland Lottery tickets is 18. For video lottery (currently available at Hollywood Casino Perryville, Casino at Ocean Downs, and Maryland Live!), the minimum age is 21.

Winning Maryland Lottery numbers are shown on local Baltimore television station WBAL-TV. Maryland's largest Mega Millions jackpot winner was for the March 30, 2012 drawing, which produced the world's largest jackpot, approximately $656,000,000. A ticket sold at a Baltimore County 7-Eleven won a one-third share of the jackpot (the other tickets were sold in Illinois and Kansas.) As with the other two sets of winners in that drawing, the ticket holder(s) chose the cash option, rather than the 26 yearly payments.

History

In 1972, citizens of Maryland approved a constitutional amendment to begin a government-run lottery.^[1] The Maryland Lottery began on January 2, 1973.^[2] The Lottery opened its doors for the very first time with 94 employees to handle operations, 3,800 sales agents to sell tickets and 51 banks to distribute tickets to agents and handle deposits. Approximately 60% of sales are returned to players, 30% is used for state-funded programs, 7% is used for commissions to retailers, and 3% is given to the Lottery for operating expenses.^[3] The first game—Twin Win—went on sale on May 15, and the first drawing was May 24.^[4] Scratch-offs, now the Lottery's best-selling game, became available on February 10, 1976.^[5] Pick 3 was introduced in July 1976.^[5] In April 1983, Pick 4 began.^[5] Keno, initially played only at Lottery retailers equipped with monitors, began in January 1993. (Keno expanded to Keno Bonus in 1999, and Keno Super Bonus in 2009.^[6]) In September 1995, Maryland introduced Bonus Match 5. (It ended in 1998, but returned in 2002.)^[7] In 1996, Maryland help launched The Big Game, which became Mega Millions in 2002. (Mega Millions now is offered by 44 lotteries.) In March 2012, a Maryland player won a one-third share of the largest jackpot in American history, $656 million.^[8] In November 2005, the Maryland Lottery signed an $81 million deal with Scientific Games.^[9] As a result, Racetrax began in August 2006.^[7] Racetrax a Tabcorp International product, is a thoroughbred horse racing game.^[10] Racetrax became Racetrax Bonus in August 2009.^[7] Maryland Lotto was replaced by Multi-Match in 2006.^[11] Maryland, as part of the January 2010 cross-sell expansion, joined Powerball.^[12]

In 2007, the Maryland government passed a bill allowing 15,000 video lottery terminals in five places throughout Maryland.^[13] The following year, voters passed the referendum; Maryland's first casino opened in 2010.^[14] As of June 2012, video lottery terminals at the three casinos had generated over $297 million in revenue.^[15] Of that revenue, 49.25% is given to education, 33% is given back to the casino operators, 7% is used for horse racing purses, 5.5% is used for local impact grants, 2.5% is used to help renew the racetracks, 1.75% is given to the Lottery for operational expenses, and 1.5% is given to small businesses.^[16]

Year-end summary 2013

In Fiscal Year 2013, the Maryland Lottery generated $1.756 billion in sales and more than $545.2 million in revenue, which is contributed to the state's General Fund. Since its inception in 1973, the Maryland Lottery has generated more than $13.3 billion in revenue to Maryland, including K–12 and higher education; public health; public safety; and the environment. The Maryland Lottery is the fourth-largest contributor to the state after income, sales and corporate taxes. ^{[citation needed]}

Highlights

• There were a total of 4,422 Lottery retailers at the end of FY2013
• 55,406,316 winning Maryland Lottery tickets were claimed in FY2013
• There were 936 winners of $10,000 or more in FY2013
• The Maryland Lottery conducted 1,476 midday, evening, semiweekly and second chance drawings in FY2013

Sales by lottery game (FY 2013)

Drawings

Gaming Control Commission

The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission serves as an advisory board to the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency. The Commission is made up of seven members who are appointed to four-year terms by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. In November 2008, the Commission assumed responsibility for regulating the operation of video lottery terminals (slot machines) in Maryland.^[17]

Commission members:

• Kimberly Robertson Pannell (Chair)
• Diane L. Mcgraw (Vice Chair)
• F. Vernon Boozer
• Bert J. Hash, Jr.
• E. Randolph Marriner
• John Morton, III
• James J. Stakem

Notes

References

• Maryland Lottery (2007). Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the Years Ending June 30, 2007 and 2006 (Report). Maryland Lottery. http://cdn.mdlottery.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/CAFR2007_96102.pdf. Retrieved June 1, 2012.
• Maryland Lottery (2011). Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the Years Ending June 30, 2011 and 2010 (Report). Maryland Lottery. http://cdn.mdlottery.com.s3.amazonaws.com/CAFR/CAFR%20-%202011.pdf. Retrieved June 1, 2012.

External links

• Maryland Lottery official site