WINNING FOR OUR SCHOOLS
ACROSS ILLINOIS
The Lottery’s Commitment to Funding K-12 Education in Illinois
When people play the Lottery, it's a win for our State. The Illinois Lottery provides critical funding to K-12 public schools across Illinois every year. In fact, since 1985, Lottery players have generated $24 billion for education funding in Illinois.
Serving Teachers and Students Throughout the State
Playing the lottery is a win for the almost two million public school students and their families in Illinois. Last year, Illinois Lottery players generated $834 million for the State of Illinois, most of which goes to fund education – money that would not have to come from another source. Approximately 25 percent of every dollar played on the lottery goes to support schools and other good causes.
Learn how every time you buy a lottery ticket, it’s a win for our schools.
How the Lottery Supports Education in Your Community
The Illinois Lottery provides more than $700 million to the State’s Common School Fund to support K-12 education throughout Illinois. To see what that means in your community, CLICK HERE. First, find the county you live in, then look for your local school district. From there, you can see what was sent in Fiscal Year 2019 to the Common School Fund, how much each school district received in Common School Fund funding and what the Illinois Lottery’s share of that funding was.
To learn more about how education funding works in Illinois, visit the Illinois State Board of Education website.
Education and the Illinois Lottery FAQs
Where does Illinois Lottery money go?
By law, revenue from the sale of Illinois Lottery tickets and games is used for prizes, operating costs and contributions to education funding, and other good causes in Illinois.
In fiscal year 2022:
- Over $2.2 billion was paid in prizes to Illinois Lottery winners
- $834 million went to fund public education, capital projects, and good causes
- $175 million went to Illinois Lottery retailers for commissions and selling bonuses
- $163 million went to operating costs.
How does the Lottery help fund public education in Illinois?
From July 1, 2022 all Illinois Lottery proceeds, outside of the sale of specialty scratch tickets, will go to the Common School Fund. That change will mean that almost 99% of lottery proceeds will go to supplement education funding.
Since 1985, the Illinois Lottery has transferred more than $24 billion to the Common School Fund. In Fiscal Year 2022, the Illinois Lottery’s contribution to the Common School Fund was $834 million.
Wasn’t the Lottery supposed to fully fund schools?
It is a common misconception that the Illinois Lottery was created in 1974 to fully fund education in Illinois. In fact, Illinois Lottery net proceeds were not directed to help fund schools until 1985. Before that, Illinois Lottery proceeds went to the General Revenue Fund as a source of revenue for the Regional Transit Authority.
In 1985, legislation was signed into law directing Illinois Lottery proceeds to the Common School Fund. Although the Lottery sends money to the Common School Fund, it was never intended to be the sole source of education funding.
To learn more about how education funding works in Illinois, visit the Illinois State Board of Education website.
What does the Illinois Lottery’s contribution mean to education funding?
Of the $6.8 billion in education funding the state appropriated in the fiscal year 2022, $775 million – over 11% – came from the Illinois Lottery. The Lottery’s fiscal year 2022 contribution to public education funding equals about $4.4 million per school day for Illinois public schools.
Players Like You Raised $834 Million for Good Causes
To find out how playing the Lottery gives you a chance to dream big while supporting communities across Illinois, please visit Where the Money Goes.