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Virginia Lottery Has Best Year in Profits

Virginia Lottery

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Virginia's state-owned lottery program had its best year on record with profits topping $600 million for the first time.

Gov. Ralph Northam's office announced Wednesday that the state lottery had a record $2.14 billion in sales in fiscal 2018.

Officials said lottery players took home $1.3 billion in prizes and 48 tickets won prizes of $1 million or more.

Lottery profits are used to bolster education spending. Virginia's state lottery started in 1988.

Don Rush is the News Director and Senior Producer of News and Public Affairs at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.