Florida Lottery exceeds $43 billion given to education programs since 1988

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Florida Lottery announced a new milestone in its ongoing commitment to enhancing education in Florida. The Lottery’s life-to-date contributions to the state’s Educational Enhancement Trust Fund have officially exceeded $43 billion since 1988.

STORY: Suspect arrested in connection with November robbery of Fifth Third Bank, police say

This fiscal year, the Lottery is averaging more than $6.7 million a day in contributions to education.

“I’m extremely proud to announce this latest milestone in the Lottery’s ongoing effort to enhance education in our great state,” said Lottery secretary John F. Davis. “We believe the leaders of tomorrow are in the classroom today, and these Lottery contributions are helping to create brighter futures for students, their families and the communities in which they reside.”

STORY: What did people search for on Google in 2022? Here’s a look at the list

Since the Lottery’s creation, Florida’s public schools have received more than $23 billion, while colleges and universities have received a combined total of more than $11 billion.

Additionally, more than $8 billion has been used to fund the Bright Futures Scholarship Program, which has enabled over 950,000 students to attend college since 1997.

The benefits of these Lottery dollars flow from community to community—from the Panhandle to the Keys. Since 1988, the Lottery has established itself as a committed and dependable funding source for public education, contributing more than $1 billion annually for the past 21 consecutive years while remaining one of the most efficiently operated Lotteries in the country.

©2022 Cox Media Group