Lottery Statistics: How Many People Play Lottery In The U.S.?

 
Inbound Marketing • December 13, 2023
 
Every year, millions of Americans play the Lottery. Lottery offers the chance to win money that can change your life for only a few dollars. Lottery statistics show that Americans spent 105,26 billion last year on lottery tickets, making it the United States’ most popular gambling form. By 2025, this is expected to reach a staggering $194.14 Billion. How many people take the risk? How many people win the Lottery is more important. This blog will take a closer look at the most recent lottery statistics from the United States. We’ll find out who plays the Lottery and why. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by the results.

Key Lottery Statistics

The number of lottery sales in the United States has steadily increased over the last decade, with hundreds of millions of people playing their luck every year. It doesn’t seem like the trend will slow anytime soon. Here are some key statistics about the Lottery that you should know: In the United States, it is estimated that the online lottery industry alone is worth $2.3 Billion. A Californian won the highest-ever lottery prize of 2,04 billion on November 8, 2022. The highest-ever online jackpot was won by a woman from Panama, who won $30,000,000 while playing Florida Lotto on the internet. Around 70% of all lottery winners are completely broke after winning. In the United States, over 2 billion dollars in winnings from lottery games go unclaimed every year. In the U.S., there are six different kinds of lottery games. In the United States, you have a one in 292.2 million chance to win the Lottery. The value of the Lottery will grow to a staggering 194,14 billion per year by 2025, according to experts. In the United States, the lottery industry is the largest part of the gaming sector. Even though their odds of winning are low, millions of people will not let go of the chance to make big money while taking little risk.

Lottery Revenue History

In 1982, state and local governments in the United States made modest revenues of $1.7 billion. By 1992, the U.S. state and local government lottery industry had a modest $1.7 billion in revenue. Why is there such a dramatic increase? Experts believe that this is due to the rapid growth in awareness and participation of players and the introduction and expansion of state-based lottery games. Lottery became accessible to a larger number of people. In 2007, the United States passed the 20 billion dollar mark. This is a massive $11 billion increase in just 15 years. The number of people who are able to work has increased year after year, with only minor fluctuations. The COVID-19 Pandemic Restrictions were likely responsible for the biggest drop in 2019.

Lottery Ticket Sales by States

Which states spend the most money on lottery tickets? Florida is responsible for approximately 8.6% of the lottery sales in America. As of 2021, it is the largest state in terms of lottery ticket sales. Here is a complete list of the top 15 states in terms of lottery sales. California will be third, with $8.42 Billion in 2021. New York is second with $8.59 Billion. The top three states account for about 25% of the total lottery sales in the U.S. New York topped the list with ticket sales of 9,7 billion dollars in 2020. This is a significant drop from 2021 to 2020. In 2021, Americans will spend 105.26 billion dollars on lottery tickets. The Lottery is the most popular gambling form in the United States.

Lottery Playing Habits Statistic

Lotteries are more popular when the jackpot is higher. According to a recent survey, 44% of lottery players play when the jackpot is higher. You’re right; it makes perfect sense. The more you win, the bigger your jackpot. One out of four players plays the lotto at least once a month. One out of four players will buy 5+ tickets or more when the jackpot is higher. To increase your chances of winning, you need to enter more contests. Just 33% of lottery players buy just one ticket. This means that 2 of every three players will purchase more than one lottery ticket. How often do you play the Lottery? This table shows the latest statistics about how many people play the Lottery and buy tickets. 49 % of lottery players play infrequently. The statistics show that the largest lottery market is more passive. They do it every so often. What’s fascinating is the way people select their winning numbers. When playing without any “strategy” of number selection, 70% of players choose random numbers. Most of the people who responded said that they used things like
  • The lucky number
  • Birthdays
  • Birthday of a family member
  • Celebrate important anniversaries
Only 4% said that they would choose their favorite athlete’s number from their jersey as their lottery number. The majority of Americans are aware that they gamble and will use something meaningful for them to influence the lottery numbers they choose. According to estimates, 30% of lottery players use a strategic system for selecting their numbers.

Lottery Winners Statistics

Here’s the big question… How many people win the Lottery? 86% of lottery players have claimed to have won at least one prize. It doesn’t necessarily mean that they won or lost more, but at some point, they won. The survey:
  • 7 of 10 respondents said that they had won less than $99
  • Only 0.09% said that they had won more than $10,000.
But 85% prefer to remain anonymous. It can be not easy to get data on large wins. Lottery statistics reveal that 89% (of those surveyed) of winners continue to play the National Lottery even after winning a prize. 70% of players think they will win again. Once you’ve won, you want to win again. If you haven’t yet won, you are still chasing the prize. Most players are caught in this cycle. 54% of lottery winners say they would quit their jobs if they won.
  • One out of 10 winners would immediately give up after winning.
  • Three out of five winners would give up within six months of winning.
  • After receiving winnings, 16% of people would give up their jobs.
It is surprising that:
  • 43% of respondents said that they would continue to work in the same position.
  • Only 3% of respondents said that they were looking for a new job.
Age is a factor that does affect these results. If they won the Lottery, 49% of those aged 55 and older would quit their job. What about the younger generation? Only 18% of those aged 18-34 said that they would quit their job if they won the Lottery. You are more likely to stop working the older you get. Many people believe that winning the Lottery will affect your relationships. The real lottery statistics say otherwise. 90% of Lottery winning friends who were already best friends prior to their win maintain these friendships. This shows that winning the lotto isn’t going to have as much of an impact on your relationship as people believe. Here’s some bad news: Around 70% of lottery winners who win big end up bankrupt. In less than five years, 44% of lottery winners will spend all their winnings and declare bankruptcy. Consider these two statistics for a moment. Winning the Lottery does not mean that you will be set for life. Many people are not able to manage their finances effectively, and they end up in a worse position than they started. More money does not necessarily equal more happiness. Right? It’s much more complex than that. Nearly 55% of lottery winners report being happier after winning. In addition, 58% said that they are happier now because their families have received financial assistance from the lottery win. However, 43% of the winners said that money had no impact on their happiness. Money is not everything in the world of joy. Lottery players still experience the same highs and lows that everyone else does. Winning the Lottery can help some people and their families. The latest statistics on bankrupt lottery winners revealed that some people said the new wealth made their lives worse. You are right if you believe that winning the Lottery would change your life. It doesn’t guarantee happiness.

What do lottery winners spend their money on?

Lotto winners spend their winnings in many different ways. The majority of lottery winners share their new wealth with their families. The majority of lottery winners communicate their wealth with family members. 88% shared at least. Most likely, siblings will receive a share of any lottery winnings. The next closest is:
  1. Children
  2. Parents
59% of lottery winnings will donate a significant portion of their money to charity. Lotto winners tend to prioritize their families and donate to charity before buying “stuff.” What kind of “stuff,” then, do they buy?
  • 66% of lottery winnings buy a home as their first purchase.
  • 25% of people move to another country.
  • Lottery winners who choose to travel abroad for the first time are 20%.
Moving and taking the needed break are clearly top priorities. Only 3% out of all lottery winners with children chose to send their children to private school. Most lottery winners do not prioritize education. R.V.s are popular purchases. 7% of lottery winnings buy R.V.s with their newfound money.

Lottery Jackpot Facts & Statistics

The largest jackpot win to date was $2,04 billion on November 8, 2022. A Powerball player from California won a huge amount of money with a single ticket. The previous biggest lottery jackpot was $1.58 billion, won in a Powerball. This was divided into three players. If you’re looking to win big, January is the month to do it. Forty percent of the top ten lottery jackpots were won in January. Here are the largest jackpots claimed. What about unclaimed lotteries? According to the latest lottery statistics, a Powerball worth $77,000,000 went unclaimed in Georgia in 2011. The biggest Powerball unclaimed winner in the United States. It’s not even the biggest worldwide… EuroMillions jackpots of $87,000,000 were not claimed in 2010. No one ever came forward to claim the ticket. EuroMillions, Europe’s largest lottery, can be played online in some U.S. states. In the United States, over $2 billion of lottery winnings are not claimed every year. It is amazing how many people do not check or collect their lottery winnings. These statistics make it appear that you are likely to win the Lottery. But don’t let yourself be misled… The United States Powerball Lottery offers a one in 292,2 million chance of winning the jackpot. It’s about 0.0000003422% expressed as a percent. For more context, please see:
  • In any given year, you have a one in 1,222,000 risk of death or serious injury due to a lightning strike.
  • A sting from a wasp, hornet, or bee is also a possibility of 1 out of 57,825.
The bottom line is that your odds of winning the Lottery are extremely slim. Before you play, make sure to check the odds.

Wrapping it Up

Lotteries are big business. The gambling industry has grown steadily over the past 40+ years. It doesn’t seem like that will change any time soon. Some people win the Lottery, but they’re not many. You should be aware that the chances of you winning are extremely slim or even impossible. Before you begin, know your odds. You can have fun playing the Lottery, but you should be aware of the risks. Do you want to be able to win the lotto anyway? It seems that 7 out of 10 lottery winners end up poorer and broke than they were before.