Record-breaking year for lottery sales benefits Colorado’s outdoors

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- It's proving to be a big year for the Colorado Lottery, rebounding after a pandemic slow down. This year, the lottery will provide more than $71 million to Great Outdoors Colorado, reaching the funding cap nearly a month earlier than last year.

This comes thanks to more than $1.7 billion in dueling jackpots back in January, unprecedented scratch-off ticket sales, and a growing love for Colorado Lotto+.

Tom Seaver Director of the Colorado Lottery said, "There is a certain amount every year that is the maximum that Great Outdoors Colorado can receive. It started out back in 1992 at $35 million and it's been adjusted for inflation every year to where it was about $71.7 million this year."

The proceeds going to Great Outdoors Colorado will help to fund parks, recreation, conservation and open space projects across the state.

"GOCO has completed over 5,300 projects since they started in 1992 and in all 64 counties. So the money really gets spread around across the state," said Seaver.

While the lottery experienced a dip in sales during the months-long shutdown last march, sales bounced back to pre-pandemic levels quickly. Thanks to record-breaking sales so far this year, by reaching the Great Outdoors Colorado cap early, now even more proceeds can go to support different programs like "Building Excellent Schools Today."

Seaver said, "In the past depending on jackpot sales, BEST has got anywhere from $1 Million to $14 million so this year is going to be a big number for BEST."

Approximately 22 to 24 cents of every dollar spent on lottery games is reinvested back into the state.