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Lottery revenues at record high; state looking for more
Sales of lottery tickets and the resulting revenues for the New Jersey budget climbed by 1 percent last fiscal year to record levels, state officials announced Friday.
The New Jersey Lottery sold nearly $2.64 billion in tickets last year, $31 million more than a year earlier. It paid out $1.54 billion in prizes and gave $930 million to the state budget to support education and institutions. The rest goes to sales commissions and other overhead.
“These fiscal year 2011 revenues are a new record in lottery contributions, and a welcome one,” said state Treasurer Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff, whose department includes the Division of Lottery. (Symons, Gannett)