CHICAGO (KMOX) - The Illinois Lottery says it contributed a record amount of money to local school districts – with $731,250,000 contributed to the Common School Fund in the fiscal year 2019. Spokesman Jason Schaumburg says that's a nearly two percent increase over the previous year and a good reminder of where some of your gambling money goes.
The Illinois Lottery has contributed over $20 billion (since 1985) to the state’s Common School Fund, which assists K-12 public schools in the state.
As students across the state head back to school, the Illinois Lottery announced a record $731 million contribution to help fund public education. Since 1985, the Illinois Lottery has contributed more than $21 billion in education funding for the state. https://t.co/wxMbQLqtR8 pic.twitter.com/z1QaiqOkfu
— Illinois Lottery (@IllinoisLottery)
August 28, 2019 "The Illinois Lottery’s mission is to maximize revenue in an ethical and socially responsible manner to benefit schools, capital projects and specialty causes. To that end, the Illinois Lottery has contributed more than $21 billion in revenue to help fund education in Illinois and hundreds of millions of dollars more for capital projects. Over $50 million has been generated for specialty causes," Illinois Lottery Acting Director Harold Mays said. "Our ambition is simple: Create meaningful returns to the state and make Illinoisans proud of the Lottery."
During that same fiscal year, the Illinois Lottery paid $165 million in commissions and selling bonuses to retailers, and nearly $2 billion in prize money to winners.
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