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Who Plays the Lottery
Lotto Life

Who Plays the Lottery

The lottery has been a part of American life since at least 1776, when the Continental Congress voted to use a lottery to raise money for the War of Independence. How has it changed since then and who plays the modern day lottery? We've taken a deep dive to find the facts and data underlying the weekly lottery draws to figure out who plays.
Who Plays the Lottery

Who Plays the Lottery?

Despite the unlikelihood of winning a jackpot, many Americans will purchase tickets in the hopes of winning. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, about half of all Americans participate in state lotteries, with total sales exceeding $71 billion in 2017. Those numbers have only grown as time has gone on.

Consumers spend an average of $86 per month on lottery tickets, which include anything from scratch-off cards from vending machines to Powerball and Mega Millions entries. New Yorkers spent around $9.7 billion on lottery tickets in 2020. The US online lottery industry’s estimated worth is at $2.3 billion.

Who Plays the Lottery

US Specific Lottery Stats

In a given year, 57 percent of the American population, or 181 million people, purchase at least one lottery ticket. Surprisingly, American males are more likely than American women to purchase a lottery ticket, particularly if they do not live alone, since research shows that single Americans spend less on the lottery than persons with spouses or children. Diving into the psychology behind these stats it becomes apparent that people play the lottery to try to provide the best possible future for their families and loved ones.

US Lottery Demographics

In the United States, 30-64 year olds buy the most lottery tickets, while players aged 50-64 pay the most every week, an average of $6.72. If you're between the ages of 18 and 29, or above the age of 65, you're less likely to buy more than one ticket. In terms of money, if you earn between $30,000 and $50,000, you belong to the cohort of Americans who buy the most lottery tickets.

Francesca
By Francesca