Mr. Lucky

More than $60 million in scratch-off tickets sold last week

Posted: 06 Mar 2012 11:42 AM PST

There was a whole lot of scratching going on last week.

Floridians plunked down more than $60 million for Florida Lottery scratch-off tickets in the week ending Sunday, the highest volume of sales since the Florida Lottery sold $95 million worth of scratch-off tickets in its first 12 days of operation in 1988.

"It's exciting to break a sales record that's stood for nearly a quarter century," said Florida Lottery Secretary Cynthia O'Connell. "Our diverse product line of scratch-off tickets has generated excitement among our players."

Players bought more than $1 million worth of 20 different tickets during the week, she said.

There are about 40 different scratch-off tickets, ranging in price from $1 to $20, available at any time through instant ticket vending machines or on-counter displays at more than 13,000 retailers statewide.

Scratch-off games make up approximately 56 percent of lottery sales and generated more than $455 million for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund in fiscal year 2010-11.

Sales of computer terminal-based games also remain strong, averaging more than $35 million in weekly sales this fiscal year, the Lottery said.