Pennsylvania Lottery
The Pennsylvania Lottery sold its first tickets in March 1972. The tickets cost just 50 cents at the time and the lottery proved a big hit right away, creating four million-dollar jackpot winners just six months after tickets first went on sale. One year later, the first Millionaire drawing of the Pennsylvania lottery was televised. In December 1990, the lottery hit headlines across the country when it was revealed that “The Psychic Madman,” Jim Karol, managed to predict the winning numbers for the massive $12 million PA Powerball draw.
Since the PA lottery’s inception, over $20 billion has been donated to charitable causes. This is actually the only US state lottery that donates all its proceeds to older residents, and around 27 cents of every dollar is donated toward charitable programs.
Pennsylvania has an excellent portfolio of lotteries, including 9 state games along with Powerball and Mega Millions. Powerball is especially popular in Pennsylvania, with more than twelve jackpots awarded to this state’s ticket holders over the years.
