With a revenue dip, this game is Mass. Lottery’s saving grace

Despite a decline in revenues from falling Powerball and Mega Millions ticket sales in Massachusetts and across the country, state lottery officials marked the fifth consecutive year of more than $1 billion in profits.

"I am proud of our team's performance, as we continue to face an ever evolving and changing industry," said State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg, chair of the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission.

"Thanks to our retail partners and loyal customers, we are able to provide vital local aid to all 351 communities across Massachusetts."

An estimated $1.05 billion was returned in net profit to the state in fiscal year 2025, which will be redistributed for local aid use in the towns and cities of Massachusetts. It trails just behind the two previous fiscal years' net profits, which were $1.157 billion and $1.193 billion, respectively.

Total lottery revenues were an estimated $5.962 billion, about $206.8 million lower than the record $6.168 billion last year.

A lack of billion-dollar pots

Mark William Bracken, executive director, noted that record-setting Keno sales in fiscal 2025 helped offset a $157.4 million decline in national drawing game sales.

That "significant drop" in Powerball and Mega Millions ticket sales was seen nationwide due to a lack of large jackpots, Bracken said. Only one jackpot topped $1 billion over the past year — a $1.22 billion Mega Millions prize in December 2024 — compared to three Powerball and two Mega Millions jackpots over $1 billion in the previous fiscal year.

In Massachusetts, Mega Millions sales were at $108 million and Powerball at $90.3 million. Powerball sales had been at $211.5 million in the previous fiscal year, and Mega Millions at $144 million.

Lottery officials have already redesigned some drawing game rules to increase the rate and frequency of large jackpots, including raising the price of Mega Millions tickets from $2 to $5 in April 2025.

And in Massachusetts, as Bracken noted, Keno helped out. Total sales were at $1.285 billion this past year — nearly a 3% increase from the year before, following a 2% the previous fiscal year.

How much did players win?

Lottery players in Massachusetts won an estimated $4.416 billion in prizes this year, just behind the record-high winnings of $4.525 billion in fiscal 2024.

This comes from the 159 prizes worth $1 million or more won, including 148 instant ticket prizes, six Powerball prizes, two Mega Millions prizes and three Megabucks jackpots.

The largest prize won was worth $1 million a year for life, which came from the $50 "Lifetime Millions" scratch ticket game. Other grand prizes included three $15 million prizes, four $10 million prizes, one $5 million prize and twelve $4 million prizes.