Worcester Retailers Awarded More than $106 Million in MA Lottery Prizes in 2014

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Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Patrick Sargent, GoLocal Worcester Contributor

In 2014, over 250 retailers and businesses in Worcester awarded more than $106 million in lottery prizes. According to the Massachusetts State Lottery,  27 local businesses paid out more than $1 million.

Two of those businesses, the Edgemere Mini Mart on Grafton Street, and Honey Farms on West Boylston Street awarded more than $2 million each in prizes.

“These places could’ve sold a $1 million dollar prize. That happens frequently,” said Lisa McDonald, Massachusetts State Lottery spokeswoman. “A couple of $10,000 prizes could have contributed to it. They clearly have healthy sales.”

SEE SLIDES BELOW: 25 Best Places to Play MA Lottery in Worcester

Lottery retailers on both Grafton Street and West Boylston Street make up one-third of the 27 retailers that paid out over $1 million in 2014.

McDonald points out that New G & M Grocery on Cambridge Street and Yankee Food Mart on West Boylston Street both paid out $1.7 million in prizes, but also are in the top 20 in Worcester in lottery sales.

Worcester Gets Good Share of Local Aid

In fiscal year 2014, the Lottery raked in nearly $5 billion in sales.

According to McDonald, the Lottery awarded $3.5 billion in prizes throughout the Commonwealth in 2014. The Lottery returned $920.2 million in net profit to the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts.

FY2014's direct aid to Bay State communities was the highest since FY2008 when the Lottery gave more than $935 million in direct aid.

“Worcester does 12 to 13 percent of all lottery sales statewide,” said McDonald. “Last year, the city received more than $35 million in local aid from the Lottery.”

The city of Boston received far and away the most local aid in the state; getting back nearly $165 million. Worcester was a distant second, closely followed by Springfield, which received just over $32 million.

Lottery revenues are given to the cities and towns and it is up to the local officials as to how these revenues are spent.

McDonald said,“It has a bearing on the city’s sales. It’s the Lottery revenue stream. It’s based on the city’s property value and population. If you have low property value and a higher population, then the city gets a larger percentage back.”

The Lottery in Massachusetts

According to the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL), the state of Massachusetts pulled in $4.8 billion in lottery sales during FY2014. 

The NASPL lists New York as the top state in the country for lottery sales - taking in more than $9.2 billion. Florida ($5.3 billion) and California ($5 billion) are behind New York and ahead of Massachusetts on NASPL's list.

For a list of past lottery winners in Massachusetts, including the first $1 million winner on the 40X the Cash Instant Game, click here: MA Lottery Winners.

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Related Slideshow: The 25 Best Places to Play Mass Lottery in Worcester

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