Massachusetts (MA) Lottery General Information
The Massachusetts State Lottery was established by the legislature in 1971, in response to the need for revenues for the
351 cities and towns of the Commonwealth.
The Lottery began with sales of tickets for its original weekly drawing called The Game in March 1972. Then in May 1974,
Massachusetts introduced a game that would revolutionize the lottery industry in the United States. The Instant Game was
the first scratch ticket, with a top instant prize of $10,000. There were also three monthly drawings in the Instant Game,
for $100,000 and $1,000 a year for life.
Today, the Lottery introduces 24-28 new instant games each year and is a national leader in sales.
The Lottery also offers a variety of on-line, or computerized, games including: The Numbers Game, Megabucks, Mass Cash, CASH
WinFall, KENO, and the multi-state Mega Millions game.
To provide an operating structure for the Lottery, the Legislature established a five-member commission that includes the
State Treasurer as Chairperson, the Secretary of Public Safety, the State Comptroller, and two gubernatorial appointees.
The Commissioners oversee and provide final approval of the types of games, the consumer prices of games, the prize structure
of games, the methods of prize payment, and the licensing of agents.
The Lottery Commission meets on a regular basis to discuss all Lottery operations.
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Massachusetts Lottery
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