Wisconsin Lottery officials saw a 4% decline in ticket sales last year because of the economy. Spokesman Andrew Bohage (BOH-hayg) says revenues slipped by $21 million — to $473 million the fiscal year that ended last month. He says some states saw sales climb as the economy slid.
"While we would love to be able to deliver more money for property tax relief, we are just as gratified as everyone else that, you know, our sales show that people in a tough time weren't turning to the lottery out of fear or deparation, and that's a good thing."
Bohage says Powerball sales fell by $8 million, largely because of a lack of big jackpots. He says some of the higher-priced instant games also had smaller revenues. The lottery's in-state jackpot game — Megabucks — and its daily lottos either saw their sales remain flat or increase.
