Since joining the Michigan Lottery team in March, I’ve been busy immersing myself in the day-to-day operations of the business and learning what has made this one of the most successful lotteries in the country. One common theme I’ve heard from many team members is how exceptional Michigan Lottery retailers are.
In many ways, retailers are the face of the Michigan Lottery. Our retail partners provide exceptional customer service to players throughout the state. There are more than 10,000 Michigan Lottery retailer locations across Michigan, and many of them are small, family-owned businesses. From 1986 (the first year retailer commission data is available) to 2023, Lottery retailers have collected more than $6.2 billion in commissions. In FY2023, retailer commissions totaled more than $350 million for the third straight year. This impressive performance led to a $1.3 billion contribution to the School Aid Fund, the second-largest contribution ever made by the Michigan Lottery. The Michigan Lottery had a very successful year in FY2023 which would not have been possible without the hard work of retailers.
As we continue in 2024, the Michigan Lottery continues to be focused on offering players fun and entertaining games of chance that provide the opportunity to win life-changing prizes. We’re also committed to operating all of our games with 100% integrity. As we continue to add new and exciting games to our portfolio, we expect sales to continue to be strong for our retail partners. While we face more competition than ever before, we recognize that this is a challenge, and our team is taking this opportunity to work hard and deliver innovative games for players to enjoy. Lottery is unique amongst competitors, in that all of Lottery’s profits go to the School Aid Fund. This mission appeals to players and helps set our games apart from those offered on other platforms. It’s also noteworthy that only the Lottery offers games like Mega Millions and Powerball that give players a chance to win jackpots that reach hundreds of millions or billions of dollars.
I’m eager to work side-by-side with our retail partners to continue the longstanding success and important work done at the Michigan Lottery. We are currently on track to contribute $1 billion to the School Aid Fund for the sixth consecutive year. This incredible feat would not be possible without the hard work of each of our retailers, and I look forward to what the future will bring.
