Lottery officials state the increase in revenue should result in an estimated $1.4 billion going to state schools and to fund programs such as the Bright Futures scholarship program.
Officials believe much of the lottery's present success can be attributed to the increasing popularity of scratch-off-tickets and big-prize draw-type games such as Mega Millions and US Powerball.
Earlier this year a family-run syndicate celebrated a massive win when they scooped the $148 million US Powerball jackpot on a ticket purchased from E's Country Store North on Immokalee Road in Naples, Florida.
