A recent study by financial website Motley Fool Money found that Maryland ranked 10th highest in lottery sales per capita. Motley Fool Money analyzed Census Bureau data to determine how much Americans spend on the lottery across the country, their odds of winning, and the opportunity cost of playing the lottery. Here’s what they found:
Maryland Lottery Stats:
Maryland sells $409 in lottery tickets per capita annually– the 10th highest in the country.
Comparison: On the high end- Massachusetts ($867); On the low end- North Dakota ($48)
MD also has the 9th most generous lotto payout– $278 in prizes per capita
Comparison: On the high end- Massachusetts ($635); On the low end- North Dakota ($26)
Comparison: On the high end- California ($9.2 billion); On the low end- North Dakota ($37.5 million)
Lottery proceeds in MD make up 2.6% of their total tax revenues.
Comparison: On the high-end, Rhode Island (7.9%), and on the low-end, North Dakota (.2%)
Key Findings Nationally:
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50% of Americans play the lottery annually
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Americans spend $103 billion on lottery tickets each year
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Americans spend $321 per capita in states where it’s offered