Pennsylvania Lottery Sets New Weekly Instant Games Sales Record

Instant Games Sales for Last Full Sales Week in December Top $52.7 Million

MIDDLETOWN, Pa., Dec. 29, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Pennsylvania Lottery achieved record instant games sales of $52,735,834 for the week of Dec. 21 - 27, topping the old record of $48,685,337– set Dec. 22 - 28, 2009 – by $4,050,497, or 8.3 percent.

"The Pennsylvania Lottery has remained focused on increasing sales and profits for programs that serve older adults," said Lottery Executive Director Ed Trees. "This record achievement is a credit to our network of more than 8,700 retail partners and the Lottery staff, all of whom are dedicated to our mission of generating revenues for programs benefiting older Pennsylvanians."

The previous week's instant sales also cracked the top 10 for all-time sales. Eight of the Lottery's top 30 instant sales weeks occurred in the past six months.

Sales for instant and terminal-based games totaled more than $81.1 million between Dec. 21 and 27, which makes last week the fifth-highest total sales week since Pennsylvania joined Powerball in 2002.

Fiscal-year-to-date sales total nearly $1.53 billion, 3.4 percent ahead of 2009-10 figures.

About the Pennsylvania Lottery: The Pennsylvania Lottery remains the only state lottery that designates all its proceeds to programs that benefit older residents. Since its inception 38 years ago, the Pennsylvania Lottery has contributed more than $20.1 billion to programs that include property tax and rent rebates; free transit and reduced-fare shared rides; the low-cost prescription drug programs PACE and PACENET; long-term living services; and the 52 Area Agencies on Aging, including more than 600 full- and part-time senior centers throughout the state. The Pennsylvania Lottery reminds its players to play responsibly. Players must be 18 or older.

For more information on the Pennsylvania Lottery, visit www.palottery.com.

Media contact: Kirstin Alvanitakis, 717-702-8008

SOURCE Pennsylvania Lottery