Mass. State Lottery celebrates its 50th with live numbers drawing and a song
BOSTON ― It’s a numbers game, fittingly, for the Massachusetts State Lottery, which celebrated its 50th birthday Wednesday with a live drawing on the Grand Staircase in the Statehouse.
The live Numbers Game drawing generated 1, 9, 2 and 7.
“I hope someone won,” said Massachusetts Treasurer Deb Goldberg, who supervised the drawing with the help of sports mascots representing the Red Sox, the Bruins and the Celtics.
Since its inception in 1972, the state lottery has generated $143 billion in revenue; paid out $100 billion in prizes and paid its thousands of certified retailers $8 billion.
Municipalities across the commonwealth have also benefitted: $31 billion in unrestricted aid has been directed to the 351 communities.
“The lottery has been all we could have hoped for, and then some,” Goldberg told a crowd of assembled politicians, treasury and lottery workers and some retailers and winners invited to the birthday party. “Thank you, Massachusetts for playing the games.”
The lottery was launched by former state Treasurer Robert Q. Crane. His children, Mary Lou and David, were also at the party celebrating their father’s success.
“We’re absolutely thrilled to be here,” said Mary Lou Crane. “It’s a proud day for the family.”
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Massachusetts state lottery turns 50 generated $100 billion in prizes
