North Dakota Lottery adds another $10 million to state

A display advertising the different games of the state lottery is displayed at the Pony Express convenience store in Bismarck. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)

North Dakotans aren’t big lottery ticket spenders compared to other states, but ticket sales did generate nearly $10 million in revenue for the state for the fiscal year that ended June 30. 

The North Dakota Attorney General’s Office announced Tuesday that the state lottery had  transferred $8.6 million to the state General Fund, provided $1 million to a Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force Grant Fund and $320,000 to the Compulsive Gambling Prevention and Treatment Fund.

A year ago, $11.28 million was transferred into state funds, including a one-time transfer of $2.76 million into a statewide litigation funding pool, according to a financial statement on the 2023 fiscal year posted on the state lottery website. 

A North Dakota Lottery statement for the 2024 fiscal year is not yet available. 

Lottery prizes paid in North Dakota in fiscal year 2023 were nearly $10 million. But not all lottery prizes get claimed. 

Unclaimed prizes that year were just over $780,000. Ryan Koppy, sales and marketing manager for the North Dakota Lottery, said most of those prizes are small winners – $5 to $10 – on potentially big jackpots. 

“Those smaller prizes add up,” he said. 

Earlier this year, a $40,000 Mega Millions prize went unclaimed. The winning ticket had been sold in Stanley. 

Winners have 180 days from the date of the drawing to claim their prize or it is returned to the state.

According to an analysis from LendingTree.com, North Dakota spent less per capita in 2023 on lottery tickets than any other of the 45 states that have a lottery — $39.74 per person. That’s almost $15 less per person than the next lowest state, Wyoming. 

Massachusetts has the highest per capita spending at about $1,025 per person. 

This year marks the 20th year of operation for the North Dakota Lottery with the first tickets for Powerball selling on March 25, 2004. During its 20 years, the lottery has generated more than $149 million North Dakota state government and players have won more than $191 million.

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