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Florida Lottery celebrates 34 years of making dreams come true

ORLANDO, Fla. — On Wednesday, the Florida Lottery celebrated its 34th year in operation, generating billions of dollars for Florida’s students and schools over the past three decades.

Since opening its doors in 1988, a portion of every lottery ticket purchased has gone to help students and schools in Florida.

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The Florida Lottery has contributed more than $40 billion to the state’s Educational Enhancement Trust Fund, including more than $1 billion annually for each of the past 20 consecutive years.

The Florida Lottery is also the primary funding source for the Bright Futures Scholarship Program, which has enabled more than 917,000 students to attend college since the program’s inception in 1997.

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“These accomplishments would not have been possible without our hardworking and dedicated employees across the state,” said Florida Lottery Secretary John F. Davis. “Our retail and vendor partners, players, and employees are the driving force behind what makes the Florida Lottery one of the most efficient lotteries in the country. I am honored to be a part of the Lottery’s mission of paving the way to a brighter future for all students, and I look forward to what that future holds.”

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Since 1988, Florida Lottery games have paid more than $79.1 billion in prizes and made more than 3,100 people millionaires.

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