FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) — The Hoosier Lottery celebrates the 35th anniversary of its first ticket sale. We dove into the archives to see the Hoosier Lottery Fever in Fort Wayne in 1989.
The first sale was on October 13, 1989, since then Hoosiers have been playing the lottery, winning big and helping to give back to good causes.
It became established via state law following a referendum in 1988. Let’s travel back in time when Hoosier Lottery Fever took hold of Fort Wayne, WANE 15’s Erin Welch reporting.
Since 1989, players have won more than $18 billion on Hoosier Lottery products. These prizes range from $1 to a $540 million winning Mega Millions® ticket sold in 2016, according to a press release. The Hoosier Lottery has sold more winning Powerball® jackpot tickets than any other state in the U.S. In Fort Wayne alone, millions of tickets are sold and prize money is given out.
Lottery retailers also receive a commission on each ticket sold and cashed, along with the opportunity to receive additional bonus commissions if they sell a jackpot-winning ticket. Therefore since 1989, lottery retailers have earned $2 billion in commissions.