Arkansas lottery sales average $1.39 million a day

The Arkansas Scholarship Lottery announced Friday (Jan. 1) that its first 95 days of lottery sales totaled $132.097 million.

According to the ASL statement, the first instant ticket was sold just after midnight on Sept. 28, followed by the introduction of Powerball on Oct. 31 and the first Arkansas draw game Cash 3 was sold Dec. 14.

Projections for annual lottery sales in Arkansas were set liberally during the legislative debate at $400 million, and that number was scoffed at by skeptics. However, the first 95 days of sales indicate the lottery could post revenue of more than $507 million in its first 12 months. Average daily sales for the first 95 days totals $1.39 million

The purpose of the ASL is to provide scholarships and grants to Arkansas residents enrolled in public and private nonprofit two-year and four-year colleges and universities within the state. Roughly 25% of the revenue from lottery sales are directed to scholarship funds.

The lottery effort began with controversy, driven largely by the $300,000-plus salary of ASL Director Ernie Passailaigue.

A poll conducted in the summer through a partnership with Roby Brock, and Little Rock-based political consulting groups The Political Firm and The Markham Group, found a high unfavorable rating for the lottery effort. (Brock and his TalkBusiness.net is a content partner with The City Wire.)

The poll found that 32% of respondents held a “strongly unfavorable” opinion of the lottery with 28% having a “strongly favorable” view. Also, 71% of respondents “strongly agreed” that Passailaigue’s salary was too high, with only 9% saying they “strongly disagree” that the salary was too high.