Lotteries, lotteries everywhere?

The Iowa Lottery is a regular part of life these days, but we’re often asked about other states’ lotteries, and just how many U.S. states have them.

The map at the right paints a pretty clear picture: Americans like to play the lottery! The states in red are those with lotteries. Those in white do not have them. There are just seven U.S. states that don’t have lotteries: Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Mississippi, Alabama, Hawaii and Alaska.

And, we can’t forget the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. They also have lotteries.   

The first modern-day lottery got its start back in 1964 when the New Hampshire Lottery sold its first tickets. The United States’ newest lottery is the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery, which just got its start in October 2009.

You probably already know this, but the Iowa Lottery sold its first tickets on Aug. 22, 1985, and marked the occasion with a kick-off celebration at the Iowa State Fair. That’s right, we’re almost 25!