Division of Lottery
Division Administrator: Michael J. Edmonds
Telephone: (608) 261-8800
Deputy Administrator: Jean L. Adler
Telephone: (608) 261-6888
FAX: (608) 264-6644
2135 Rimrock Road, P.O. Box 8941
Madison, WI 53708-8941
The mission of the Wisconsin Lottery is to achieve the greatest possible property tax relief for Wisconsin taxpayers, with unquestioned integrity. To that end, the Lottery manages six terminal-generated games and as many as 35 different scratch games and seven different pull-tab games from which a player can choose. The Lottery maintains approximately 78 full-time positions in Madison, WI. The Madison office is the operational headquarters, and houses the Administrative Services & Communications Bureau, the Retailer Relations & Sales Bureau, and the Product Development & Marketing Bureau. Also located in Madison is the Lottery's warehouse and delivery service facility.
During the fiscal year ending July 2, 2011, Wisconsin Lottery players won more than $290.2 million dollars in prizes. The state received an estimated $143.9 million in property tax relief from the Lottery fund. Did you know that an estimated 95 cents of every sales dollar earned by the Lottery goes directly back into the economy of Wisconsin?
For current jackpots and game numbers, lottery players may call our Player Hotline at (608) 266-7777. This is an interactive voice response system that provides information to the general public, members of the media, and others interested in current lottery information.
The Wisconsin Lottery has its own web site at http://www.wilottery.com/, which includes the most recent winning numbers, game odds, latest instant scratch tickets and odds, drawing results from previous drawings for all the online games and some information about some recent winners.
Administrative Services & Communications Bureau
The Administrative Services & Communications Bureau provides functional support to the Lottery Division. The Bureau provides internal business operations and administrative communications support services for the Lottery Division, including contract procurement and payment, budget, strategic planning and payroll functions for employees. Also, Information technology and webmaster support services are provided, to strengthen the Lottery's ability to communicate with the players and retailers. Retailer accounts receivable and prize payment activities are also supported within this bureau, as are nightly drawings for the Lottery's terminal-generated games.
Bureau Director: Andrew Bohage
Telephone: (608) 264-6604
FAX: (608) 267-4565
2135 Rimrock Road, P.O. Box 8941
Madison, WI 53708-8941
Product Development & Marketing Bureau
The Product Development & Marketing Bureau provides product development and marketing services for the Lottery Division. Marketing activities including instant and terminal generated game research and development, retailer related research, public information planning and player relations and special events services are provided by the bureau.
Bureau Director: Saverio Maglio
Telephone: (608) 267-4817
FAX: (608) 264-6644
2135 Rimrock Road, P.O. Box 8941
Madison, WI 53708-8941
Retailer Relations & Sales Bureau
The Retailer Relations & Sales Bureau develops and implements the Lottery's sales programs. The Bureau provides sales support to retailers through Field Marketing Representatives and through Field Trainers. Key Accounts management and telemarketing services to retailers are provided by the Bureau, and retailer contracts and recruitment and retention activities are administered. Internal operations activities including stock inventory and warehousing are provided.
Bureau Director: Colleen Dvorak
Telephone: (608) 267-7180
FAX: (608) 264-6644
2135 Rimrock Road, P.O. Box 8941
Madison, WI 53708-8941
Sales and Revenue Distribution
This is the summary of Gross Sales for the last five fiscal years.
| LOTTERY GROSS SALES | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2006-2007 | FY 2007-2008 | FY 2008-2009 | FY 2009-2010 | FY 2010-2011 | ||
| Instant Sales | $283,922,527 | $287,423,693 | $276,797,708 | $273,268,923 | $302,523,821 | |
| Lotto Sales | $208,646,885 | $207,297,783 | $196,616,546 | $207,670,335 | $200,130,712 | |
| Total Sales | $492,569,411 | $494,721,476 | $473,414,254 | $480,939,257 | $502,654,533 | |
The majority of lottery proceeds are distributed as prizes to players, as shown in the following graph that reflects the distribution of FY 1989-2009 lottery proceeds. On average, 31% of revenue is distributed for property tax relief.
| Estimated Distribution of Lottery Proceeds FY89-FY11 | |
|---|---|
| Prize Expense to Players | 56.46% |
| Proceeds Available for Property Tax Relief | 31.10% |
| Retailer Compensation | 5.82% |
| Computer System and Administrative Expenses | 6.62% |
Lottery Property Tax Credit History
The proceeds of the Lottery Property Tax Credit are used to credit eligible property taxpayers for a portion of their yearly property taxes. The following table identifies the amount of Lottery Property Tax Credit available each year.
| Lottery Property Tax Credit | |
|---|---|
| Fiscal Year | Amount |
| 1989 | $89,919,916 |
| 1990 | $113,999,359 |
| 1991 | $128,878,008 |
| 1992 | $150,132,430 |
| 1993 | $199,829,515 |
| 1994 | $169,164,969 |
| 1995 | $151,916,885 |
| 1996 | $171,303,258 |
| 1997 | $13,287,938 |
| 1998 | $216,895,949 |
| 1999 | $153,918,219 |
| 2000 | $232,274,835 |
| 2001 | $101,757,270 |
| 2002 | $118,993,392 |
| 2003 | $129,564,994 |
| 2004 | $131,603,371 |
| 2005 | $143,397,558 |
| 2006 | $133,296,150 |
| 2007 | $159,982,765 |
| 2008 | $146,501,605 |
| 2009 | $132,367,700 |
| 2010 | $127,116,472 |
| 2011 | $128,958,021 |
In the early years of the Lottery, from fiscal 1998 to 1992, the Lottery credit was applied by the State directly to general expenditures associated with property tax calculations. Typically, expenditures were for general school aids, local district attorney's fees, and farmland property tax relief. The table above represents the net income of the Lottery Fund that was available for disbursement to these activities from 1989 to 1992.
As a result of a 1992 Dane County Circuit Court decision, the Legislature created the Lottery Tax Credit program to distribute Lottery proceeds directly to property taxpayers. The methods by which this was accomplished are the Lottery Tax Credit and the Farmland Tax Relief Credit. Starting with fiscal 1992, the table above represents the combined Lottery Tax Credit and Farmland Tax Relief Credit as one total value. The change reflects the court decision, and is carried forward into future fiscal years.
In 1996, the Dane County Circuit Court ruled that the Lottery Tax Credit, which at that time was applied only to those owners of a “principal dwelling” in Wisconsin, was unconstitutional because it violated the uniformity clause of the State Constitution. Therefore, the pending credit was held, to be eventually distributed in a manner that complied with the court ruling. The distinctive values in the table for 1997 and 1998 reflect the outcome of the court ruling.
In Fiscal Year 2010, while the Lottery Tax Credit continued as was re-defined, the Farmland Tax Relief Credit was replaced by action of the Executive and Legislature with the School Levy Tax Credit. The funding previously allocated to farmland tax relief was shifted to school levy relief; the value shifted is equal to approximately $14.85 million dollars per fiscal year, and is not reflected in the table since it is a value assigned to a specific program.
Average Lottery Tax Credit
The following identifies the average Lottery Tax Credit paid to eligible property taxpayers.
| Average Tax Credit per Parcel | |
|---|---|
| January, of Year | Average |
| 1991 | $142 |
| 1992 | $167 |
| 1993 | $105 |
| 1994 | $110 |
| 1995 | $125 |
| 1996 | $0 |
| 1997 | $77 |
| 1998 | $52 |
| 1999 | $165 |
| 2000 | $67 |
| 2001 | $77 |
| 2002 | $76 |
| 2003 | $83 |
| 2004 | $92 |
| 2005 | $82 |
| 2006 | $97 |
| 2007 | $86 |
| 2008 | $80 |
| 2009 | $78 |
| 2010 | $82 |
| 2011 | $86 |
The distinctive values for January of 1996 and 1997 are reflective of the 1996 Dane County Circuit Court ruling mentioned earlier. The distinct value for 1999 is reflective of Executive and Legislative action that shifted GPR funding into the Lottery Fund to pay some expenditures, creating additional positive balance available for property tax credit.
Cashing Winning Tickets
Tickets with prize values of less than $600 may be redeemed at the Wisconsin Lottery Offices, Lottery Redemption Center, or any online retailer. Prizes of $600 or more may be redeemed at either the Lottery Offices, or Redemption Center (see list). To comply with state and federal requirements, lottery prizes exceeding $2,000 are subject to income tax withholding. For some online games, the jackpots are paid in the form annual installments. Winning tickets must be redeemed within 180 days of the draw, or 180 days from the end of the game.
Location of Lottery Offices and Lottery Redemption Centers
The following Lottery Redemption Center is authorized to cash winning tickets up through $500,000:
Milwaukee
Department of Revenue Office
819 N. 6th Street, Room 570
Milwaukee, WI 53203-1682
(414) 227-3882
All jackpot prizes above $500,000 must be redeemed in:
Madison
Department of Revenue Building
2135 Rimrock Road
Madison, WI 53713
(608) 266-7777
All offices are normally open Monday through Friday, from 8:00 AM. to 4:00 PM, except on state holidays. Citizens are strongly encouraged to call the center, to ensure that it will be open when they need it.
Retailers
Tickets are sold by retailers that contract with the Wisconsin Lottery. Retailers can only sell lottery tickets for cash and at the price established by the Wisconsin Lottery. Tickets can only be sold to persons at least 18 years of age, but minors may receive lottery tickets as gifts. Retailers receive a basic commission of 6.25 percent for instant scratch tickets and pull-tab tickets, and 5.5 percent for online products. In addition, nonprofit organizations may apply to sell pull-tab tickets and receive a substantially higher commission rate. Currently there are about 3,800 retail outlets throughout the state, including convenience stores, grocery stores, service stations, restaurants, liquor stores, and nonprofit organizations.
Games
The first instant tickets were offered in September 1988 and the first online tickets were sold in August 1989.
Select one of the links below to take you directly to the Lottery's web site, where you may view more detailed information about each game.
| Daily Pick 3 | Daily Pick 4 | Instant Games | Badger 5 |
| Megabucks | Powerball | SuperCash! | Mega Millions |
Game Drawings
The Wisconsin Lottery conducts drawings every night for the terminal-generated (online) games Pick 3, Pick 4, SuperCash! and Badger 5. Every Wednesday and Saturday, drawings are conducted for Wisconsin's Very Own Megabucks and the multi-state jackpot game Powerball. Mega Millions drawings are held on Tuesdays and Fridays. Drawing results are made immediately available for use by the media and on the Lottery's web site, www.wilottery.com.
The Lottery also holds a weekly Super Second Chance drawing, which a player may enter by mailing $5 worth of non-winning tickets to the Lottery. Each week, ten eligible winners receive a "second chance" prize of $1,000. Players may enter as often as they wish and each entry is eligible for one drawing.
Last updated July 10, 2013