State lotteries offer a rewarding opportunity to participants; one dollar has the potential to be worth millions for lucky winners.  Apart from giving players the chance to become rich over night, state lotteries also generate a considerable amount of revenue for education and other state projects.  Lotteries have been active in the United States for over 50 years.

On this day, March 12th, in 1964, New Hampshire became the first state to legally sell lottery tickets in the United States.  Although Puerto Rico had a lottery since 1934, New Hampshire began the trend for U.S. states to join in the practice.  A few years after tickets began selling in New Hampshire, many other states began their own lotteries.

The opportunity for state revenue created by lotteries has led to several new types of lotteries emerging in the last few decades. Most states now include Mega Millions and Powerball games and some states have partnered with as many as five states to offer joint games.  Currently, 43 states have some form of lottery, with Arkansas becoming the newest addition in 2008.