Arkansas Scholarship Lottery celebrates a record year for scholarships

• Posted Date: 07/13/2021
• Office: All DFA
• News:

  Fiscal Year 2021 a record proceeds year for Arkansas Scholarship Lottery

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
  July 13, 2021

  LITTLE ROCK, AR – The Arkansas Scholarship Lottery (ASL) announced today that it raised a record $106.6 million in proceeds for Fiscal Year 2021, which ended June 30. In total since its inception in 2009, ASL has raised more than $1 billion in scholarship proceeds.

  ASL Executive Director Eric Hagler calls the achievement “extraordinary,” especially in light of the socioeconomic challenges of the past year.

  “Despite the chaos and disruption over the past 16 months, Arkansans continued to support the scholarship program by buying lottery tickets in record numbers,” Hagler said. “Our dedicated team of professionals at the office of the Arkansas Lottery and our strong retailer network helped us to out-perform every metric in FY 2021. We are grateful because it allows us to fulfill our mission of helping to educate Arkansas students, which will have a long-term positive economic impact on our state.” 

  Hagler said the record numbers posted for FY 2021 stand as proof that the Lottery is trending upward and on a proper course for prudent growth. But he says expectations for FY 2022 should be tempered because of potential limits on consumer discretionary spending.

  “The re-opening of additional entertainment venues coupled with rising inflation and fuel costs represent a challenge to reproduce the same sales and net proceeds numbers achieved this past year,” Hagler commented.

  Lottery proceeds support three scholarship programs.

  The Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship provides tuition assistance for Arkansans at two- and four-year public and private colleges.

  The Arkansas Workforce Challenge Scholarship is available for students applying for certificate programs in high demand occupations.

  The Arkansas Concurrent Challenge Scholarship provides financial assistance to eligible students in the state who want to take college courses while still high school.

  Corrigan Revels, a UA-Little Rock graduate and current employee of the school, says he was the first person in his immediate family to graduate from college, thanks in part to the lottery. 

  “When I chose to attend UA-Little Rock, the lottery scholarship was a huge blessing,” said Revels. “Now, I’m in a position to help other students at my alma mater reach their fullest potential. I want to thank Arkansans for supporting students and graduates like myself.”

  Hagler calls the lottery a win-win-win situation for everyone at every stage of the lottery process.

  “Obviously, students in Arkansas win by receiving tuition assistance,” Hagler said. “Our retail partners also win when a player cashes in a winning ticket and when foot traffic increases in their stores. And, of course, players win when they redeem potentially life-changing prizes.”

  Since 2009, the lottery has awarded more than $3.6 billion in prizes to players, resulting in approximately $318 million in retailer commissions.

   

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