The Kentucky Lottery is celebrating a milestone in its mission to fund scholarships and grants for Kentucky students and their families across the Commonwealth

The Kentucky Lottery is celebrating a milestone in its mission to fund scholarships and grants for Kentucky students and their families across the Commonwealth.

In fiscal year 2025, which ended June 30, the Lottery officially surpassed the one million mark in the number of Kentuckians receiving educational funding – 1,032,714. The Lottery reached this achievement at the end of the fall 2024 semester.

“We accomplished so much this fiscal year but reaching the milestone of providing educational attainment to more than one million students and their families is a true reflection of the entire Lottery team and its commitment to our mission each and every day,” Harville said.

Harville said the number will grow once the spring 2025 semester data is reported by the Kentucky Higher Educational Assistance Authority or KHEAA.

In fiscal year 2025, the Lottery transferred more than $384 million to the Commonwealth to support the seven scholarships and grants it funds. To date, the Lottery has returned more than $5.6 billion in proceeds to fund Kentuckian’s college educational costs.

“The scholarships and grants are important because they help Kentucky families and encourage Kentucky students to stay in Kentucky, to go to school and eventually make their homes right here in the state,” she said.  

In fiscal year 2025, the Kentucky Lottery generated a record $2.1 billion in sales. The Lottery reached the $1 billion in sales mark only 8 years ago in 2017.

Harville attributes the banner year to a number of factors – loyal Lottery supporters and the entertaining games that they love; its 3,500 retailer partners; high-performing Kentucky Lottery staff; and the scholarships supported by Lottery funds.

FY 2025 by the numbers:

• The state’s largest Powerball Jackpot – $167.3 million – was won in April and sold by Clark’s Pump and Shop in Georgetown, Ky.  
• Record sales of over $2.1 billion.
• Over $384 million transferred to the Commonwealth for scholarships and grants.
• Kentucky Lottery players won more than $1.6 billion in prizes, an all-time record amount. 
• The Kentucky Lottery made 14 millionaires.
• 124 players were big winners of $100,000 or more.
• Lottery commission and incentive payments to retailers totaled more than $82 million.

Scholarships and grant programs funded by Kentucky Lottery proceeds include:

• Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship or KEES.
• Kentucky Tuition Grant.
• College Access Program.
• Work Ready Scholarship.
• Dual Credit Scholarship.
• Teacher Scholarship.
• Kentucky National Guard Tuition Award Program.

The Kentucky Lottery launched two beneficiary videos in 2025 – Kentucky National Guard Tuition Award Program and KEES/Dual Credit/CAP.

To find how much scholarship and grant funding your county has received since 1999, click here.

NOTE: For logos and other multimedia assets, download our media kit. 

Terry Sebastian | VP, Communications & Public Relations
1011 West Main St, Louisville, KY 40202
p: +1 502-560-1574