Do you buy ottery tickets for Christmas, birthdays, when you visit the liquor store, get gas, and/or just for fun? You are not alone. And if you live in Massachusetts you’ve got plenty of company! LendingTree did a study in 2020 and recently revealed their findings. Their researchers looked at how much people are spending on lotteries by state. They also looked at whether the people who buy can afford it. In addition, LendingTree asked nearly 2,000 U.S. consumers about “their lottery attitudes and habits.”
The results showed that Massachusetts residents spend more on the lottery than any other state. But we don’t lose the most. Another New England State can claim that title. See the results, and more fun facts, below.
Massachusetts- How much do we spend?
According to LendingTree’s findings:
“Massachusetts residents spent the most per capita on lottery tickets and scratch-offs. Residents spent $805.30 per capita in 2020 — the latest available data — dwarfing fellow Northeastern states New York ($455.93) and Rhode Island ($429.88). Meanwhile, North Dakota residents spent only $32.24 per capita, below Wyoming ($40.97) and Montana ($58.62).
(Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Massachusetts wins more
You have to spend more to make more, right? Apparently, that’s what we are doing. LendingTree found that Mass residents got back 70 cents in lottery winnings for every buck spent in 2020. That is the 2nd highest in the country, after Missouri (71 cents) and ahead of three states at 69 cents. In South Dakota, payouts were only 19 cents per dollar spent, below West Virginia (22 cents) and Oregon (23 cents).
(Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images)
What New England State Loses the Most?
The LendingTree study found that: Rhode Island residents lost the most cash on lotteries.
“Rhode Island residents had the worst deficit — the amount spent per capita minus prize payouts per capita — at $281.63 in 2020, followed by West Virginia ($249.81) and Massachusetts ($244.49). The states that spent the least overall had the smallest deficits: North Dakota ($15.69), Wyoming ($17.31) and Montana ($24.60).”
(Photo by Joe Raedle/Newsmakers)
Is it too much?
The research showed something a little more disturbing than just buying tickets and lottery winnings. Massachusetts residents spent the biggest share of their personal income on lotteries, according to the study. Apparently, we spent $10.26 for every $1,000 of personal income in the state in 2020.
(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
