Lottery winners aren't the only ones who cash in

Friday, January 15, 2021
When a lucky person holds a winning lottery ticket for a record-breaking jackpot, they're not the only ones who rake in the cash.

While up to 60% of jackpots in the Powerball and Mega Millions games go directly to the winners, retailers get bonuses too.
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Stores that sell winning tickets take in about 5% of a jackpot, while 10% usually goes to administrative costs like staff salaries, advertising and ticket printing, according to Sandra Grauschopf, a sweepstakes and contest expert for personal finance website The Balance Everyday.

In Texas, the lottery commission has a breakdown of the percentages of how funds are allotted.
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  • 65% - Jackpots
  • 25% - Education
  • 5% - Retailer bonuses
  • 3 % - Administrative
  • 2% - State programs and veterans assistance


The Texas Lottery Commission sent more than $1.6 billion in 2020 to the Foundation School Fund, according to a statement on its website. The fund is the primary source of state funds for Texas school districts. You can see a complete list of the amounts given to all districts in Texas in 2019 here. The amounts do not include revenues generated by school districts.
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