Patricia Swihart

Created in 1982, Washington's Lottery was established to generate revenues for state programs through the sale of lottery products (games). Those products, or "games," as they are more commonly known, range in variety from Scratch tickets, in which players discover if they are an instant winner, to "draw" games in which players wait for the random drawing of numbers to determine if they have won. Lottery staff is dedicated to providing new, innovative, and fun games for players to enjoy. Presently, Washington's Lottery offers six draw games; Powerball, Mega Millions, Lotto, Hit 5, CashPop, Match 4, Pick 3 and Daily Keno. New Scratch games are launched as frequently as once a month, with players having a choice of more than 30 games a year to experience. The history of Washington's Lottery is interesting, and provides a fascinating view of a state agency driven by public choice to support state programs such as public education and stadium debt reduction. A five-member Lottery Commission, made up of regional members appointed by the Governor, serves as the administrative rule making authority for Washington's Lottery. In addition to operating games to generate revenues for the state of Washington, the Lottery also participates in efforts to raise awareness about the risks of problem gambling. Washington's Lottery is proud to be a partner with the Washington State Patrol and others to support the state-wide Amber Alert program to enlist the aid of Lottery retailers across Washington in receiving reports of missing or abducted children and relaying this important information to customers in the public interest.