The New York Lottery is celebrating a big anniversary.
Saturday marks the 50th anniversary of the sale of the first ticket in 1967. New York was only the second state to begin operating a lottery after New Hampshire.
State officials said more than $83 billion has been given out to players and more than $61 billion has been raised to benefit education since the first $1 ticket was sold.
The New York lottery is now the nation's largest and most profitable program of its kind. It currently offers dozens of instant scratch-off games as well as nine number draw games. Some 17,000 retailers around the state offer the games.
The state marked the occasion Friday with a live drawing on the Empire State Plaza adjacent to the state Capitol.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
