Idaho Lottery Hands Public Schools a Record Payout
A surge in ticket sales just delivered Idaho's schools their biggest lottery payday yet. The Idaho Lottery awarded a record $56.25 million dividend for K-12 education on Wednesday, up from $46.9 million a year earlier.
"There has never been a year like this before," Lottery Commission Chairman Craig Corbett said before handing over the check at a brief Statehouse ceremony.
Where the money goes now
How the money is spent has changed: under a wide-ranging 2024 school facilities law, the schools' dividend no longer goes to districts or charters for local projects. Instead it flows into a fund used to offset voter-approved bonds and levies, which state leaders framed as tax relief.
"(We're) easing the burden on local property taxpayers," Gov. Brad Little said.
$90 million in checks
The K-12 dividend was one of two oversized checks handed out Wednesday, totaling $90 million. The other, $33.75 million, went to the state Permanent Building Fund for capital projects, including college and university facilities.
The lottery also announced $417,500 in awards to nearly 600 school programs and projects across the state, among them 26 elementary school libraries and 53 classroom projects. That money comes from Idaho Lottery VIP Club members who donate their entries rather than cash them in.
"They have forgone buying purchasable items or entering sweepstakes for personal gain and instead generously donated to our school-based, Do Good programs," lottery Director Andrew Arulanandam said in a news release.
The bigger picture
Since it was established in 1989, the Idaho Lottery has distributed more than $1.4 billion in dividends to public schools and buildings. For players, it is the familiar trade-off of a state lottery: the games are built so the state keeps a share of every dollar, and that share funds public programs. Even a losing scratch-off is paying into something.
If you play in the state, current Idaho scratch-offs are on our Idaho page.
Sources
Coeur d'Alene Press: Schools cash in on record-setting lottery payout
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did the Idaho Lottery give schools this year?
A record $56.25 million K-12 dividend for 2026, up from $46.9 million in 2025. Total payouts, including the Permanent Building Fund, reached $90 million.
Where does Idaho Lottery money for schools go now?
Under a 2024 school facilities law, the dividend flows into a fund that offsets voter-approved bonds and levies, which the state frames as property-tax relief, rather than going to districts for local projects.
How much has the Idaho Lottery raised for schools overall?
More than $1.4 billion in dividends to public schools and buildings since it was established in 1989.
Jessie Jurado covers consumer lottery topics with a focus on odds, value, and the math most players never see. She believes nobody should buy a scratch ticket without knowing what they're actually getting for their money.
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