Whether it's a number drawing or scratch-offs, Americans spend big money for the chance to become the lucky winner. 

Answer: About $109 billion

Questions:

• What do you think about the odds of winning the lottery? Does this differ from game to game?
• Do you consider a scratch-off ticket to be gambling? Why or why not?
• If a lottery game is won, how does the prize money compare to the money the winner is paid out? Why? 

Click here for the ready-to-go slides for this Question of the Day that you can use in your classroom.

Behind the numbers (Statista):

"State lottery sales in the United States reached 109.38 billion U.S. dollars in 2025. This denoted a decrease of 3.6 percent over the previous year, when a historic high of 113.47 billion U.S. dollars in sales was recorded."

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About the Author

Dave Martin

Dave joins NGPF with 15 years of teaching experience in math and computer science. After joining the New York City Teaching Fellows program and earning a Master's degree in Education from Pace University, his teaching career has taken him to New York, New Jersey and a summer in the north of Ghana. Dave firmly believes that financial literacy is vital to creating well-rounded students that are prepared for a complex and highly competitive world. During what free time two young daughters will allow, Dave enjoys video games, Dungeons & Dragons, cooking, gardening, and taking naps.