National sales of Powerball and Mega Millions jackpot tickets are dangerously slow. Not so in Texas. Texas Lottery Commission Executive Director Gary Grief says, "We just finished up our most recent fiscal year at the end of August. For the 10th time in a row, we set a new sales record: Almost $6.7 billion in sales.Many of our colleagues in the states around the country had to close down their business operation. That includes many of their retailers that sell Powerball and Mega Millions." Grief says almost all of the retailers who sell Texas scratch-offs and lotto tickets are essential businesses that have stayed open.
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"We have 20,000 retailers across the state. Almost every one of those 20,000 stayed open throughout the entire Covid situation. And they are still open because they were officially named 'Essential.' "
Scratch-off tickets make up 85% of Texas Lottery sales.