Iowa

Iowa Lottery announces record annual sales in fiscal 2024

Published

8 months ago

July 30, 2024

Press Room

Iowa Lottery announces record annual sales in fiscal 2024

Robin Opsahl
| Iowa Capital Dispatch

The Iowa Lottery says it saw record sales of $489.9 million in the just-completed 2024 fiscal year.

The lottery released its unaudited annual results Tuesday, finding that sales had increased 1.7% from the previous year, beating the previous record. Proceeds from the lottery to the state totaled nearly $107 million, according to a news release.

While the proceeds decreased roughly 1.6% from fiscal; year 2023, the lottery reported they were the second highest after that year’s $108.4 million.

Prizes to players also reached a record level at $312.6 million — a 2.4% increase — according to the news release, and lottery sales commissions to Iowa businesses grew by 2%.

“The Iowa Lottery continues to deliver on its promise to responsibly generate revenue for important state causes,” Iowa Lottery CEO Matt Strawn said in the release. “I’m grateful to lottery players, retail partners, and our amazing team of public-minded professionals who produced these record results.”

What were the top-selling Iowa Lottery products in fiscal 2024?

The top-selling lottery products in Iowa were scratch games, at $302.1 million, followed in a distant second by Powerball at $77.3 million, and in third, Mega Millions at $39.1 million.

Fourteen Iowa Lottery players claimed prizes of at least $500,000 during the fiscal year, with the largest winnings being $2 million in Powerball games — one for a Clinton man in April, and one for a Treynor man in January. A Powerball Double Play prize of $500,000, won in March in Mason City, remains unclaimed.

Proceeds from the lottery go to multiple sources, including the Iowa Veterans Trust Fund and programs supporting Iowa law enforcement, firefighters and corrections employees who die in the line of duty, as well as to projects through the state general fund.

Dana Wingert, Des Moines chief of police and chair of the lottery commission, praised the lottery’s efforts to highlight National Gambling Awareness Month and the services available in the state for people facing gambling addiction disorders.

“As a citizen commission member, it’s gratifying to me to see this ongoing demonstration of lottery integrity,” Wingert said. “And as a public servant myself, I appreciate the lottery team’s focus on responsibly producing results for vital causes.”

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Iowa

Iowa State vs. Lipscomb officially set. Time, date for March Madness first round game

Published

35 minutes ago

March 16, 2025

Press Room

Iowa State vs. Lipscomb officially set. Time, date for March Madness first round game

Selection Sunday has arrived, which means March Madness has officially begun.

Iowa State men’s basketball is a No. 3 seed in the South region of the 2025 NCAA Tournament and will face No. 14 Lipscomb in the first round.

Here’s what you need to know about the Cyclones’ first-round game:

Watch Iowa State vs. Lipscomb on SLING

What time does Iowa State play Lipscomb in 2025 NCAA Tournament?

Date: Friday, March 21
Time: 12:30 p.m. CT
Location: Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

What channel is Iowa State vs. Lipscomb in March Madness first round?

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Iowa

Selection Sunday bracketology projections for Iowa women’s basketball

Published

12 hours ago

March 16, 2025

Press Room

Selection Sunday bracketology projections for Iowa women’s basketball

Iowa (22-10, 10-8 Big Ten) will learn its NCAA Tournament fate at long last on Selection Sunday.

The Hawkeyes fought through a five-game losing streak at the beginning of Big Ten play and emerged on the other side as one of the nation’s hottest teams. Iowa has won 10 of its past 13 contests, including a signature win versus No. 4 USC on Feb. 2 and three close losses against No. 1 UCLA and No. 13 Ohio State.

As fans wait for the big reveal later tonight, here’s one final look at where the experts are projecting the Hawkeyes to fall in the NCAA Tournament brackets.

ESPN Selection Sunday bracketology

Seeding: No. 6 seed in Region 1 Birmingham vs. No. 11 seed George Mason

Breakdown: Iowa earns a No. 6 seed and is slated to meet George Mason first in a game in Durham, N.C., at the host site of the No. 3 seed Duke Blue Devils. Duke would meet No. 14 seed Arkansas State.

If Iowa beat George Mason, it would battle the Duke Blue Devils for the right to advance to the Sweet 16. The Hawkeyes draw the top overall seed in this bracket in the South Carolina Gamecocks and No. 2 seed TCU.

CBS Sports bracketology

Seeding: No. 6 seed

Her Hoops Stats bracketology

Seeding: No. 6 seed in Region 4 Birmingham vs. No. 11 seed Fairfield

Breakdown: Iowa would be off to Lexington, Ken., under this bracketing scenario. The Hawkeyes face off against 11th-seeded Fairfield first, and, if they could win, then would likely see No. 3 seed Kentucky waiting who opens up against No. 14 seed Liberty.

Iowa draws No. 1 seed Texas and No. 2 seed UConn in this projected bracket.

Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Josh on X: @JoshOnREF

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