New York Has America’s Biggest Lottery Market

New Yorkers buy more lottery tickets than any other state. A study estimates that New York records almost $10 billion in lottery sales each year. That comes to around $625 for every person in the state.

New York Ranks Seventh Overall

Even with the largest lottery market, New York did not rank first for gambling overall. The state was seventh with a score of 74 out of 100. Nevada finished first, followed by New Jersey, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Delaware, and Pennsylvania.

The Ranking Looked at More Than Sales

The study compared all 50 states. Researchers looked at casino revenue, lottery sales, monthly gambling spending, personal income, casino numbers, and population.

New York Has 11 Casinos

The report counted 11 casinos in New York including Tioga Downs in Nichols. Together, they produced an estimated $4.85 billion in yearly gaming revenue. That equals about $404 million each month. The study estimated that gambling costs the average New York adult about $79.10 per month.

A Smaller Share of Personal Income

Gambling spending in New York is about 0.98 percent of personal income. That was the smallest share among the 10 highest ranked states. Nevada had the largest share at 8.12 percent.

Why New York Did Not Rank First

New York has a huge population, so its lottery sales are spread across many residents. The ranking also gave weight to casino income and gambling locations compared with population.

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The Numbers Tell Only Part of the Story

The study measures sales and gaming revenue, not how many New Yorkers play or how much one person spends. The $625 amount comes from dividing sales across the population. It is not the amount every resident personally spends on lottery tickets.