The State - News from April 4, 1986

The California Lottery topped its full-year sales goal in its first six months of operation, lottery Director Mark Michalko said. Since the lottery started $1 scratch-off ticket sales last Oct. 3, it has sold 1.4 billion $1 tickets, awarded $650 million in prizes and raised $476 million for California schools, Michalko said. “We’ve reach our most optimistic projections for the first year in half the time, and in the process have become the most successful lottery in the United States, and possibly the world,” Michalko said in his six-month report. “The first half year I think clearly demonstrates that the public has confidence in the lottery and its integrity, and I’m also proud we’ve been able to run our instant games without serious security breaches or major administrative problems,” he said.