SPRINGFIELD - Under the first year of private management, the Illinois Lottery generated record sales and profits in fiscal 2012, but fell short of expectations, Crain€™s Chicago Business reports.
Sales reached nearly $2.68 billion, up 18%, fueled by Mega Millions sales and a 27% increase in instant ticket sales.
Internet sales produced "no boost," Crain€™s wrote, which totaled only $2.2 million in the three months after sales began in March €" far below the $128 million a year pace that was predicted. Only 160,000 players have registered to buy tickets via the Internet, far below the 600,000 to 1 million expected eventually.
The lottery€™s new manager, Northstar Lottery Group LLC, is revising the lottery€™s website and will introduce the changes when Powerball is added to the Internet lineup in the fall.