In fiscal 2018, people spent about $5 billion on lottery games in Massachusetts and won $3.9 billion in prize money. With the remaining amount, the state paid $303 million to lottery agents, covered administrative costs and distributed the rest — about $1 billion — to municipalities across the state.

Not every community sells lottery games, but every city and town shares in the profit.

How much Medford spends on Lottery games

$46,551,287

How much Medford receives from the state Lottery

$12,541,814

Why it matters

The state treasurer is advocating for Lottery games to be allowed online, which could help boost sales and ultimately return more money to cities and towns. But the possible influx of sports gambling and more casinos could challenge the state Lottery for gambling dollars, affecting how much cities and towns receive each year.