Colorado Lottery

The Colorado Lottery is run by the state government of Colorado. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL).

The Colorado Lottery began on January 24, 1983, initially selling only scratch tickets. Its first drawing took place on April 23, 1983.

Colorado Lottery games include Cash 5 (with a 5-of-32 matrix), Pick 3, Colorado Lotto, Mega Millions, and Powerball; it also sells scratch tickets. Colorado has offered fewer drawing games than most US lotteries even though it began in the early 1980s; Powerball was not available in Colorado until 2001. Colorado joined Mega Millions on May 16, 2010, the same day as South Dakota.

Colorado Lottery revenues are directed, by a state constitutional amendment Constitution of the State of Colorado#ARTICLE XXVII. Great Outdoors Colorado Program approved by voters in 1992, to outdoor recreation, parks, trails, rivers, wildlife, and open space. The Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) Trust Fund distributes 50 percent of Lottery proceeds through competitive grants to local governments and land trusts, while 40 percent is distributed to the Conservation Trust Fund, and 10 percent goes to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife division. [cpw.state.co.us/]. After the GOCO cap is met, proceeds fall into the BEST fund (Building Excellent Schools Today).