Arizonans still play lottery despite tough economy

[Source: Megan Thomas, Cronkite News Service] – – “It’s just a buck,” Todd Babel said as he left a convenience store holding a Powerball ticket giving him a chance, however small, at $20 million. “I do it just for fun,” Babel said. “I don’t buy 10 at a time or anything like that.” The tough economy hasn’t kept many other Arizonans from playing either.

As Arizona’s economy has slid over the past year, lottery revenues have remained relatively steady, the figures show. The Arizona Lottery took in a record $473 million during the fiscal year that ended in June. Assuming a steady rate of population growth, per-capita sales were roughly equal to the year before. [Note: to read the full article click here.]