The Average New Yorker Spends HOW MUCH on Lottery Tickets?

New Yorkers spend more money on lottery tickets than most other states, but just how much may surprise you.

If you live in New York, it's pretty hard to escape the lottery. Radio and television programming are filled with commercials promoting scratch-off tickets, using catchy jingles and funny skits to get you to play. It's impossible to walk into a gas station or convenience store and not see tons of advertisements for Quick Draw, Lotto and other games of chance.

It turns out that New York is in love with the lottery and spends quite a bit of money playing every year. In fact, New Yorkers are the fifth-highest in the nation when it comes to buying lottery tickets.

How Much Do New Yorkers Spend on the Lottery?

According to a survey from Motley Fool Money, New Yorkers shell out an average of $456 a year on lottery tickets, making them the fifth-highest spenders in the country. While that may seem like a lot, it's just a little more than half of the $867 that the average Massachusetts resident spends each year on the lottery.

Overall, New York is the third-highest state when it comes to lottery spending. The Empire State makes almost $9 million in revenue each year from people hoping to hit the jackpot. Florida came in second on the list, with California ranking highest with $9.2 million in lottery revenue.

Do New Yorkers Win More Money on the Lottery?

When it comes to winning the lottery, New Yorkers don't rank quite as high. For every dollar spent, only 55 cents of winnings are handed out, putting New York in the bottom eight of the country. The luckiest state is Virginia, which boasts 78 cents won for every dollar spent. After that, it's Maine with 75 cents, followed by Missouri and Kentucky with 74 cents in winnings per dollar.