Powerball Jackpot Jumps To $1.5 Billion, Benefits Colorado's Outdoors
DENVER (CBS4)- The estimated Powerball jackpot jumped to at least $1.5 billion. Win or lose, the money collected during ticket sales helps the outdoor lifestyle in Colorado.
A portion of the money spent on a Powerball ticket or any lottery ticket in Colorado, goes right back into the community. The lottery proceeds help fund new trails, as well as open space and wildlife protection.
"It goes to the things that people move to Colorado for, open space, recreational places, parks, there's even a part of the proceeds that can go to the acquisition of land in smaller communities or to build a library or to build a museum, so it goes from the taxpayer who buys that ticket, it goes into something they're going to enjoy," said Department of Local Affairs Communications Director Denise Stepto.
Twenty-four cents of every dollar spent playing the lottery goes right back into the community.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife gets 10 percent of the proceeds of lottery ticket sales. The Colorado Lottery also funds education with $1.9 million in lottery money distributed for improvement projects at underfunded school.
Organizations like Great Outdoors Colorado receives half its funding from the lottery. In Colorado, those totaled $35 million in 2015. The Conservation Trust Fund received $51 million from the lottery last year.
