Sponsored Content

Travel back in time with the SC Lottery

Since its start in 2002, the Lottery has hit many milestones and created hundreds of millionaires — all in an effort to support local education in South Carolina.

Sponsored by
Three people playing the very first Lottery scratch-offs.

The Lottery’s first Scratch-Offs were sold on Jan. 7, 2002.

Photo the SC Education Lottery

Did you know? The South Carolina Education Lottery has been around for 23 years — aka, they’ve been old enough to buy a lottery ticket for five years now. After it was established in June 2001, the first four lottery tickets were bought and scratched on Jan. 7, 2002 at 6 a.m.

Since its start, South Carolina students have always won. How? All Lottery game proceeds are used to support local education. Think: Scholarships and grants, K-12 programs, and county libraries.

Winning numbers

Let’s throw it back to a few Lottery milestones and millionaires:

  • $259.9 million. How much Columbia native Solomon Jackson, Jr. won in a Powerball jackpot on Aug. 19, 2009.
  • 100. The number of millionaires the Lottery created between Jan. 2002 and Sept. 2013.
  • $5 billion. How much the Lottery transferred to support education by June 2018.
  • 132. How many days South Carolina’s first Mega Millions jackpot winner waited before coming forward to claim a $1.5 billion jackpot.

Play to win for local education

More from COLAtoday
The 59-room Lantern Columbia opens inside the former fire station as the Vista continues evolving.
Black Dog Pizza is expected to open in late January on Main Street underneath The Hendrix.
Get to know the musical lineup that will keep you entertained at this year’s St. Patrick’s Day in Five Points Festival, the largest one-day fest in South Carolina.
Find your next great read when you join Richland Library’s Broader Bookshelf Reading Challenge.
The 16th annual Mardi Gras Columbia Festival features 19 local bands across three stages, plus a parade, food vendors, and craft beer.
Experience Columbia SC introduces its 2026 ambassadors, highlighting locals shaping how visitors experience the Midlands.
Learn about Martin Luther King Jr.'s presence in Columbia and how to commemorate his life and legacy on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
ColaJazz Foundation and the Koger Center announce seven intimate jazz performances running from February through December.
If you’re trying to reach new running goals, consider signing up for one of these upcoming races or find ways to get more steps in around Columbia
For every Bradford Pear you remove from your property, Clemson and the Forestry Commission will give you a free replacement, but only while supplies last.