At convenience stores and gas stations across the state, you can buy lottery tickets and scratchers. Lottery sales have climbed steadily in recent years, from about $3 billion in 2008 to about $7 billion in 2017. 

Californians voted to create a lottery in part to support public education. K-12 schools receive the lion’s share of the lottery funds going to education and they largely use the money on teacher salaries and instructional materials. However, money from the lottery contributes a very small portion of overall K-12 funding, about 1%.  In the 2020-21 budget year, the lottery gave $1.8 billion to public schools.