Sharon Sharp Award for Good Causes

Awarded to the lottery which produces the largest year-over-year increase in funding for good causes.

The Sharon Sharp Award recognizes and honors the lottery which achieved the highest percentage increase in net funds contributed to its beneficiary. Ultimately, this is what we’re all in this business to accomplish … maximizing the funds contributed to lottery beneficiaries. The top line can go up a little or a lot, or maybe even not at all. But regardless of sales or anything else, the true measure of lottery success is what has been done for the Good Causes that it supports. So, we think of this as a very special award because it really homes in on what matters most. This award is named in honor of a person who is no longer with us but who has done as much as anyone to help this industry be the best that it can be. Sharon Sharp embraced the true mission of lottery with an enthusiasm that always reminded everyone of just how privileged we are to be a part of this industry. Sharon’s focus on the good causes that depend upon lottery performance inspired Rebecca Hargrove and Sharon’s many friends and colleagues in the industry to name this award after her, to honor Sharon’s memory and keep alive a legacy that will hopefully inspire future generations to appreciate the importance of our calling and to never lose sight of its purpose.

Randy Miller
Executive Director
North Dakota Lottery

North Dakota Lottery (2016)

Honoring the North Dakota Lottery for producing the Sharpest percentage increase in net funds contributed to its beneficiary: 54% Increase in Net funding to Good Causes in Fiscal Year 2016 over Fiscal Year 2015.

Rose Hudson
Executive Director
Louisiana Lottery Corporation

Louisiana Lottery Corporation (2015)

Honoring the Louisiana Lottery Corporation for producing the Sharpest percentage increase in net funds contributed to its beneficiary: 8.3% Increase in Net funding to Good Causes in Fiscal Year 2015 over Fiscal Year 2014.

Hoosier Lottery (Indiana) (2014)

12% Increase in Net funding to Good Causes in Fiscal Year 2014 over FY 2013!

“The Hoosier Lottery had its best financial performance in its 25-year history—which perfectly aligns with state law requiring the Lottery to maximize revenues. In fact, we surpassed $1 billion in sales for the first time, and as a result of this upward trend, the State of Indiana saw over $250 million in transferred surplus revenue during fiscal year 2014,” said Hoosier Lottery Executive Director Sarah Taylor. “Our performance in fiscal year 2014 was good news for all Indiana residents because the money flowed to local communities through police, firefighter and teacher pensions, as well as a reduction in Indiana’s motor vehicle excise tax.”

Other information:

The $250 million in surplus revenue for fiscal year 2014 was a 12 percent increase from $224 million in fiscal year 2013. Total sales were approximately $1.019 billion for fiscal year 2014, which is the first time the Hoosier Lottery has surpassed the $1 billion mark.
The record surplus revenue was in part made possible in fiscal year 2014 because of an outsourcing agreement between the State Lottery Commission of Indiana and GTECH Indiana, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Rhode Island based GTECH Corp. In October 2012, the Lottery finalized an integrated services agreement with GTECH Corp. for services in the areas of marketing, sales and distribution.
Diversifying the Hoosier Lottery’s product portfolio and repositioning the Hoosier Lottery to make the brand and product offerings more modern and relevant to Hoosiers are two key initiatives that took place in fiscal year 2014, which helped lead to increased sales. ■

California Lottery (2012)

California Lottery 2011 / 2012 had a 19.8% Increase in Net funding to Good Causes in Fiscal Year 2012 over FY 2011!

Idaho Lottery (2013)

Idaho Lottery 2012 / 2013 had a 16% Increase in Net funding to Good Causes in Fiscal Year 2013 over FY 2012!

Western Canada Lottery Corporation (2011)

Western Canada Lottery Corporation in 2010/2011, saw a 24.25% Increase in Net Funding to the Good Causes.

Government Lotteries have a special mission, quite unique really. Lotteries operate in a world of business and competition, but their mission is to create funding for good causes. And what a wonderful and special mission that is … Generating many billions of dollars world-wide for Good causes that serve the interests of the general public. That is an extraordinary notion, one that should make us proud to be a part of this mission. Whether it is for education, amateur sports, health, care for the elderly, or even the general fund that is the source of all government services, the recipients of the funds generated by lottery are truly worthy causes. Too, these are needs that would likely not be met were it not for the funds produced by the lottery.
The Sharon Sharp Award recognizes and honors the lottery which achieved the highest percentage increase in net funds contributed to its beneficiary. Ultimately, this is what we’re all in this business to accomplish … maximizing the funds contributed to lottery beneficiaries. The top line can go up a little or a lot, or maybe even not at all. But regardless of sales or anything else, the true measure of lottery success is what has been done for the good causes that it supports. So, we think of this as a very special award because it really homes in on what matters most. This award is being named in honor of a person who is no longer with us but who has done as much as anyone to help this industry be the best that it can be. Sharon Sharp embraced the true mission of lottery with an enthusiasm that always reminded everyone of just how privileged we are to be a part of this industry. Sharon’s focus on the good causes that depend upon lottery performance inspired Rebecca Hargrove and her friends and colleagues in the industry to name this award after Sharon, to honor her memory and keep alive a legacy that will hopefully inspire future generations to appreciate the importance of our calling and to never lose sight of its purpose.
Message from Jim Burnett, Chair of Western Canada Lottery Corporation
To say “this was one for the record books” is cliché. But there is really no better description of Fiscal 2011. It was an outstanding year for Western Canada Lottery Corporation with cumulative sales of $1,267,649,000.
While celebrating the success and hard work that went into this accomplishment, we must recognize the special circumstances which created the perfect environment for this to happen and acknowledge that some of these conditions will likely never be seen again. One of those special circumstances was LOTTO MAX’s incredible summer run in June and July of 2010. For weeks, the Jackpot was $50 million, while the number of available MAXMILLIONS grew. This happened not once, but twice. Western Canadians responded by enthusiastically forming lottery groups and buying tickets. It was the first time that players in Canada had seen those kinds of jackpots for that length of time and the “first time” can only happen once.
Fiscal 2011 was also a banner year for our players. Across the region, lottery players brought home prizes ranging from $2 to over $40 million. LOTTO MAX alone created 36 new millionaires across WCLC’s jurisdiction. In all, our games resulted in the distribution of more than $655 million in prizes to players across the region – more than 100 million dollars above last year’s record-breaking total.
It was also a record-breaking year for our retailers. The excitement generated by LOTTO MAX translated into additional income for the thousands of lottery retailers in cities, towns and rural areas across our region. Retailer commissions rose by more than $17 million to $82.9 million, an amount which contributed significantly to local economies.
Perhaps most importantly, it was an outstanding year in terms of WCLC’s contribution to our beneficiaries. Almost $432 million was returned to the Provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and the territories of Yukon, Nunavut and Northwest Territories. These funds are used by the Provinces and Territories to support priority programs and services, community initiatives, and non-profit sport, culture and recreation groups throughout the region.
The unexpected financial result attained by LOTTO MAX was just one element in a solid year of achievement. If LOTTO MAX was the superstar, the supporting cast of players also performed extremely well. POOLS and PROPS, the new SPORTS SELECT games, were introduced in the fall of 2010 building on the strong player base of existing products. The successful introduction of these games was the culmination of hundreds of hours of work and coordination between WCLC and the provincial and territorial organizations.
It was a year to be remembered. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Western Canada Lottery Corporation, I offer congratulations on the accomplishments of Fiscal 2011 and sincere appreciation to the staff and management of WCLC and the provincial and territorial lottery organizations. ■