Arizona Lottery displaying its history at Capitol museum
Sep 20, 2018, 7:39 PM | Updated: Sep 21, 2018, 7:22 am
(Arizona Lottery photo)
PHOENIX — The Arizona Lottery has come a long way since its first scratchers tickets and ping pong ball machines nearly four decades ago.
You now have a chance to see it all.
An interactive, three-room exhibit presenting relics and memories of the lottery’s history in Arizona opened Thursday at the Arizona Capitol Museum.
In addition to the early scratchers and drawing devices including the ping pong ball machines, the museum has electronic draw games and instant-win tickets sold today.
Additionally, the mascot, Windfall Willie, will have an office on display.
“This is a really great opportunity for people to come down and see how Arizona Lottery has impacted the state of Arizona and the impact that people have when they play our games and give back to our community,” Gregg Edgar, the executive director of the Arizona Lottery, told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Wednesday.
The lottery has generated more than $4 billion to help 18 beneficiaries, including the Heritage Fund, the University Bond and Court Appointed Special Advocates, a nonprofit that helps abused and neglected children.
“It’s really a focus on this concept of giving back,” Edgar said. “Arizona Lottery was founded with the thought of people going out and having fun playing our games while doing good for organizations.”
The exhibit will remain on display for about nine months, he said.
The museum is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Ali Vetnar contributed to this report.