Powerball Gave Retailers a Banner Year. Keep Those Jackpot Shoppers Coming Back
Two Powerball jackpots drove a rebound year for lottery sales. The jackpot crowds will fade. Your plan for their next visit should not.
The numbers
- U.S. lottery sales hit $93.2 billion in fiscal 2026 (Scientific Games).
- Powerball sales rose 88%. Mega Millions fell 14.5% (Scientific Games).
- New Jersey retailers earned $200 million in commissions (NJ Lottery).
- Per-store lottery commission income was $2,407 a month, slightly down from $2,425 (NACS).
The catch
Jackpot traffic is spiky. NACS reports the average inside basket is $7.69 while inside transactions are falling, so each return visit matters.
Three moves for next week
- Check your baseline. Compare jackpot-day visits with an ordinary Tuesday.
- Show new faces your best everyday items, not just the lottery counter.
- Give people a reason to return. Keep it simple enough to explain in one sentence.
Sources
- Scientific Games, "Fiscal Year 2026 U.S. Lottery Sales Analysis," Aug. 19, 2026. https://www.scientificgames.com/media/idffio41/fiscal-year-2026-us-lottery-sales-analysis-data-in-motion-aug-2026.pdf
- New Jersey Lottery, fiscal 2026 sales release, July 16, 2026. https://www.njlottery.com/en-us/newsandevents/newsinput/2026/press-releases/NJL_UnauditedSales_071626.html
- NACS Magazine, "Still Betting on Lotto," Aug. 2026. https://nacsmagazine.com/issues/august-2026/still-betting-on-lotto
- NACS Magazine, "The 24-Cent Difference," June 2026. https://nacsmagazine.com/issues/june-2026/24-cent-difference-loyalty-traffic