Born from a Ballot Measure
The Colorado Lottery was established on April 23, 1983, after voters approved a constitutional amendment in November 1982. Unlike most state lotteries that were created to fund education or general revenue, Colorado's lottery was designed from the start with a specific mission: supporting parks, recreation, open space, and wildlife. The first instant scratch tickets went on sale in January 1983, and the first on-line draw game (Lotto) launched later that year.
The Only Lottery Dedicated to the Outdoors
What makes the Colorado Lottery truly unique among all 48 U.S. lottery jurisdictions — and arguably the world — is where the money goes. Nearly all proceeds are directed to outdoor recreation and conservation through four primary channels:
- Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO): Created by voters in 1992 (Amendment 8), GOCO receives a portion of lottery proceeds to fund grants for parks, trails, wildlife habitat, open space, and outdoor recreation projects statewide. GOCO has funded over 5,400 projects in all 64 Colorado counties.
- Conservation Trust Fund: Distributes lottery revenue to cities, counties, and special districts for parks and recreation purposes. Every municipality in Colorado receives a share.
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife: Receives lottery funds to support state parks, trails, and wildlife management programs across the state's 42 state parks.
- Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST): Added later, BEST receives lottery proceeds to fund school construction and renovation projects, the one non-outdoor beneficiary.
Since inception, the Colorado Lottery has invested over $4.6 billion in these programs. Every time someone buys a lottery ticket in Colorado, a significant portion goes directly toward preserving the state's natural landscape and providing public outdoor recreation.
Game Evolution
The Colorado Lottery has evolved its game lineup significantly over four decades. The original Lotto game eventually became Colorado Lotto+, adding the signature random multiplier feature. The state joined Powerball and Mega Millions to offer multi-state jackpots. Cash 5 was introduced as a daily ball-draw game with a lower price point. Most recently, Lucky for Life was replaced by Millionaire for Life in February 2026, giving Colorado an exclusive lifetime-payout game unavailable in any other state.
Key Milestones
- 1983: Lottery launches with instant scratch games and the first Lotto draw
- 1992: Voters create Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) to receive lottery proceeds
- 2001: Colorado joins Powerball
- 2010: Colorado begins offering Mega Millions through a cross-selling agreement
- 2026: Millionaire for Life replaces Lucky for Life as CO-exclusive game
The lottery has grown from a small operation selling scratch tickets to a multi-billion-dollar enterprise that has fundamentally shaped Colorado's outdoor recreation infrastructure. For a complete breakdown of every current draw game, see our Colorado Lottery Games Overview, or visit the Colorado lottery dashboard for live results and analysis.
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