America's First Modern State Lottery
New Hampshire made history on March 12, 1964, when it became the first US state to operate a legal lottery in the modern era. After decades without state-run lotteries in America, the New Hampshire Sweepstakes — as it was originally called — broke new ground and paved the way for every other state lottery that followed. The initial format was tied to horse race results at Rockingham Park, with tickets sold for $3 each.
The Tri-State Lottery Commission
In 1985, New Hampshire joined with Maine and Vermont to form the Tri-State Lottery Commission, creating the first multi-state lottery agreement in US history. This pioneering partnership enabled the three states to offer shared games with larger prize pools than any single state could support alone. Today, Tri-State games include Pick 3, Pick 4, Gimme 5, and the flagship Megabucks Plus.
Revenue and Mission
New Hampshire Lottery revenue supports education funding across the state. Since 1964, the lottery has contributed billions of dollars to education. As a state with no income tax and no sales tax, lottery revenue plays an especially important role in the state's funding model. Lottery winnings are not subject to state income tax — making New Hampshire one of the best states for lottery winners.
Key Milestones
- 1964: New Hampshire Sweepstakes launches — first modern US state lottery
- 1966: New York follows NH's lead, starting the wave of state lotteries
- 1970s: Transition from sweepstakes format to instant scratch tickets
- 1985: Tri-State Lottery Commission formed with Maine and Vermont
- 1995: New Hampshire joins Powerball
- 2010: Mega Millions becomes available through cross-selling agreement
- 2017: Online lottery sales launch in New Hampshire
- 2026: Millionaire For Life replaces Lucky for Life
Impact and Legacy
Without New Hampshire's pioneering 1964 lottery, the modern American lottery industry might not exist. The state demonstrated that government-run lotteries could generate significant revenue while operating transparently. Today, 45 states plus DC operate lotteries, all following the trail New Hampshire blazed. For a full breakdown of every current game, see our NH Lottery Games Guide, or visit the New Hampshire lottery dashboard for live results and analysis.
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