The Arkansas Scholarship Lottery has now exceeded $1 billion in available funding for scholarships.

The official proceeds figure since the lottery started in 2009 is $1,001,680,567.38. During this fiscal year, which began July 1, scholarship proceeds stand at $32,594,405 through Oct. 31, 2020.

ASL Director Eric Hagler said the new proceeds number is monumental for the lottery. “The sole mission of the lottery is to raise proceeds for scholarships in a responsible manner,” Hagler said. “We have never deviated from that mission, and we are very proud we have now hit $1 billion in proceeds. It equates to 600,608 scholarships awarded to deserving Arkansans.”

Hagler said lottery proceeds are transferred to the Arkansas Department of Higher Education who administers the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship, the Arkansas Workforce Challenge Scholarship and the Arkansas Concurrent Challenge Scholarship.