Cahill: MA Lottery ended fiscal year up $44M

Casino gambling may be dead for the year, but the Massachusetts Lottery is seeing an uptick in demand.

State Treasurer Timothy Cahill said the lottery posted a $903 million profit for the 2010 fiscal year that ended June 30.

That's a 5 percent or $44 million increase over the 2009 fiscal year.

Cahill said the 2010 profits exceeded initial projections for the year by nearly $90 million. He credited the jump in part to the introduction of new games and a decrease in spending at the agency.

Those new games included Powerball and a $10 instant ticket. The state also added dozens of new KENO agents.

The lottery posted profits of just $859 million in the 2009 fiscal year.

All lottery profits are returned as state aid to cities and towns.