The Colorado Lottery began on January 24, 1983, initially selling only scratch tickets.

Colorado joined Mega Millions on May 16, 2010 (the same day as South Dakota) as part of the MUSL cross-selling agreement involving both major jackpot games.

Colorado Lottery revenues are directed to outdoor recreation, parks, trails, rivers, wildlife, and open space by a state constitutional amendment approved by voters in 1992.

50 percent of Lottery proceeds go to a trust fund administered by Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO).

[3] GOCO distributes the funds through competitive grants to local governments and land trusts, 40 percent to the Conservation Trust Fund,[clarification needed] and 10 percent goes to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

[4] After the GOCO cap[clarification needed] is met, proceeds fall into the BEST fund (Building Excellent Schools Today).

The price increased from $1 to $2, and the game matrix was reduced to 40 numbers, down from 42, giving players better odds.

Starting jackpots begin at $1,000,000, rolling over in multiples of $100,000 (with the potential to grow to over $25,000,000) and the drawings are held on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Begun in Connecticut in 2009 as Lucky-4-Life, it has changed it double matrix three times, and expanded to a regional game and then "quasi-national."

Powerball's jackpots begin at $40 million; it is drawn Wednesday and Saturday nights.

The largest Colorado Lotto jackpot was $27 million, won by Kim Walker of Boulder in 1992.