Connecticut residents bought lottery tickets in record numbers during the 2021 fiscal year, reflecting a national trend of soaring pandemic lottery sales as the state’s quasi-public agency prepares a vast expansion of its operation.

The Connecticut Lottery Corporation boasted $1.5 billion in sales during the fiscal year that ended June 30 and sent $418 million to the state coffers. Both numbers represent the highest postings since Connecticut launched its lottery program in 1972. For comparison, Connecticut lottery sales grew 15% over 2020, when the corporation reported $1.3 billion in revenue.

It is hardly an anomaly. Lottery agencies around the country have been reporting record-breaking years or double-digit increases in revenue. Surging sales have made news in Illinois, Missouri, and Nebraska to name a few.