In November of 1992, 63 percent of Nebraska voters approved a constitutional amendment authorizing the creation of a state lottery. The Nebraska Lottery was created by LB 138, passed by the Nebraska Legislature on February 24, 1993. When the Nebraska Lottery began, it was the 37th lottery in the United States.

The Nebraska Lottery sells $1, $2, $3, $5, $10 and $15 Scratch tickets, and offers Lotto games such as Powerball, 2by2, Nebraska Pick 5, Nebraska Pick 3, MyDaY, and Mega Millions. Scratch ticket sales began on September 11, 1993, and Lotto ticket sales began on July 21, 1994.

Amendment 4 passed by Nebraska voters in November of 2004 established the following distribution formula: Education as directed by the Legislature (44.5 percent) – currently divided between the Education Innovation Fund and Nebraska Opportunity Grant Fund; Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund (44.5 percent); Nebraska State Fair (10 percent); and the Compulsive Gamblers Assistance Fund (1 percent, plus the first $500,000 in fund proceeds each fiscal year).