About the Lottery
The Massachusetts State Lottery was established by the legislature in 1971 in response to the need for revenues for the 351 cities and towns of the commonwealth.
To provide an operating structure for the Lottery, the Legislature established a five-member commission that includes the state treasurer as chairperson, the secretary of public safety, the state comptroller, and two gubernatorial appointees.
The Commissioners set overall policy for the Lottery that reflects its statutory mission and vision. They advise and make recommendations to the Executive Director of the Lottery regarding its operation and administration.
The Lottery Leadership Team
Steven Grossman, State Treasurer & Receiver General
Steven Grossman
brings to the office of Treasurer and Receiver General a family heritage of public service, a lifetime dedicated to
helping others, and years of experience as a hard-working businessman with a sense of responsibility for the well-being
of his colleagues and his community.
He is committed to using the full potential of the Treasurers office to protect the publics money, help create jobs, boost small businesses, and bring new standards of transparency and disclosure to state government.
Paul R. Sternburg, Executive Director
Treasurer Steven Grossman named Paul R. Sternburg,
Executive Director of the Massachusetts State Lottery on January 2011, making him the 10th director
since the Lottery’s inception in 1971.
As Executive Director, Paul is responsible for leading the operations of the Lotterys five regional offices and its 400 employees, as well as a network of over 7,400 retailers that work together to generate more than $4.5 billion in revenue and return $900 million each year in local aid to the Commonwealth's 351 cities and towns.
Massachusetts Lottery State Commissioners
Martin J Benison, Comptroller
Martin J. Benison has served as Comptroller of the Commonwealth since 1999.
He is chairman of the Governmental Accounting Standards Advisory Council,
First Vice President of the National Association of State Auditors,
Comptrollers and Treasurers and Past President of the National Association of State Comptrollers.
Andrea J. Cabral, Secretary of the Executive Office of Public Safety
Andrea J. Cabral, Esq. was sworn in by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick on January 23, 2013 as the Executive Secretary of Public Safety. From 2002 to 2013, she served as the Sheriff of Suffolk County and the first female sheriff in Massachusetts’ history. Secretary Cabral served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office from 1993-2002.
As Chief of District Court and Community Prosecutions, she trained and supervised 48 prosecutors in Suffolk County’s eight district courts and the Boston Municipal Court.
Tim McMahon, Commissioner
Timothy McMahon, appointed by Governor Patrick, currently serves as Undersecretary for Administration
at the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. He brings to the Lottery Commission
over ten years of experience in operations as the Chief Operating Officer at the
Massachusetts State Lottery and as Deputy Commissioner at the Department of Industrial Accidents.
Beth I.Z. Boland, Commissioner
Beth I.Z. Boland, appointed by Governor Patrick, is a partner at the law firm of Bingham McCutchen
in its Boston offices. She concentrates her practice on consumer/shareholder class actions,
corporate governance and securities issues. Recently named one of Massachusetts’
“most influential attorneys,” she represents clients in SEC and attorney general investigations,
shareholder disputes and derivative actions, and fraudulent sales practice class actions and
privacy issues in a variety of industries, including financial services, high-tech and manufacturing/retail.
Each year, the Massachusetts State Lottery returns money to the cities and towns across the Commonwealth to help aid our communities. The Lottery is the Commonwealth's single largest source of unrestricted local aid.
Find out how much your town has received.
The Massachusetts State Lottery Commission and its Executive Director are committed to accountability and transparent operations at the Lottery. To ensure that the public is regularly informed as to the Lottery's progress, monthly letters filed with the Administration and Legislative Leadership, along with the Executive Director's monthly reports filed with the Commission, may be acessed here. These reports address the Lottery's fiscal performance; marketing and sales plans; reforms in governance, operations, and procurement; and the Commission's oversight of the Lottery's contractual obligations.
In February of 2012, Treasurer Steven Grossman created an advisory task force to help in the assessment of the economic and social implications of online products and play for Massachusetts. Paul Sternburg, Executive Director of the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission, chaired the Task Force. On December 13, 2012, the Task Force issued its Final Report, with related appendices
Treasurer Grossman’s Online Products Task Force Final Report
Learn more about how the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission governs.
- Mission Statement
- By-Laws
- Financial Statements
- Commission Meeting Schedule
- Commission Meeting Minutes
- Committees
For information about Lottery-related procurements in process, please click on one of the below links.
We offer our employees excellent benefits, flexible positions, and long-term stability.
For guidance from the State Ethics Commission regarding making and receiving recommendations, please refer to this advisory:
Advisory 13-1 Making and receiving Recommendations for Employment.pdf
1971: Legislation to create a state lottery in Massachusetts is enacted to provide a source of local aid revenue for the 351 cities and towns of the Commonwealth.
1972: The Lottery sells its first-ever ticket. “The Game,” a weekly draw game, holds its first drawing on April 6, 1972 at Faneuil Hall in Boston. Seven people win $50,000.
1973: The legislature transfers supervision of Bingo (Beano) from the Department of Public Safety to the State Lottery Commission. This Division later became known as Charitable Gaming.
1974: Massachusetts becomes the first state to sell Instant Tickets as an alternative to the weekly jackpot game.
1976: The Numbers Game is introduced.
