Staff photo by Mathew Plamondon Jessica Leveille and Katie Goulden give Keno 603 a go at Boston Billiard Club & Casino on Friday in Nashua. The game has been in place for a little more than year and is expanding throughout the state.

NASHUA – The New Hampshire Lottery began Keno roughly one year ago and is now reporting statewide sales of $460,000 per week.

With over 60 establishments throughout the state offering Keno 603, the game is growing in popularity among restaurants and bars.

“We hear regularly from restaurant and tavern owners about how Keno 603 positively impacts their business, driving traffic and adding a fun, new activity,” Charlie McIntyre, executive director of the New Hampshire Lottery, said.

“We look forward to working with officials across the state, as communities will have another chance to vote on Keno 603 during town meetings next spring.”

Last Sunday marked the one year anniversary of Keno in the Granite State. In little more than a year, players have spent almost $20 million playing the game.

Lottery officials said Keno cmately $460,000 per week. During the 2018 fiscal year, the game totaled $8.7 million. They have already surpassed $10 million during the course of the current fiscal year.

“The New Hampshire Lottery is pleased with the success of Keno 603 over the past year,” McIntyre said about the game’s growth, “but we are just beginning to tap the potential of this new and exciting game.”

The game is a fairly simple concept. Players can win money by matching anywhere from one to 12 numbers with 20 randomly generated winning numbers.

Gov. Chris Sununu believes Keno is key to full-day kindergarten in New Hampshire. For fiscal year 2018, the game generated $2.175 million in support of full-day kindergarten.

Beginning in 2019, the state will utilize revenue generated from Keno to increase funding for full-day kindergarten from $1,800 per student to $2,900 per student.

“I am proud of the investment we are making in full-day kindergarten and I am extremely pleased to see the success of Keno 603, which has played a critical role in supporting the expanded kindergarten program,” Sununu said. “Clearly, Keno 603 has been a fun and exciting new game complementing the New Hampshire Lottery’s already robust offerings. We look forward to continued success this year as more establishments sign on to offer Keno 603.”

Lottery officials said they have received encouraging feedback from business owners, restaurants and taverns. The establishments have reported significant increases in food and beverage sales, leading many of those places to hire additional staff in response to the increase in business.

Lottery leaders hope to expand the game throughout the state. Keno is currently available at 160 locations in 66 communities statewide. While the game is expanding, in order to get optimal amount of revenue, the lottery projected it would need most of the state’s communities to approve the game, while increasing the total of locations offering Keno by upward of 250.

“Along with facilitating the implementation process, the New Hampshire Lottery is continuing to provide information and resources to establishments interested in offering this game,” McIntyre said. “As more communities approve Keno 603, more establishments will offer the game, which together will continue to boost sales and revenue.”

Mathew Plamondon can be reached at 594-1244, or at mplamondon@nashuatelegraph.com.