Georgia Lottery announces partnership with Kia Motors

ATLANTA — The Georgia Lottery celebrated its 21^st anniversary with a new corporate sponsor Tuesday.

Lottery officials traveled to Troup County to meet with West Point’s Kia Motors to announce their partnership.

Winners of a new scratch-off game called "21 Black Series" could not only win cash, but also one of 12 brand new Kia Soul cars.

Georgia Lottery President and CEO Debbie Alford said that just like the other lottery games, the money will go toward funding Georgia education programs.

“As with all Georgia Lottery games, profits from our "21-Black Series" will benefit the lottery-funded Hope Scholarship and Pre-K programs,” Alford said.

The Georgia Lottery began in 1993 under then-Gov. Zell Miller.

Throughout the past 21 years, lottery officials said they have raised more than $15 billion for Georgia’s Hope Scholarship and Pre-K.

Just last year, the Georgia Lottery turned over a record $945 million to the state's education funds, Alford said.

Although the legislature has made cuts to the Hope Scholarship program in recent years, Gov. Nathan Deal said the lottery has been great in helping students across the state.

“Well, it's meant a lot. 1.6 million students that have received the benefit of the Hope program and 1.3-million 4-year-olds that have received the benefit of it,” Deal said.

Deal said that he spoke with former-governor Miller about the program several days ago, and that Miller hopes his pet project continues well into the future.

“It's been a great success story,” Deal said.

WSBTV