1987 – At a press conference in Tallahassee on this date, Governor Bob Martinez, Lieutenant Governor Bobby Brantley and artist Judy Rutz unveiled Florida’s new lottery logo. The Florida lottery officially began a few months later on January 12, 1988 after Florida voters decided in a 2 to 1 margin for a constitutional amendment allowing the lottery in November of 1986. The aim was to provide extra funding for Florida’s schools through the sale of lottery tickets. In the first 12 days of operation the Florida lottery raked in over $95 million in ticket sales and is still going strong today!