CT Lottery Kicks-off 7th Annual “Give a Child a Toy, Not a Ticket” Holiday Toy Drive to Benefit Connecticut Children'sThe CT Lottery is pleased to announce its 7th Annual "Give a Child a Toy, Not a Ticket" Holiday Toy Drive to celebrate the season and encourage responsible gambling.
Starting November 13 through December 31, the CT Lottery is once again partnering with iHeartRadio and Connecticut Children's to provide toys, gift cards and monetary donations through our online, touchless toy drive. The event helps the CT Lottery spread the Responsible Gambling message to adults that "lottery tickets are not suitable gifts for children," while supporting the patients at Connecticut Children's.
Donating a toy, gift card or monetary gift online to Connecticut Children's is easy. Simply text "ctlottery" to 243725 or visit
give.connecticutchildrens.org/ctlottery to access the Connecticut Children's online wish list.
"We are excited to promote our annual toy drive again this year to continue to educate adults that lottery tickets are not suitable holiday gifts for children," said CT Lottery's President and CEO, Greg Smith. "We encourage adults to consider donating online as Connecticut Children's is always in need of toys to help provide comfort and enjoyment to patients who are in the hospital during the holidays, and other times throughout the year."
On average, 150 children are treated daily in Connecticut Children’s emergency department alone and each child receives a toy. Toys are also given to every child who has a procedure, celebrates a birthday or special event; they are used in multiple playrooms throughout the hospital, and utilized as a distraction from pain before shots, tests and surgeries. In total, the yearly need for donated toys is great—73,000—ranging from a simple deck of cards or silly bands, to the more substantial, board games and video games.
Since 2008, the CT Lottery has partnered with the International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviors at McGill University and the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) during the holidays to promote the message that lottery tickets are not suitable gifts for children.
If you or someone you know is affected by a gambling problem, please call the CT Council on Problem Gambling’s Helpline at 1-888-789-7777 or visit
ccpg.org/get-help for more information.
About CT Lottery:Lottery sales benefit Connecticut's residents in valuable ways. In fiscal year 2020, players won more than $822 million in prize money and Retailers earned more than $73 million in commissions. At the same time, the CT Lottery provided $348 million to support the valuable services and programs funded by the state’s General Fund including public health, libraries, public safety, education and more. Since the Lottery began in 1972, our contributions to the General Fund have exceeded $10 billion.
The CT Lottery reminds the public that purchasers must be 18 or older. If you gamble, use your GameSense. For information about the CT Lottery, stop by any CT Lottery retailer, visit
CTLOTTERY.ORG, join us on Facebook (facebook.com/CTLottery), Instagram (Instagram.com/ctlottery), Twitter (twitter.com/ctlottery), or call (860) 713-2700.
About Connecticut Children's:Connecticut Children's is the only health system in Connecticut dedicated exclusively to the care of children and ranked one of the best children’s hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report and a Magnet®-designated hospital. Connecticut Children’s provides more than 30 pediatric specialties by Video Visit and at lots of locations close to home, along with community-based programs to uniquely care for the physical, social and emotional needs of children. Our team of pediatric experts and care coordinators bring access to breakthrough research, advanced treatments for both rare and common diseases, and innovative health and safety programs to every child. Connecticut Children’s is a not-for-profit organization with a mission to improve access to health care for all children through convenient locations, care alliances and partnerships.
About iHeartMedia Hartford and New Haven:iHeartMedia Hartford owns and operates Top 40 WKSS-FM, Adult Hits WHCN-FM, News-Talk WPOP-AM-W265EB, Sports WUCS-FM and Country WWYZ-FM iHeartMedia New Haven owns and operates Top 40 WKCI-FM, Urban WKCI-HD2-W265DB, News-Talk WELI-AM and WELI-FM, and Sports WAVZ-AM and is part of iHeartMedia. iHeartMedia (NASDAQ: IHRT) is the number one audio company in the United States, reaching nine out of 10 Americans every month – and with its quarter of a billion monthly listeners, has a greater reach than any other media company in the U.S. The company’s leadership position in audio extends across multiple platforms, including more than 850 live broadcast stations in over 160 markets nationwide; through its iHeartRadio digital service available across more than 250 platforms and 2,000 devices; through its influencers; social; branded iconic live music events; other digital products and newsletters; and podcasts as the #1 commercial podcast publisher. iHeartMedia also leads the audio industry in analytics, targeting and attribution for its marketing partners with its SmartAudio product, using data from its massive consumer base. Visit
iHeartMedia.com for more company information.
