ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — The New York Lottery is celebrating 50 years of operation.

The lottery's first drawing will be commemorated Friday in Albany near the state Capitol with lottery announcer Yolanda Vega.

The state lottery launched in 1967 with Lotto. Tickets cost 50 cents and could be bought only in banks.

The state earned $48.5 million in sales that first year. Lottery sales were $7.7 billion in the last fiscal year.

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