Colorado trail projects get biggest funding boost to date from lottery revenue [Video]

DENVER — If your lottery ticket wasn’t a winner Tuesday night, you’re certainly not alone. On the bright side, the money spent on all of the losing tickets in the state doesn’t go to waste.

Recently, $117 million of outdoor grants were approved by Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO).

“All of them are our most significant investments to date in trails,” said Chris Yuan-Farrel, director of programs for GOCO.

Those investments are funded in part by all of those lottery tickets, whether they win — or in most cases — lose.

“GOCO is funded by a portion of the Colorado lottery proceeds. We receive up to 50% of the proceeds directly. We’re capped constitutionally, we’re capped at roughly $78 million a year now,” said Yuan-Farrel. “Lottery proceeds is our only revenue source, and we reinvest it in parks, trails, open space, and wildlife habitat across the state.”

GOCO’s estimated 2023 budget …