The Virginia Lottery turned a profit of more than $439 million for the state's K-12 public schools.

Officials say the profits for fiscal year 2009 are 3.6-percent lower than the previous year, but is still the third best year for the lottery.

Sales for the year stayed relatively flat at about $1.37 billion. Players won $781 million in prizes in the lottery's Pick 3, Pick 4, Mega Millions and Scratcher games.

The Lottery kept its operating expenses to 5.4 percent for the year, below the ten percent allowed by Virginia law.

Lottery officials say they are looking to further reduce operating expenses this fiscal year, including partial-elimination of paid television time for the daily draw show.

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