Whether you’re looking for the chance to win the biggest jackpots or to buy a ticket for a small prize, there’s no question that the lottery is a popular game. There are several lotteries across the United States. Some offer state-wide draws, while others feature scratchers or instant win games. The top prizes for some lotteries are millions of dollars, while others offer prizes as low as five bucks. Some lotteries allow you to enter state-level drawings from the comfort of your own home.
Some of the biggest multi-state lotteries in the US are Powerball, Mega Millions, and Megabucks. Each of these offers players a chance to win a grand prize that can reach hundreds of millions of dollars. The odds of winning a jackpot are one in 13,983,816.
Some state lotteries are looking to expand their online offerings. Rhode Island’s lottery launched an online version in the summer of 2020. New Mexico offers scratchers, a multi-state draw, and an instant win game. The District of Columbia also launched a website in January of 2021. The Vermont lottery launched a website in October of 2017.
While some states offer their own lottery games, others are part of the Multi-State Lottery Association. This association is a consortium of 33 state lotteries that share pools of money to increase ticket sales. The Iowa Lottery, for instance, is a member of the association. Besides offering its own game, the Iowa Lottery participates in several multi-state lottery games.
The California State Lottery was established in 1984. The state is a charter member of the Multi-State Lottery association, and has a versatile package of local games. The lottery has four draw games, two exclusive draw games, and two multi-state games.
The New Hampshire Lottery features several draw games and includes Mega Millions. The state’s profits go to public education and local government programs. The proceeds from the lottery fund are used to support a variety of state-wide causes, including public school aid, road infrastructure, and natural resources.
The Oregon Lottery features six games. Its proceeds are used to help fund problem gambling treatment, wildlife habitats, and open space conservation. The lottery has been used to bring online sports betting to the state.
The Mississippi Lottery was launched in 2019, and includes Powerball, Pick 3, and Mega Millions. The lottery also donates a portion of its revenue to the Mississippi state school fund. The Minnesota Lottery is part of the Multi-State Lottery associations and offers games such as Mega Millions and Powerball.
The Pennsylvania iLottery started in 2018. The Pennsylvania Lottery started with a few instant win games, but expanded to include tickets for real-world drawings in 2018. The lottery now offers eight state-based draw games and three multi-state draw games. In addition, the lottery sells scratch cards and iLottery tickets. The tickets are purchased online and can be claimed online.
The Hawaii Lottery doesn’t offer a state-wide lottery. The Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Washington DC operate state-wide lotteries.