With the Lotto America® jackpot continuing to climb, we’re hearing all sorts of opinions about what’s going on in that game. Here are a few clarifications for the good of the order.
Yes, there can and often will be repeats for the game’s Star Ball number. When that happens, it means the game is working as it should. If there were no repeat numbers, something would be wrong.
Players in Lotto America choose 5 numbers from a pool of 52 for the white balls and another number, called the Star Ball, from a pool of 10. If you match all six winning numbers selected in a drawing, you win the game’s jackpot.
Repeats Are OK
With only 10 numbers in the Star Ball pool, it will repeat more often. And because you can buy up to 10 plays on a ticket, the only way to ensure that each play on your ticket will have a different Star Ball is to choose your own numbers or purchase the Play ‘Em All option.
If you go with the easy-pick option, the numbers on your ticket will be randomly selected. And random can mean repeats.
Powerball’s Younger Cousin
Lotto America is sometimes called Powerball’s smaller cousin. The game costs $1 to play and has drawings on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, just like Powerball®. It also has the same playstyle as Powerball.
But Lotto America’s jackpots start at a smaller level and the game has easier odds of winning. Lotto America is sold by 13 lotteries, while Powerball is offered by 48.
It’s True: The Jackpot Has Been Growing A Long Time
The other detail getting a lot of talk right now is how long the Lotto America jackpot has been growing. The jackpot for the game’s next drawing tomorrow night stands at an estimated $35.22 million annuity, $15.83 million lump-sum option.
That’s the second-highest jackpot in the history of the game, and it’s now been climbing for more than a year. The jackpot was last won on March 4, 2024.
Long jackpot runs – where the jackpot isn’t won and keeps growing from drawing to drawing – can happen in any lotto game. No one knows when the next big win will hit, but the fact is that someone will win the jackpot.
Lotto America’s current record jackpot was won by an Iowan, and that giant prize had grown for more than 1½ years. A Dubuque man claimed that $40.03 million Lotto America jackpot in April 2023.