Something pretty unusual happened in the world of lotteries over the weekend: A jackpot that had been growing for nearly a year finally got hit.
It happened Saturday in Hot Lotto®. A Minnesota couple stepped forward today to claim that night’s $11.71 million Hot Lotto jackpot. And remember, with the changes put in place in the game in May 2013, they get that full amount. The unique feature in Hot Lotto that sets it apart from our other draw games is that its jackpot is all cash, with withholding taxes paid. That means you get the full amount of the advertised jackpot.
Prior to Saturday’s big win, the Hot Lotto jackpot had last been won in October 2013 in Tennessee. That definitely qualifies as a very long jackpot run! But that’s the thing about jackpots – you never know when the next big one will hit!
Hot Lotto got its start in April 2002 as a game that offers Powerball®-style play, but with easier odds and jackpots starting at $1 million. Players choose five balls from a pool of 47 and another number, called the Hot Ball®, from a separate pool of 19. Plays cost $1, and the Sizzler option, which triples non-jackpot prizes, can be added for an extra $1 per play. Hot Lotto drawings are held at 9:40 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
In addition to the jackpot, there are eight other prize levels in the game, ranging from $2 for matching the Hot Ball alone and up to $30,000 for matching the first five numbers but missing the Hot Ball. All nonjackpot prizes triple with the Sizzler option, meaning a player would win $90,000 for matching the first five numbers with the Sizzler option added.
So, congratulations to the big winners in Minnesota! And in case you’re wondering, Iowa may not have taken home this jackpot, but our state is doing very well in Hot Lotto. Iowa Lottery players have won eight jackpots so far in the game, ranging from $1.3 million all the way up to $19.97 million!
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