ialottery blog

Tax Forms For Iowa Lottery Winners In Calendar Year 2022 Are Going Out

If you claimed an Iowa Lottery prize of more than $600 in calendar year 2022, check your mailbox in the coming days for a form from us that you’ll need as you file your income taxes.

The document that most winners will receive is the W-2G form. It lists the total prize amount involved along with any federal and state withholdings applied to your prize. (Lottery winners who aren’t U.S. citizens receive a document called Form 1042S.)

If you claimed multiple Iowa Lottery prizes of more than $600 in 2022, you’ll receive multiple forms from us, one for each prize claimed.

The deadline for all W-2G forms to be mailed out is next Tuesday (Jan. 31). That process is underway now! Depending on the mail delivery time, you should receive your form within the next 10 days or so.

If you think you should receive a tax form from us for winnings in calendar year 2022 and you've moved since you claimed your prize, please let us know your new address as soon as possible. Unless we receive an update, our records will show the address provided when you claimed your prize. Your tax form would be sent there.

You can call the Iowa Lottery at 515-725-7900 or email us at [email protected] Be sure to include your name, old address, new address, and telephone number in case we need to contact you.

Thank you again for playing the lottery. And congratulations to all our winners!

He ALMOST Let His Wife's Car Roll Away After Winning A $100,000 Prize

A northern Iowa man came THIS CLOSE to having to explain to his wife why he let her vehicle roll away!

The story started with Travis Hovey of Riceville doing something to help: He went to a local convenience store to fuel up his wife’s car. While he was inside the store paying for the gas, he decided to buy a lottery scratch ticket.

Travis said he scratched the ticket when he got back out to the car and saw what he thought was a $100,000 prize in the play area.

Travis says he almost forgot to put the vehicle in park before he ran back into the store to have the clerks there double-check his ticket! It turns out he was right: He won one of the top prizes of $100,000 in the “Cash Blast” scratch game.

After confirming his win, Travis said he went right home to share the news with his wife, Tammy. And he got her car there safely!

Travis bought his winning ticket at Casey’s 208 W. Main St. in Riceville. He said that he and Tammy plan to use the lottery winnings to pay bills and retire debt.

Waterloo Woman Claims Prize of $25,000 a Year for Life

A Waterloo woman says a visit from a winged friend led her to buy a lottery ticket that won a prize of $25,000 a year for life.

Dawn Costa says that she used to play the Lucky for Life® game regularly with her mom, who passed away two years ago. Dawn says that her mother loved owls, and last week, an owl landed on the railing of her deck and stayed there for some time.

Although she hadn’t played in a while, Dawn decided the next day to buy a Lucky for Life ticket at the store where she and her mother used to purchase them. That easy-pick ticket matched the first five numbers but missed the Lucky Ball to win a prize of $25,000 a year for life in the game’s drawing on Jan. 12.

Before driving today to Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive to claim her prize, Dawn said she decided to look for the owl again. When she went out on her deck this morning, the bird was there. She said others at her condominium building wonder why the owl is always on her deck, but she knows why.

Dawn is Iowa’s 17th big winner in the Lucky for Life game since its January 2016 debut in our state.

She bought her winning ticket at Kwik Star, 1636 W. Fourth St. in Waterloo. The winning numbers in the Jan. 12 drawing were: 3-12-17-42-45 and Lucky Ball 6. Kwik Star will receive a $500 bonus from the lottery for selling the winning ticket.

Dawn chose to receive her prize in its lump-sum option of $390,000. She said she'll use her lottery winnings to pay off her mortgage and invest for the future.

There Was Luck On Friday The 13th: Iowa's Mega Millions Players Win 51K+ Prizes

Iowa Lottery players saw a lot of luck in the Friday the 13th Mega Millions® drawing while the night’s giant jackpot was won with a ticket purchased in Maine. An lowa ticket was just one number away from having a share of the big prize.

The final jackpot amount ended up at $1.348 billion annuity, $723.5 million cash option.

Total Prizes Won In Iowa

Iowa Lottery players won a total of 51,282 prizes in last night’s drawing. One Iowa ticket was just a number away from a share of the jackpot.

That ticket matched four of the first five numbers and the Mega Ball to initially win a $10,000 prize. But the player who bought the ticket also added the Megaplier option to the purchase, which multiplied the prize to $20,000.

The $20,000-winning ticket was purchased at: Kwik Star, 855 SE Alice’s Road in Waukee.

The $20,000 prize can be claimed at any Iowa Lottery office. If the winner has questions before claiming their prize, they are welcome to call the Iowa Lottery at 515-725-7900 or email to: [email protected]

The winning numbers in last night’s drawing were: 30-43-45-46-61 and Mega Ball 14 The Megaplier® number was 2.

How Did The Jackpot Climb So High?

The Mega Millions jackpot had climbed into the stratosphere because it had been growing for nearly three months. It started growing with the drawing on Oct. 18, then continued rolling through more than two dozen drawings before being won last night.

The Mega Millions jackpot returns to $20 million annuity, $10.7 million cash option, for the game's next drawing on Tuesday.

Iowa Sales For Last Night’s Drawing

Iowa Lottery players bought nearly $2.9 million in Mega Millions tickets for last night's drawing, including nearly $1.8 million yesterday alone.

But the average Mega Millions purchase in Iowa for the drawing remained about $6, or three plays per ticket.

Unclaimed $1 Million Prize In Ames

A $1 million Mega Millions prize won in central Iowa is still unclaimed after four months. I’m continuing to highlight it, hoping to jog the winner’s memory in time for the prize to be claimed.

The $1 million-winning ticket was purchased at Gateway Expresse, 2400 University Blvd. in Ames, for the game's drawing on Sept. 6. It was the only ticket in the country that night to match the five white balls but miss the yellow Mega Ball to win at the game's second prize level.

The winner or winners of the $1 million prize have until the close of business on Sept. 6, 2023, to claim it at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive.

Gateway Expresse received a $1,000 bonus from the Iowa Lottery for selling the $1 million-winning ticket.

Friday The 13th Drawing: Mega Millions Jackpot At $1.35 Billion

One of the biggest lottery jackpot drawings in history is happening tonight on Friday the 13th. What will luck bring in the Mega Millions® game?

The Mega Millions jackpot for tonight’s drawing is the second largest in the game, at an estimated $1.35 billion annuity, $724.6 million cash option.

Friday The 13th Drawing

Despite the superstitions that abound, Friday the 13th is just another day. There will be two of them this year: Jan. 13, and Oct. 13, which means two Mega Millions drawings will occur on the date linked with so many beliefs in the unknown.

Mega Millions jackpots have been won multiple times across the country on Friday the 13th, so those players definitely did not have an unlucky day.

What’s That About ‘Coverage’?

By tracking sales, lottery officials can estimate how many of all the possible combinations in the game have been purchased for a particular drawing. It’s called coverage – how many of the combinations have been “covered.”

The coverage estimate for tonight’s Mega Millions drawing is now about 42 percent.

A higher coverage percentage can mean it’s more likely there will be a jackpot winner, but it is not a definite.

(The odds of winning the jackpot in Mega Millions are about 1 in 302.6 million because that’s how many ways the numbers in the game can be combined to make a play. The winning numbers selected will be one of those combinations. Will your ticket match?)

The Difference Mega Millions Sales Will Make For State Causes

The final details won't be available until later, but the impact of this month's strong Mega Millions sales will mean more help for meaningful state causes in Iowa. Lottery players will have played a big part in helping our state.

Each year, 100 percent of Iowa Lottery proceeds go to support state causes. In its latest financial year, the Iowa Lottery raised nearly $98 million for state programs that help everything from veterans and law enforcement to education, parks and conservation, agriculture, and human services.

Since its start in 1985, the Iowa Lottery has raised more than $2.3 billion for state programs. More details are here: https://ialottery.com/Pages/Pressroom/IALotteryGivesBack.aspx

Please Play Responsibly

And as always, the Iowa Lottery reminds everyone that it only takes one ticket to win. Playing smart is a lot more fun.

Prize Of $25,000 A Year For Life In Lucky For Life Game Won In Waterloo

Someone who bought a Lucky for Life® ticket at a Waterloo convenience store won a prize of $25,000 a year for life in last night’s drawing.

It’s Iowa’s 17th big win in Lucky for Life since the game’s January 2016 debut in our state.

The ticket matched the first five numbers but missed the Lucky Ball in last night’s Lucky for Life drawing to win the game’s second prize of $25,000 a year for life. The winning ticket was purchased at the Kwik Star, 1636 W. Fourth St. in Waterloo.

The winning numbers in last night’s Lucky for Life drawing were: 3-12-17-42-45 and Lucky Ball 6. Kwik Star will receive a $500 bonus from the lottery for selling the winning ticket.

Lucky for Life is a $2 game with drawings each night. The game’s top two prize levels are described as “lasting as long as you do,” meaning that they are truly for life. The minimum guaranteed payout for those two prize levels is 20 years, and there’s a lump-sum option for players who want that rather than lifetime annuity payments.

Prizes at the top two levels in Lucky for Life need to be claimed at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive. If the winner or winners of the lucky ticket have questions before coming forward to claim the prize, they’re welcome to call us at 515-725-7900 or email us [email protected]

Players in Lucky for Life have up to 365 days from the date of the drawing to claim prizes won in Iowa.

Mega Millions Jackpot Climbs to $1.35 Billion For Friday's Drawing

The Mega Millions® jackpot is now the second largest in game history, reaching an estimated $1.35 billion annuity, $707.9 million cash option, for Friday’s drawing.

In addition to being one of the biggest jackpots in Mega Millions, the giant prize is now the fourth-highest U.S. lottery jackpot. It follows the world-record Powerball® jackpot of $2.04 billion won in early November.   

An Iowa Ticket Came Close On Tuesday

Iowa Lottery players won a total of 42,591 prizes in Tuesday’s Mega Millions drawing, including a ticket that was just one number away from having at least a share of that night’s big jackpot.

That ticket initially matched four of the first five numbers and the Mega Ball to win a $10,000 prize. However, the person who bought the ticket added the Megaplier® option to the purchase, which multiplied the prize to $30,000.   

The $30,000-winning ticket was purchased at Casey’s, 418 S. Seventh St. in Chariton.

Tuesday’s winning numbers were: 7-13-14-15-18 and Mega Ball 9. The Megaplier number was 3.

A player wins the Mega Millions jackpot by matching all six winning numbers in a drawing. However, there are a total of nine prize levels in Mega Millions ranging from $2 up to the jackpot, so the Iowa Lottery reminds its players to be sure to check their tickets for all the prizes they may have won.

Iowa Lottery players bought nearly $2.4 million in Mega Millions tickets for Tuesday’s drawing, including more than $1.2 million in tickets on Tuesday alone.

I’ve Heard That The Odds Change …

There are a lot of beliefs about playing the lottery, and some of them aren’t accurate. For example, when it comes to the Mega Millions jackpot, some say that players have a harder time winning when the jackpot climbs because more people are buying tickets.

The odds of winning in Mega Millions do not change. They’re the same for every play purchased in the game.

The odds of winning the game’s jackpot are about 1 in 302.6 million because that is how many ways the numbers available in the game can be combined to make a play. When the winning numbers are selected, they’re one of about 302.6 million possibilities.

Will the numbers on your ticket match?

Please Play Responsibly

And as always, the Iowa Lottery reminds everyone that it only takes one ticket to win. Please play responsibly.

Here's What You Need To Know For Tonight's Mega Millions Drawing

Mega Millions Jackpot At $1.1 Billion For Tuesday’s Drawing

Tonight’s Mega Millions jackpot has reached an estimated $1.1 billion annuity, $576.8 million cash option.

This is the third-highest jackpot in Mega Millions game history and the fifth-largest U.S. lottery jackpot.

The Mega Millions jackpot has reached this level because it has been growing for nearly three months. It was last won on Oct. 14.

The Day Of The Drawing Sees The Highest Sales

Through the years of Powerball and Mega Millions drawings, one phenomenon has been clear: The day of the drawing has the highest sales. Maybe it’s procrastination, maybe it’s players just remembering to buy a ticket, or maybe it’s folks who specifically plan to buy a ticket that day.

The busiest time of sales on the day of the drawing generally is from 4-7 p.m. as many people stop to run errands on their way home from work. While Iowa generally has not seen the long lines that can occur in other parts of the country, expect to see a lot of other folks also buying tickets if you’re doing so on Tuesday.

Why Does ‘Coverage’ Matter?

By tracking sales, lottery officials can estimate how many of all the possible combinations in the game have been purchased for a particular drawing. It’s called coverage – how many of the combinations have been “covered.”

The coverage estimate for Tuesday’s Mega Millions drawing is now more than 36 percent.

A higher coverage percentage can mean it’s more likely there will be a jackpot winner, but it is not a definite.

(The odds of winning the jackpot in Mega Millions are about 1 in 302.6 million because that’s how many ways the numbers in the game can be combined to make a play. The winning numbers selected will be one of those combinations. Will your ticket match?)

Things To Consider As You Dream Big

The Iowa Lottery has heard from a lot of people with dreams of winning and thoughts about what they would do if they win. To provide specifics about the details that come with a giant lottery win, the Iowa Lottery has produced a video called “You Won! Now What?”

It is available on YouTube here.

Iowa Stats From Mega Millions’ Latest Drawing

Iowa Lottery players won a total of 31,631 prizes in Friday’s Mega Millions drawing and had purchased more than $1.7 million in tickets for the drawing.

Friday’s winning numbers were: 3-20-46-59-63 and Mega Ball® 13. The Megaplier® number was 3.

The average Mega Millions purchase in Iowa for the drawing remained about $6, or about three plays per ticket. Lottery officials were pleased that a lot of people had fun playing and didn’t go overboard.

$1 Million Unclaimed Mega Millions Prize In Ames

With first-time and occasional players buying tickets for the giant drawing, the Iowa Lottery reminds everyone to check their tickets for all prizes they may have won, not just the jackpot.

There are nine prize levels in Mega Millions, from $2 for matching the Mega Ball® alone up to winning the jackpot for matching all six numbers in a drawing.

A $1 million Mega Millions prize won in central Iowa remains unclaimed after four months.

The $1 million-winning ticket was purchased at Gateway Expresse, 2400 University Blvd. in Ames, for the game's drawing on Sept. 6.

The winner or winners of the $1 million prize have until the close of business on Sept. 6, 2023, to claim it at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive.

Gateway Expresse received a $1,000 bonus from the Iowa Lottery for selling the $1 million-winning ticket.

Please Play Responsibly

And as always, the Iowa Lottery reminds everyone that it only takes one ticket to win. Please play responsibly.

Mega Millions Jackpot In The Game’s Top 3

The Mega Millions® jackpot is in the game’s Top 3, with the estimate for the big prize remaining at $1.1 billion annuity, $568.7 million cash option, for tomorrow night’s drawing.

That’s the third-highest jackpot in the history of the game and the fifth-largest U.S. lottery jackpot.

Overall, Mega Millions was won six times in 2021 and six times in 2022. The game’s drawings happen at 10 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Reminders About Group Play

When the jackpot reaches into the stratosphere like it is now, a lot of lottery players pitch in to buy tickets in office pools or with family and friends.

During the world-record Powerball jackpot run late last year, two separate groups of co-workers in eastern Iowa each split a $50,000 prize they won in their office pool.

The Iowa Lottery keeps group play reminders on its website to help you keep lottery pool play fun and hassle free.

Among the suggestions: Keep an accurate list of everyone who puts in money for a particular drawing and how much they contribute. And, provide everyone in your pool with photos or copies of the group’s tickets before the drawing.

Iowa Stats From The Latest Mega Millions Drawing

Iowa Lottery players won a total of 31,631 prizes in Friday’s Mega Millions drawing and had purchased more than $1.7 million in tickets for the drawing.

Friday’s winning numbers were: 3-20-46-59-63 and Mega Ball® 13. The Megaplier® number was 3.

The average Mega Millions purchase in Iowa for the drawing was about $6, or three plays per ticket. It’s good to see that a lot of people had fun playing and didn’t go overboard.

What If You Win?

The Iowa Lottery has a video giving a quick overview of the process when someone wins a big prize. The video details the forms required when claiming an Iowa Lottery prize, the cash vs. annuity decision for a jackpot winner, the withholdings involved for lottery prizes, and open records requirements for lottery winners in Iowa.

The video is available online for anyone who would like to see the details: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugXmP-7Qbm8

$1 Million Mega Millions Prize Still Unclaimed In Ames

With first-time and occasional players buying tickets for the giant drawing, the Iowa Lottery reminds everyone to check their tickets for all prizes they may have won, not just the jackpot.

There are nine prize levels in Mega Millions, from $2 for matching the Mega Ball® alone up to winning the jackpot for matching all six numbers in a drawing.

A $1 million Mega Millions prize won in central Iowa remains unclaimed after four months.

The $1 million-winning ticket was purchased at Gateway Expresse, 2400 University Blvd. in Ames, for the game's drawing on Sept. 6. It was the only ticket in the country that night to match the five white balls but miss the yellow Mega Ball to win at the game's second prize level.

The winner or winners of the $1 million prize have until the close of business on Sept. 6, 2023, to claim it at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive.
Gateway Expresse received a $1,000 bonus from the Iowa Lottery for selling the $1 million-winning ticket.

Please Play Responsibly

And as always, the Iowa Lottery reminds everyone that it only takes one ticket to win. Please play responsibly.

The Latest: Mega Millions Jackpot Now 3rd Highest In Game History

The Mega Millions® jackpot continues to push higher! The giant prize is now an estimated $1.1 billion annuity, $568.7 million cash option, for the game’s next drawing on Tuesday.

That is the third-highest jackpot in the history of the game and the fifth-largest U.S. lottery jackpot. It follows the world-record Powerball® jackpot of $2.04 billion won in early November.

The Mega Millions jackpot has reached this level because it has been growing for nearly three months. It was last won Oct. 14.

Iowa Sales & Prizes From Last Night's Drawing 

Iowa Lottery players won a total of 31,631 prizes in last night’s Mega Millions drawing and had purchased more than $1.7 million in tickets for it.

Last night’s winning numbers were: 3-20-46-59-63 and Mega Ball® 13. The Megaplier® number was 3.

But the average Mega Millions purchase in Iowa for the drawing remained about $6, or about three plays per ticket. Lottery officials were pleased that a lot of people had fun playing and didn’t go overboard.

$1 Million Unclaimed Mega Millions Prize In Ames

When the jackpot reaches into the stratosphere like it is now, the game’s player base expands, with a lot of first-time and occasional players buying tickets. The Iowa Lottery reminds everyone to check their tickets for all prizes they may have won, not just the jackpot.

There are nine prize levels in Mega Millions, from $2 for matching the Mega Ball® alone up to the jackpot for matching all six numbers in a drawing.

A $1 million Mega Millions prize won in central Iowa remains unclaimed after four months.

The $1 million-winning ticket was purchased at Gateway Expresse, 2400 University Blvd. in Ames, for the game's drawing on Sept. 6. It was the only ticket in the country that night to match the five white balls but miss the yellow Mega Ball to win at the game's second prize level.

The winner or winners of the $1 million prize have until the close of business on Sept. 6, 2023, to claim it at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive.

Gateway Expresse received a $1,000 bonus from the Iowa Lottery for selling the $1 million-winning ticket.

Easy Pick vs. Your Own Numbers

The vast majority of tickets purchased in games like Powerball and Mega Millions are easy-pick plays, meaning that the lottery terminal assigns the numbers printed on the ticket. About 94 percent of the plays purchased in Iowa for Friday’s Mega Millions drawing were easy picks.

But players also can choose their own numbers. They choose five numbers from a pool of 70 for the white balls and one number from a separate pool of 25 for the Mega Ball.

Neither option is luckier. The odds of winning are the same for every ticket purchased in the game. There are more winners from easy-pick tickets simply because the majority of tickets purchased are easy picks.

Please Play Responsibly

And as always, the Iowa Lottery reminds everyone that it only takes one ticket to win. Please play responsibly. Playing smart is a lot more fun.

Fast Facts About The Mega Millions Jackpot

Update at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 6: While the annuity estimate for tonight's Mega Millions® jackpot is still $940 million, the estimate for the jackpot's cash value has grown a little to $486 million. Remember that both figures are estimates based on sales projections. There usually are differences between the advance estimates and the final jackpot amount because the biggest percentage of ticket sales happen on the day of the drawing.           

The current Mega Millions jackpot is the sixth-largest lottery prize ever offered in the United States.

Post-Holiday Focus

The timing of the current Mega Millions jackpot run has been a little unusual, spanning the entire holiday season and continuing on. The past few weeks have been busy with holiday travel, family gatherings and year-end celebrations, but now that the New Year has begun, folks are back in their normal routines and Mega Millions sales are ticking up.

What’s in store for 2023?

The Mega Millions jackpot has been growing for more than two months. It was last won on Oct. 14. Overall, Mega Millions was won six times in 2021 and six times in 2022. Now we’ll see what 2023 brings!

Drawing Details

A total of 19,761 plays purchased by Iowa Lottery players won prizes in Tuesday’s Mega Millions drawing. The winning numbers that night were 25-29-33-41-44 and Mega Ball 18. The next drawing in the game happens at 10 p.m. tomorrow.

Sales Cut-Off Time

If you’re buying a Mega Millions ticket, remember that there is a sales cut-off time for Friday night’s drawing.

Here in Iowa, that time is 8:59 p.m. on the night of the drawing. If you buy a ticket after that, you’ll still have a valid play, but it will be for a future drawing and you won’t be in on Friday’s big money!

The cut-off deadline is an automated procedure and it can’t be pushed back. There have been Iowa players who waited too long and missed the cut-off time, so please remember that deadline.

Details About Cash vs. Annuity – And Taxes

If a jackpot winner were to choose the annuity option for tomorrow’s big prize (that amount is currently estimated at $940 million), they would receive an immediate payment followed by annual payments that increase by 5 percent per year for 29 years and add up to the annuity total.

In that scenario, the cash on hand in the jackpot pool from the sale of tickets in the game is invested in securities, and the winner receives payments over time. Withholdings are applied to each payment that the winner receives.

If a winner were to pass away before receiving all their payments, the money would go into that person’s estate. The lottery would make future payments as determined by the estate or the court.

If a jackpot winner were to choose the cash option for tomorrow night’s prize (that amount is currently estimated at $483.5 million), they would receive the lump-sum amount in the jackpot pool from the sale of tickets in the game.

There is no interest income in that scenario because the money is not invested. Another way of putting it is that the “rest of the money” does not exist in that instance. The winner receives the lump-sum amount in one payment, with withholdings applied to the entire amount.

Here in Iowa, 24 percent federal withholding applies to a jackpot prize along with 5 percent state withholding. Withholdings are automatically applied before the payment is made to the winner and cannot be modified or waived.

Withholdings are designed to cover the jackpot winner’s tax liability from claiming a large lottery prize. However, the total taxes that a winner owes is dependent upon their financial circumstances outside of winning the lottery. In some instances, the withholding is not enough, in other instances, it’s too much.
The details would be sorted out in the winner’s income-tax filing for the year. That’s why the Iowa Lottery always encourages its winners to consult a lawyer or financial planner before they claim their prize.

Please Play Responsibly

And as always, the Iowa Lottery reminds everyone that it only takes one ticket to win. Please play responsibly. Playing smart is a lot more fun.

Suite Seats Promotion Returns – With Some Exciting Additions

Some incredible VIP basketball packages are on the line in the Suite Seats promotion that started today.

The promotion’s entry period opened at 10 a.m. today. This year’s edition of Suite Seats is similar to a promotion with the same name held in 2019, but with several fun additions.

Members of our free VIP Club can enter nonwinning tickets from the “Money Madness” and “Triple Tripler” scratch games into the promotion for a chance to win. When they enter, they’ll choose between tickets to a session of the national men’s college basketball tournament this March in Des Moines, or a prize package that includes two suite tickets to the Los Angeles Lakers-Minnesota Timberwolves game March 31 in Minneapolis.

Each college basketball prize pack is valued at more than $1,600 and includes 2 suite tickets to Session 1, 2 or 3 of the national men’s tournament (you’ll choose the session you want when you make your entry), as well as food and non-alcoholic beverages, $400 spending cash, tournament merchandise and a parking pass. There are 16 prize packs up for grabs for each of the three sessions at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

Each Timberwolves prize pack is valued at nearly $2,000. It includes 2 suite tickets for the Lakers-Timberwolves game on March 31 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, a 1-night stay at the Loews Downtown Minneapolis Hotel with valet parking, food and non-alcoholic beverages, merchandise and $400 spending cash. Ten NBA prize packs will be given away in the promotion.

The Suite Seats entry period runs through 9:59 a.m. on Feb. 28, with the promotion’s drawings to follow on March 1. A player can win only once per category, but it is possible that someone could win tickets to each men’s college tournament session in Des Moines and the NBA game.

As part of the fun, the Iowa Lottery will hold a special event at the Jan. 29 Iowa Wolves basketball game in Des Moines. VIP Club members will be able to request 4 free tickets to the game, and the lottery will be there with courtside scratch ticket sales, a contest, and giveaways before and during the game.

Fast Facts About Tonight's Mega Millions Drawing

The jackpot for tonight’s Mega Millions® drawing stands at an estimated $785 million annuity, $403.8 million cash option. That’s the 4th-largest jackpot in Mega Millions history and the 6th-largest jackpot ever offered in the United States.

Any jackpot amounts on the list that are higher than the current Mega Millions grand prize are all above the $1 billion mark. Tonight’s drawing happens at 10 p.m.

The current record for a Mega Millions jackpot is $1.537 billion, won in October 2018. The world record for any lottery jackpot is the $2.04 billion Powerball® grand prize won in November with a ticket in California.

There have been times when Powerball and Mega Millions climbed into the stratosphere together. This time around, it seems like the games are taking turns – so polite, right? Powerball climbed to its world-record amount in November, while Mega Millions is climbing now. It demonstrates what we’ve said so many times: You never know when the next big winner will hit!

Two Iowa Tickets That Came Close

Two Iowa tickets were just one number away from having at least a share of Friday’s Mega Millions jackpot. They each matched four of the first five numbers and the Mega Ball® to win a $10,000 prize. They were purchased at:

• Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh, 727 Grand Ave. in Spencer.
• Kwik Star, 2035 John F. Kennedy Road in Dubuque.

The Mega Millions jackpot has been growing for more than two months – it was last won in the drawing on Oct. 14. Mega Millions was won six times in 2021 and six times in 2022. Now we’ll see what 2023 brings!

When the big prize reaches this level, it becomes harder to predict the estimates for it in advance. Stronger sales nationwide push the jackpot even higher, and that’s what has been happening during the past week or so.

Remember The Sales Cut-Off

If you’re buying a Mega Millions ticket, remember that there is a sales cut-off time for tonight’s drawing! Here in Iowa, the sales cut-off time is at 8:59 p.m. on the night of the drawing.

If you buy a ticket after that, you’ll still have a valid play, it'll just be for a future drawing and you won’t be in on tonight’s big money! The cut-off deadline is an automated procedure and it can’t be pushed back. There have been people who waited too long in the past and missed the cut-off, so please remember that deadline.

And as always, the Iowa Lottery reminds everyone to play with their head not over their head. It only takes one ticket to win. Please play responsibly.