ialottery blog

Repeat Numbers In Lotto America: It Means The Game Is Working As It Should

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.

Revamp In Mega Millions® Game Arrives

Something big happened while you were sleeping. The switch was flipped, the update went through, and you can now buy tickets of the new version of Mega Millions!

We’ve been telling you for months that the redesigned game would have better odds of winning, bigger jackpots more often, and built-in multipliers in all plays. The day has arrived!

Here’s what’s next in the Mega Millions reboot:

With no jackpot winner last night in the final drawing of the previous version of the game, the jackpot rolled into the new game and continues to climb. The current jackpot for Tuesday’s Mega Millions drawing, the first in the revamped game, is an estimated $54 million annuity, $25.7 million lump-sum option.

That’s actually higher than the $50 million starting jackpot amount in the redesigned game. The current jackpot will continue to grow with each drawing until it’s won, then it still reset to the $50 million starting amount and begin to grow again. The larger starting amount will help the game’s jackpots grow faster, meaning we’ll see more of them over $1 billion!

You’ll also see some changes on your next Mega Millions ticket. Each play now costs $5, but you get some real bang for your buck. Along with the better odds, there are bigger prizes at all levels, no break-even prizes, and we’ve added a 10X multiplier!

The beginning of the revamped Mega Millions means you can once again buy up to 10 advance plays. We had to temporarily limit how many plays could be purchased in advance until the changes kicked in, but we’re now back to full speed.

While there are a lot of changes to the game, the drawing days and time will remain the same: Tuesdays and Fridays at 10 p.m.

Game redesigns like these are rare, and we’re excited for you to have a brand-new shot at winning the next Mega Millions jackpot!

All About The Prizes & Odds Of Winning In The Upcoming Mega Millions Redesign

With less than 2 weeks to go until the redesign goes live in the Mega Millions® game, here are the details you'll want to know.

On April 5, sales will begin in the $5 Mega Millions game. The jackpot in the revamped game will start at $50 million, there will be bigger prizes at all 9 of the game’s prize levels, and the multiplier will be built into all plays.

Let’s break that down, one a piece at a time.

Some folks have told us they don’t understand what a built-in multiplier means. Maybe the best way to explain it is to show what a ticket in the new game will look like.

The image to the right is of a ticket with 5 plays on it for the new Mega Millions game. As you can see, the multipliers on the ticket are: x2, x5, x4, x10 and x3.

The number represents the amount that any non-jackpot prize you win on that play will be multiplied. The multiplier is randomly assigned and automatically included in each play.

There will no longer be a separate Megaplier number selected as part of the drawing, because the multiplier will be determined on a play-by-play basis. 

For tickets containing multiple plays, the multipliers on the ticket can repeat, be different, or all be the same.

In the current version of Mega Millions, the multiplier costs an extra $1 per play and nonjackpot prizes in the game are multiplied by 2-5 times. In the revamped game, a 10x multiplier also will be added in.

The Prize Structure & Odds Of Winning

So what does that mean for prizes? To start, there will be no break-even prizes. The smallest amount you can win in the redesigned game is $10 – that’s twice the purchase price.

In the revamped game, the Mega Millions jackpot will start at $50 million (more than double the current game’s starting jackpot amount) and grow until someone wins it. Then it will reset to $50 million and begin to grow again.

And while the Mega Millions jackpot of course will be big, non-jackpot prizes in the revamped game can be up to $10 million! So even if you don’t win the jackpot, be sure to check your ticket after each drawing for any prize you may have won.

Below is the complete prize structure in the redesigned Mega Millions game. With the built-in multipliers, the amount you can win at the game’s initial 8 prize levels will have a big range. Be sure to check your tickets carefully! (And as with today's version of the game, the multiplier does not apply to the game’s jackpot.)

The Odds For The Multiplier

The chart at the right shows the odds for a particular multiplier number being included in your play.

Do the details involved mean that the multiplier more often will be a 2 or a 3? Yes.

But any of the multipliers have a shot.

When The New Version Of Mega Millions Will Debut

The final drawing in the existing version of Mega Millions will be held on Friday, April 4. Sales in the $5 version of the game begin the next morning, on April 5.

The first drawing in the revamped game will be held on Tuesday, April 8. Drawings in Mega Millions will continue to be held twice a week at 10 p.m. central time on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Once the new version of the game goes live, the temporary limit on advance plays in it will be lifted. You’ll again be able to buy Mega Millions tickets in Iowa for up to 10 drawings in advance.

The temporary limit, called a step down, has been in place for about a month in Iowa to ensure that no one mistakenly ends up with an invalid play when the revamped game begins.

 

*The jackpot prize will be divided equally among multiple winners based on the amount available in the game’s jackpot prize pool. The game’s total prize pool is estimated to be 55 percent of Mega Millions sales, but may be higher or lower based upon the number of winners at each guaranteed prize level, as well as the funding required to meet the official advertised jackpot. The official Mega Millions grand prize annuity amount is subject to change based on sales forecasts and/or actual sales. Reminder: The multiplier does not apply to the jackpot.

**The set prize amounts published here are based on the expected number of winners sharing in the prize pool. For any drawing, if prize liability exceeds the percentage of the prize pool allocated to the set prize levels, then all prizes except the jackpot prize may become pari-mutuel and would be lower than these prize levels.

There IS A Jackpot Game That Costs Just $1 To Play & Has Easier Odds Of Winning

Here’s something that players regularly tell us they want in a lotto game. And in fact, it already exists.

You can play it today, and the game’s current jackpot is the second-highest in its history.

I’m referring to Lotto America®, the multi-state lotto game that costs $1 to play and has easier odds of winning than its larger cousins, Powerball® and Mega Millions®.

The Lotto America jackpot currently stands at an estimated $25.56 million annuity ($12.04 million lump-sum option) for tomorrow night’s drawing. That’s the second-largest jackpot ever offered in the game.

And, did you know that the largest Lotto America jackpot to date was won by an Iowan? That $40.03 million prize was won in April 2023 by a Dubuque man.

Some players tell us they wish there were an alternative to Powerball and Mega Millions, which both cost more than $1 per ticket and have long odds of winning. (You can’t achieve the giant jackpots that those games regularly produce without having a higher price point and longer odds.)

And so we’re left to wonder: If people SAY they want a $1 lotto game with easier odds of winning, are they playing Lotto America, which provides just that?

Things that make you go, “Hmmmm …”

‘Step Down’ Now Underway On Advance Plays In Mega Millions

We gave you a head’s up last month that it was coming, and now a temporary countdown is underway on the number of drawings for which you can buy tickets in advance in Mega Millions®.

As of today, you can buy tickets in the game here in Iowa for up to 9 drawings in advance. (The usual maximum is 10.) After Friday’s drawing, the number will be reduced to 8. With each drawing, the number will continue to be reduced until the new version of the Mega Millions game debuts early next month.

The limit on advance plays is called a “step down” and it’s put in place to ensure that no one mistakenly ends up with an invalid play when the revamp of the game begins.

Once the redesign in Mega Millions debuts on April 5, you’ll again be able to buy tickets in advance for up to 10 drawings in the game.

Please note that the current step down only applies to Mega Millions. You can buy the usual number of advance plays in the other lotto games available in Iowa.

The changes on the way in Mega Millions are designed to allow the game to continue meeting player expectations for play options and big jackpots.

The Step Down Schedule

Here is the Iowa schedule for the step down on advance plays leading into the Mega Millions redesign. The reduction in the number of advance plays you can purchase happens after the Mega Millions drawing on each date.

Drawing Date	Max Number Of Advance Plays Available
February 28	10
March 4	9
March 7	8
March 11	7
March 14	6
March 18	5
March 21	4
March 25	3
March 28	2
April 1	1

When The New Version Of Mega Millions Will Debut

The final drawing in the existing version of Mega Millions will be held on Friday, April 4. Sales in the $5 version of the game begin the next morning, on April 5.

The first drawing in the revamped game will be held on Tuesday, April 8. Drawings in Mega Millions will continue to be held twice a week at 10 p.m. central time on Tuesdays and Fridays.

On Our Website & Mobile App: New Details For The Jackpots In InstaPlay Games

We’ve added some additional details on our website and mobile app to help show exactly how the jackpots work in our Progressive InstaPlay games.

The information for each Progressive InstaPlay game now includes the game’s starting jackpot amount AND the amount that jackpot grows with each ticket sold statewide in the game.

There are currently 9 Progressive InstaPlay games available in Iowa. And as any new Progressive games are added in the future, we’ll continue to make sure the jackpot-growth details are available.

Why They’re Called Progressive

The jackpots in Progressive InstaPlay games have set starting amounts and increase with each ticket sold statewide until they’re won. The jackpot then resets to the starting amount and begins to grow again.

InstaPlay games have similarities to scratch games, but their plays are left in electronic form rather than being pre-printed into a supply of tickets.

An electronic file of plays exists for an InstaPlay game, and winners are randomly distributed within that file. When you buy an InstaPlay ticket at a lottery terminal or self-service kiosk, you get the next available play from the top of the file.

Some jackpots won in a Progressive InstaPlay game will be larger, based upon where the particular jackpot-winning ticket falls within the file, and some will be smaller, for that same reason.

No one – not even those of us who work at the lottery – knows where the next big winner will hit.

And as with any of our games, the jackpot is just one of the prize levels available in an InstaPlay game. Some of the money spent on tickets in the games goes to pay the jackpot, and some goes to pay the other prizes.

The Jackpot Details, All In One Place

While the jackpot details are on our website and mobile app for each Progressive InstaPlay game, I’m providing them here so you’ll have them all in one place:

• In the $30 Blank Check Progressive game, the jackpot starts at $50,000 and grows by $3 with each ticket sold statewide until it is won.
• In the $30 Super 7s Progressive game, the jackpot starts at $50,000 and grows by $3 with each ticket sold statewide.
• In the $20 Xtreme Multiplier Progressive game, the jackpot starts at $20,000 and grows by $2 with each ticket sold.
• In the $20 Extreme Green Progressive game, the jackpot starts at $20,000 and grows by $2 with each ticket sold.
• In the $10 Hot Ticket Progressive game, the jackpot starts at $10,000 and grows by $1 with each ticket sold.
• In the $5 Big Money Doubler Progressive game, the jackpot starts at $5,000 and grows by 35 cents with each ticket sold.
• In the $5 MONOPOLY™ Game Tokens Progressive game, the jackpot starts at $5,000 and grows by 35 cents with each ticket sold.
• In the $2 Fat Wallet Progressive game, the jackpot starts at $2,000 and grows by 15 cents with each ticket sold.
• In the $1 Cash on the Run Progressive game, the jackpot starts at $650 and grows by 8 cents with each ticket sold.

Those amounts are programmed into the prize structure of the game itself, and the lottery does not adjust the prize structure once it has been implemented.

MONOPOLY TM, ® & © 1935, 2024 Hasbro

‘Step Down’ On Advance Plays In Mega Millions Will Lead Into Game Redesign

The Mega Millions® game is getting a make-over in early April and in the weeks leading up to that change, the Iowa Lottery will temporarily have a limit on the number of drawings for which you can purchase tickets in advance.

The process is called a “step down” and it’s put in place to ensure that no one mistakenly ends up with an invalid play when the new version of the game begins.

The step down will last only until sales in the revamped game begin April 5. Once the redesign in Mega Millions debuts, players in Iowa will be able to purchase tickets in advance for up to 10 drawings as usual.

The step down will apply only to Mega Millions. You’ll still be able to buy the usual number of advance plays in the other lotto games we have here in Iowa.

The Changes Coming In Mega Millions

The changes on the way in Mega Millions are designed so the game can keep meeting player expectations for play options and big jackpots.

• Tickets in the revamped game will cost $5 each.
• The game's starting jackpot will more than double to $50 million compared to today's general starting jackpot amount of $20 million. With the redesign, the jackpot will grow faster and there will be bigger jackpots more often, with more jackpots anticipated above the $1 billion mark.
• There will be bigger prizes at all 9 of the prize levels in Mega Millions, from matching just the Mega Ball alone all the way up to matching all 6 numbers to win the jackpot.
• The smallest prize in the revamped game will be $10 – twice the purchase price, meaning no break-even prizes.
• The multiplier, currently an add-on feature that costs an extra $1 per play, will be built into the redesigned game and expanded. In the new version of the game, each play will include a randomly-assigned multiplier number that will multiply any prize won. The multiplier currently multiplies prizes by 2-5 times, and the revamped game will add a 10X multiplier.
• The odds of winning the jackpot will improve, going from about 1 in 303 million to about 1 in 290 million.
• The overall odds of winning any prize in the game also will improve.

The Numbers In The Revamped Game

The numbers available to play in Mega Millions will change slightly, with 1 fewer number in the mix. Under the redesign, you'll still choose 5 numbers out of 70 for the white balls. But you'll choose the yellow Mega Ball from a separate pool of 24 numbers. There are 25 numbers available today for the Mega Ball.

That change in the numbers is why the step down is used. Without it, someone could mistakenly buy a ticket with 25 as the Mega Ball for a drawing after the game update happens. That ticket would be ineligible to win a prize in the new version of the game because it would include a number no longer available.

The Step Down Schedule

Here is the Iowa schedule for the step down on advance plays leading into the Mega Millions redesign:

Drawing Date	Max Number Of Advance Plays Available
February 28	10
March 4	9
March 7	8
March 11	7
March 14	6
March 18	5
March 21	4
March 25	3
March 28	2
April 1	1

When The New Game Will Debut

The final drawing in the existing version of Mega Millions will be held on Friday, April 4. Sales in the $5 version of the game begin the next morning, on April 5.

The first drawing in the revamped game will be held on Tuesday, April 8.

Drawings in Mega Millions will continue to be held twice a week at 10 p.m. central time on Tuesdays and Fridays.

2 New InstaPlay Games Debut Sunday While Another Will End Soon

Update on Tuesday, January 21: The final progressive jackpot in the Jumbo Bucks Progressive InstaPlay game had reached $23,551.75 when it was won yesterday with a ticket purchased in Stacyville. So that game now has ended.   

Hey, InstaPlay fans! Here’s a head’s up that 2 new games will debut on Sunday, while a long-time existing game is on the list to end.

These updates are the final pieces of a refresh in our InstaPlay product line that’s been underway since September. In the months since then, we’ve introduced more than a dozen new InstaPlay games while a corresponding number of older games have ended.

It’s the first major update to our InstaPlay lineup since we began offering the product back in 2016. And it’s been fun to introduce new games for you to check out and have a shot at new prizes!

The updates continue on Sunday when ticket sales begin in the Big Money Doubler Progressive and Ultimate Winnings InstaPlay games.

As the name indicates, Big Money Doubler Progressive (a $5 game) has a progressive jackpot that starts at $5,000 and grows with each ticket sold statewide in the game until it’s won. Other prizes in the game range from $5 up to $1,000.

And, Ultimate Winnings (a $20 game) features set-amount prizes ranging from $20 up to $100,000.

While we’re gearing up for those games, another InstaPlay game is scheduled to end. The $5 Jumbo Bucks Progressive InstaPlay game has been on the game-ending list since Nov. 30. But the exact date it will be removed from sale depends on when the game’s current jackpot is won.

To be fair to our players, we never want to end an InstaPlay game while its progressive jackpot is still growing. Someone should get to win that prize! So as soon as the Jumbo Bucks Progressive jackpot is won, the game will end.

As we move ahead, it will be the norm for new InstaPlay games to regularly be introduced and older games to end. But for now, the refresh over the past few months has created a fun, new mix of games for you to try!

Truth or Myth: Is There A Better Chance Of Winning When The Jackpot Is Smaller?

Here’s another Truth vs. Myth question to test your lottery smarts: Do you have a better chance of winning when the jackpot is smaller?

Some people say they think that’s true. But it’s a myth.

All the plays in a lotto game (including Powerball® and Mega Millions®) have the same odds of winning, no matter the size of the jackpot.

That’s because the odds are based solely upon the numbers available to play in the game. They DON’T change with the size of the jackpot or the number of people playing.

From a practical standpoint, how would lotteries ever be able to tell you the odds if they were based upon the jackpot amount or the number of tickets being purchased? The details would change from minute to minute.

How The Odds Work

Here’s an example of how the odds really work. In Powerball, the odds of winning the jackpot are about 1 in 292.2 million because that’s how many different ways you can combine the numbers available in the game to make a play. You choose 5 numbers from a pool of 1 to 69 for the white balls and another number from a separate pool of 1 to 26 for the red Powerball. There are 292.2 million ways those numbers can be combined.

Each play you buy contains 1 of those combinations. The winning numbers selected in the drawing also are 1 of those combinations. So, there are odds of 1 in 292.2 million that the numbers on your ticket will match all 6 winning numbers in the drawing to win the jackpot.

Those odds never change.

Whether or not you play, the Iowa Lottery wants everyone to have an accurate understanding of how the lottery works. This Truth vs. Myth series is part of that effort.

Giant Mega Millions Jackpot Won, 2 Iowa Tickets Just 1 Number Away

The giant Mega Millions® jackpot was won last night, with 2 Iowa tickets just 1 number away from having a share of the prize.

Last night’s Mega Millions jackpot was won by a ticket purchased in California. The prize of $1.22 billion annuity, $549.7 million lump-sum option, is the 5th largest jackpot in the history of the game and the 9th-largest U.S. lottery prize.

Prizes Won In Iowa, 2 Tickets That Came So Close

Iowa Lottery players won a total of 38,780 prizes in last night’s Mega Millions drawing, ranging from $2 up to $30,000.

Two Iowa tickets were just 1 number away from having a share of the jackpot, matching 4 of the 5 white balls and the Mega Ball.

One of the tickets won a $30,000 prize, while the other won $10,000. The player who bought the $30,000-winning ticket added the Megaplier® option to the purchase, which tripled the prize.

• The $30,000-winning ticket was purchased at New Co-Op Corning, 408 Sixth St. in Corning.
• The $10,000-winning ticket was purchased at Casey’s, 1850 22nd St. in West Des Moines.

Those 2 prizes can be claimed at any Iowa Lottery office.

The Winning Numbers & Iowa Sales

The winning numbers in last night’s Mega Millions drawing were: 3-7-37-49-55 and Mega Ball 6. The Megaplier number was 3.

Iowa Lottery players bought nearly $2.2 million in Mega Millions tickets for last night’s drawing, including about $1.5 million in tickets yesterday alone. But the average Mega Millions purchase in Iowa for the drawing remained about 3 plays, or $6 per ticket.

We’re glad to see that a lot of people got in on the fun and didn’t go overboard.

The Latest On Tonight’s Giant Mega Millions Jackpot

The giant Mega Millions® jackpot continues to climb, now standing at an estimated $1.22 billion annuity, $549.7 million lump-sum option, for tonight’s drawing.

The Mega Millions jackpot is now the 5th-largest prize in the history of the game and the 9th-largest jackpot in any U.S. lottery game.

The current Mega Millions jackpot has been growing for nearly 4 months. It was last won on Sept. 10. The game’s drawings are held at 10 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Winning Numbers, Iowa Sales & Prizes

Iowa Lottery players won a total of 30,927 prizes in Tuesday’s Mega Millions drawing. The winning numbers that night were: 11-14-38-45-46 and Mega Ball 3. The Megaplier® number was 3.

Three Iowa tickets were just 1 number away from having at least a share of that night’s jackpot and won $10,000 each. They matched 4 of the 5 white balls and the Mega Ball.

The $10,000-winning tickets were purchased at:

• Smokin’ Joe’s, 1606 W. Locust St. in Davenport
• Hy-Vee, 812 S. First Ave. in Iowa City
• Casey’s, 516 Rossville Road in Waukon.

Iowa players bought more than $1.7 million in Mega Millions tickets for Tuesday’s drawing. But the average Mega Millions purchase in Iowa for the drawing remained about 3 plays, or $6 per ticket. Lottery officials were pleased that a lot of people had fun playing and didn’t go overboard.

Easy Picks vs. Your Own Numbers

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

But players also can choose their own numbers. They choose five numbers from a pool of 1 to 70 for the white balls and 1 number from a separate pool of 25 for the yellow Mega Ball.

It HAS Been A While Since The Last $1 Billion+ Jackpot

If it seems like it’s been a while since we’ve seen a jackpot of more than $1 billion, that’s correct.

Prior to the current Mega Millions jackpot, it had been 8 months since the last time a U.S. jackpot topped the $1 billion mark. That Powerball® jackpot of $1.33 billion was won on April 6. The last Mega Millions jackpot to climb higher than $1 billion was a $1.13 billion prize won on March 26.

There were 4 U.S. jackpots of more than $1 billion in calendar year 2023, but the current jackpot is just the 3rd in 2024. And that’s the random nature of the games: You never know when the next big winner will hit!

12 U.S. Jackpots Of More Than $1 Billion

With the current Mega Millions jackpot included, there now have been a dozen U.S. jackpots of more than $1 billion, all in the Powerball and Mega Millions games.

The Deadline To Buy

Remember that the deadline in Iowa to buy a ticket for tonight’s Mega Millions drawing is 8:59 p.m. If you buy a ticket after that, it will be for an upcoming drawing and you won’t be in the running for tonight’s giant prize.

Play Healthy

At the Iowa Lottery, we remind everyone to play just for fun. You are gambling when you buy a lottery ticket and there is no guarantee that you’ll win.

As an additional resource, we keep Play Smart, Be Informed details on our website to help everyone have an accurate understanding of how the lottery works.

Fast Facts For Tonight’s Giant Jackpot Drawing In Mega Millions

Maybe this means another stop today on your shopping list!

Strong sales in Iowa and across the country have pushed the giant Mega Millions® jackpot to an estimated $1 billion annuity, $448.8 million lump-sum amount, for tonight’s Christmas Eve drawing.

The current jackpot is the 7th-largest in Mega Millions history and hovers just under the Top 10 list of the biggest jackpots in any U.S. lotto game.

The Mega Millions jackpot was won 10 times in calendar year 2023 but has been hit only 3 times so far in 2024. That demonstrates the random nature of a game like Mega Millions, where no one knows when the next big winner will hit.

With Iowa Lottery offices closed tomorrow and Thursday for the holiday, players can check the lottery website for the latest jackpot and winner updates.

Will The Holiday Season Change Ticket-Buying Patterns?

In the usual ticket-purchasing patterns for Mega Millions, the day of the drawing always has the highest sales. And sales generally peak that day from 4-7 p.m. as a lot of people head home from work.

But with the holidays this week, players’ purchasing patterns may be different, with a lot of people on vacation and out of their normal routines. The “normal” patterns may fall by the wayside for this drawing.

The added attention on tonight’s drawing also emphasizes the point that lottery drawings happen every day of the year, even when the drawing date falls on a holiday.

How Has The Jackpot Gotten This Big?

Time combined with sales are why the jackpot has grown so large.

The Mega Millions jackpot has been growing for nearly 4 months. It was last won in the drawing on Sept. 10.

The jackpot increases from drawing to drawing when there is no grand-prize winner, and sales generally increase as the jackpot climbs higher. And higher sales, in turn, push the jackpot even higher.

What’s That About ‘Coverage’?

A detail that gets a lot of attention in Mega Millions drawings is the coverage estimate. 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 purchased, or “covered.”

The coverage estimate for tonight’s 10 p.m. drawing is about 25 percent. A higher coverage percentage can mean it’s more likely there will be a jackpot winner, but it is not a definite. There have been jackpot winners when the coverage estimate was in the single digits, and winners when the estimate was much higher.

The Deadline To Buy

Remember that the deadline in Iowa to buy tickets for the Mega Millions drawing is 8:59 p.m. on the night of the drawing.

If you buy a ticket after that, it will be for an upcoming drawing and you won’t be in the running for that night’s giant prize.

Play Healthy

The Iowa Lottery reminds players to enjoy the moment, but remember that you are gambling when you buy tickets. There is no guarantee that you’ll win. Playing the lottery is something that should be done just for fun.

The Iowa Lottery keeps these and other “Play Smart, Be Informed” details on its website to help everyone have an accurate understanding of how the lottery works.

Big Change In The Lineup: 10 New InstaPlay Games On The Way In November!

Iowa’s InstaPlay lineup is set for a BIG makeover in November, with 10 new games scheduled to hit the market.

The revamp of our InstaPlay line started a couple months ago when we introduced a few new games. It continued earlier this month when we debuted our first holiday-themed InstaPlay tickets.

Now in the next few weeks, you’ll see another 10 new InstaPlay games hitting the market as some older games end. That approach is similar to the schedules we use for scratch and pull-tab games – as new games are introduced, sales end in older games that have been on the market for some time.

The big difference on the InstaPlay side has to do with progressive-jackpot games. I’ll dig into those details later in this blog entry.

The Schedule Of New Games

The 5 InstaPlay games set to debut Nov. 3 all feature set prize amounts. Here is the list, including their ticket prices:

• $20 on the Spot ($1)
• Fast Cash Bingo ($2)
• Plus the Cash ($5)
• Crazy Wild Cash ($10)
• Top Dollar ($30).

Five more InstaPlay games are set to begin Nov. 17. Four of them have progressive jackpots, meaning that the top prize increases with each ticket sold statewide until it’s won. Only 1 game scheduled for Nov. 17 features set prize amounts. The games are:

• Big Money Doubler Progressive ($5)
• Hot Ticket Progressive ($10)
• Xtreme Multiplier Progressive ($20)
• Ultimate Winning ($20, game has set prize amounts)
• Blank Check Progressive ($30).

Some Older Games Are Ending

As the new games are introduced, some existing InstaPlay games will leave the market.

Ending dates are solid for the InstaPlay games with set prize amounts that are leaving the market. But the exact date that the Iowa Lottery plans to end an InstaPlay progressive game is dependent upon its jackpot being won.

To be fair to our players, we don’t want to end an InstaPlay game while its progressive jackpot is still growing. Someone should get to win it!

So, for example, the Cherry Twist Progressive game was put on the game-ending schedule on Oct. 19, but it’s still for sale because its current jackpot hasn't been hit yet!

Sales ended Oct. 19 in these 3 InstaPlay games with set prize amounts:

• Lucky Gems ($1)
• Bullseye Doubler ($2)
• Triple Play ($10).

As we move ahead, we anticipate it will become the norm for new InstaPlay games to regularly start and older games to end.

A New Face For That BIG Sign We’ll Bet You’ve Seen

A big sign that so many of us will recognize has gotten a new look and technology upgrade. And now it will provide details about TWO jackpots rather than just one! 

You’ll definitely notice it the next time you go by!

We’re talking about the iconic lottery billboard along I-235, just east of the state Capitol as the freeway heads into downtown Des Moines. For a lot of folks, that's always been a lottery billboard because Iowa Lottery messaging has been on it since April 1999.

Commuters in the area see the billboard every day. And if you’re from another part of Iowa, you’ve likely seen it when you’re in Des Moines for a state tournament, a concert, or another visit.

For the past handful of years, the billboard has shown the current Powerball® jackpot amount. Over time, the sign had taken some hits from the weather, and we knew it needed an overhaul. But we had to line up new technology for that process.

It all came together yesterday! Crews brought in a crane so they could switch out the graphics on the sign and put in upgraded mechanical boxes to display the jackpot amounts. With the update, the billboard now provides the latest jackpot amounts in Powerball AND Mega Millions®.

(At the time the picture was taken yesterday, it showed the jackpot amount for last night’s Mega Millions drawing. Now that the drawing has happened, the sign’s digits have updated to show the $185 million estimated Mega Millions jackpot for Friday night’s drawing.)

The numbers on the billboard may not seem all that big as you drive by, but look at the image below of the sign crew at work. The digits in the display are MUCH bigger than them!

Say hello to this new look for the jackpots! The finished billboard is in the image above, and the shots of it under construction are below!

Truth or Myth: The Cash Option Is The Jackpot’s Annuity Amount Minus Taxes

Let’s test your lottery know-how with a jackpot-related question! Truth vs. Myth: The cash option is the annuity amount of the jackpot minus taxes.

That’s a myth.

The cash option is NOT the annuity amount minus taxes. Here’s why.

When you win the jackpot in a game like Powerball® or Mega Millions®, you have two options for how you’ll receive your winnings: cash or annuity.

If you choose the annuity option, you’ll receive 30 payments over 29 years that add up to the annuity amount of the jackpot. The first payment is made when you claim the jackpot and the 29 other payments are made on that same date each year.

To achieve the annuity amount of the jackpot, the lottery invests in securities with the cash in the jackpot from the sale of tickets in the game. The initial amount of money invested plus all the interest generated over the 29 years of payments adds up to the annuity total of the jackpot.

Withholdings are applied to each annual payment that you receive. And if you die before receiving your final jackpot payment, the money goes into your estate. The lottery will then make any remaining payments according to the terms of your estate or as directed by the court.

If you choose the cash option, you’ll receive a one-time payment of the cash in the jackpot from the sale of tickets. You won’t receive any interest over time because the money is not invested. You took the lump-sum cash instead.

Another way of putting it is that the “rest of the money” doesn’t exist in that scenario. Withholdings are applied to the entire amount of the lump-sum jackpot payment.

So to recap: Annuity = cash + interest. Lump-sum = cash only.

Whether you play the lottery or not, we want everyone to have an accurate understanding of how the lottery works. This Truth or Myth series is part of that effort.

Revamp of Mega Million Game Set To Debut In April 2025

Mega Millions® is getting ready for a “mega” overhaul, with a new design in the game set to debut in April 2025.

Among the enhancements that players will see:

• Improved odds of winning the jackpot
• Bigger jackpots more often
• Larger starting jackpots
• Faster-growing jackpots
• A built-in multiplier on every play, automatically improving every non-jackpot win by 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X or 10X. With the built-in multiplier, players will be able to win up to $10 million for matching just the five white balls but missing the Mega Ball in a drawing.
• No break-even prizes, meaning when a player wins, they’ll always win more than the cost of a play.

When the revamped game begins next April, tickets in it will cost $5 per play. This is only the game’s second price adjustment since the first Mega Millions ticket was sold in May 2002, and the first change since the current game design was adopted in 2017.

Mega Millions has produced winners of 6 jackpots topping $1 billion. The game’s largest prize to date was a $1.6 billion jackpot won in August 2023 with a ticket in Florida.

Mega Millions tickets have been sold in Iowa since January 2010. During that time, Iowa Lottery players have won 18 prizes in the game of at least $1 million.

How Are The Jackpot Amounts Determined In InstaPlay Progressive Games?

A man reached out to us this week with a question about the jackpot amounts in our progressive InstaPlay games, and I’m sharing our answer here in case you’ve wondered the same thing.

The man specifically asked how the jackpot amount is determined in the Super 7s Progressive InstaPlay game. But the same process applies to the jackpots in any of our progressive InstaPlay games. You may already know this, but those games are called progressive because their jackpots have a starting amount (just like the jackpots Powerball® and Mega Millions®) and grow progressively larger with each ticket sold statewide until they’re won.

The Details Of The Jackpot

In the case of Super 7s Progressive, its jackpot starts at $50,000 and grows from there, increasing by $3 with each ticket sold statewide in the game.

InstaPlay games are like scratch games, but their plays are left in electronic form rather than having a pre-printed supply of tickets. An electronic file of plays exists in an InstaPlay game, and winning tickets are randomly distributed throughout that file. When you buy an InstaPlay ticket, you get the next available play at the top of the file.

The exact amount involved when the jackpot is won in a progressive InstaPlay game depends upon where the jackpot-winning ticket is within the electronic file. Some jackpots won in the game will be larger, based upon where that particular jackpot-winning ticket falls within the file, and some will be smaller, for the same reason.

As a security feature, not even those of us who work at the lottery know where the winning tickets are within our games, so no one can predict when or where the next big winner will hit.

The jackpot in Super 7s Progressive is therefore a combination of the game’s starting jackpot amount and the number of tickets purchased up until that particular jackpot is won.

And remember that as with any of our games, the top prize is just one of the prize levels available. For example, in addition to the jackpot players can win prizes in Super 7s Progressive ranging from $30 to $10,000, so a big percentage of the money spent on tickets in the game goes to pay prizes.

The Details For Each Progressive Game

Here are the jackpot details in all of the Iowa Lottery’s progressive InstaPlay games:

• In the $30 Super 7s Progressive game, the jackpot starts at $50,000 and grows by $3 with each ticket sold statewide until it is won.
• In the $20 Extreme Green Progressive game, the jackpot starts at $20,000 and grows by $2 with each ticket sold.
• In the $10 JACKPOT PARTY® Progressive game, the jackpot starts at $10,000 and grows by $1 with each ticket sold.
• In the $5 MONOPOLY™ Game Tokens Progressive game, the jackpot starts at $5,000 and grows by 35 cents with each ticket sold.
• In the $5 Jumbo Bucks Progressive game, the jackpot starts at $5,000 and grows by 35 cents with each ticket sold.
• In the $2 Cherry Twist Progressive game, the jackpot starts at $2,000 and grows by 15 cents with each ticket sold.
• In the $1 Loose Change Progressive game, the jackpot starts at $650 and grows by 8 cents with each ticket sold.

Those amounts are programmed into the prize structure of the game itself, and the lottery does not adjust the prize structure once it has been implemented.

2023 ® & © Light & Wonder, Inc. or one of its subsidiaries.
MONOPOLY TM, ® & © 1935, 2024 Hasbro

Newton Firefighter Claims $1 Million Powerball Prize During Total Eclipse

Iowa’s newest Powerball® millionaire claimed his prize today as the total eclipse of the sun was reaching its zenith in the Midwest. He says he knows the timing of it all is something to be remembered!

Trent Baker said he’d been joking that there was a lot going on in the last few days: an earthquake in New York, a total eclipse of the sun, and he won the lottery. He says he maybe shouldn’t ask what’s going to happen next!

Baker, 37, a firefighter, claimed his $1 million Powerball prize this afternoon at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive with a ticket he’d bought for Saturday’s drawing.

While Saturday’s $1.326 billion Powerball jackpot was won in Oregon, Baker’s ticket was one of seven across the country that were just one number away from having a share of the giant prize. Those $1 million-winning tickets each matched the first five numbers but missed the Powerball to win at the game’s second prize level.

How He Found Out He Won

Baker said he was up early for work yesterday when he decided to use the Iowa Lottery app on his mobile phone to check the results of the five Powerball tickets he’d bought the night before. His phone dinged on the second ticket he checked, indicating that it was a winner.

He said he saw a 1 and a bunch of zeroes and wasn’t sure what it meant – if he’d won $1 million or $1 billion.

Baker said he couldn’t report for a shift at the fire station without having another verification of his win, so he took his easy-pick ticket to a local convenience store and had it checked on the lottery terminal there. The clerk at the store confirmed it was a $1 million winner.

Baker said he made it to work on time and shared the news with his co-workers at the fire station. But after working for a few hours and worrying that his scattered thoughts could cause him to make a critical error, he took the rest of his shift off, using the time to research his next steps.

His Plans For The Future, Including Ice Cream

By the time he claimed his prize this afternoon, he’d already spoken with a financial planner, identified the total he needed to pay off his student loans, and made plans to invest the bulk of his winnings. He said he knows that winning the lottery is a once-in-a-lifetime thing, and he wants to make his winnings last as long as possible.

Baker bought his lucky ticket at Hy-Vee, 1501 First Ave. E. in Newton. Hy-Vee will receive a $1,000 bonus from the Iowa Lottery for selling the $1 million-winning ticket.

And while Baker has made long-term plans for his winnings, he also knows he has an immediate purchase in his future that’s a tradition at his fire station. He says that he and his fellow firefighters have an unwritten rule that if they end up in pictures or video in the media, they owe the department ice cream.

And he says he’s going to owe a lot of ice cream now!

$1 Million Powerball Prize Won In Newton

The jackpot hub-bub is over for now – until the next big one comes along!

While the jackpot in last night’s $1.326 billion Powerball® drawing was won in Oregon, an Iowa ticket was just one number away from having a share of the grand prize. That Iowa ticket, purchased in Newton, won a $1 million prize.

The Powerball jackpot had climbed for more than 3 months and tied the game’s record for the longest string of consecutive drawings without a winner before it was won last night. The jackpot had been won on New Year’s Day, then rolled for 41 drawings in a row without a winner. That had only occurred twice before, in 2021 and 2022.

Last night’s jackpot was the 4th-largest Powerball prize and the 8th-largest U.S. lottery prize. The jackpot now returns to $20 million annuity, $9.4 million lump-sum option, for Powerball’s next drawing tomorrow night.

Iowa Sales and Total Prizes Won

Iowa Lottery players won a total of 45,721 Powerball prizes last night ranging from $4 up to $1 million. A total of about $2.4 million in Powerball tickets for last night were purchased in Iowa.

One Iowa ticket was just 1 number away from having a share of last night’s jackpot, matching the first 5 numbers but missing the Powerball to win a $1 million prize. That winning ticket was purchased at Hy-Vee, 1501 First Ave. E. in Newton.

It was one of 7 tickets across the country to win a $1 million prize in last night's drawing.

Last night's winning Powerball numbers were: 22-27-44-52-69 and Powerball 9. The Power Play number was 3.

The $1 million prize must be claimed at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive. If the winner or winners have questions before claiming the prize, they’re welcome to call us at the Iowa Lottery at 515-725-7900 or email us at [email protected].

Details About ‘Coverage’ & Easy Picks

Two details get a lot of attention in Powerball drawings: the coverage estimate and the percentage of easy picks.

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 purchased, or “covered.”

The coverage estimate for last night’s Powerball drawing was about 31.1 percent. A higher coverage percentage can mean it’s more likely there will be a jackpot winner, but it’s not a definite.

Sales details also show how many of the tickets purchased are easy picks, meaning that the lottery terminal randomly selected the numbers printed on the ticket, as compared to manual plays, where the player selected their own numbers.

Nearly 92 percent of the tickets purchased in Iowa for last night’s Powerball drawing were easy-pick tickets.

With that huge percentage of tickets purchased being easy picks, more of the winners will come from easy-pick tickets as well. That does not mean those tickets are luckier, it just means there are a lot more of them.

Powerball Jackpot Climbs To $1.3 Billion, Iowa Ticket Was 1 Number Away Last Night

Update on April 5: Strong sales in Iowa and across the country have pushed the Powerball jackpot even higher for Saturday's drawing! The jackpot for Saturday now stands at an estimated $1.3 billion annuity, $608.9 million lump-sum value.   

Powerball® has tied the game’s record for the most drawings in a row without a grand-prize winner.

The jackpot was last won on New Year’s Day. Saturday’s drawing will be the 41st in the current jackpot run. The Powerball jackpot has only ever rolled this long without a winner twice before, in 2021 and 2022.

The current jackpot is the 4th-largest Powerball prize and the 8th-largest U.S. lottery jackpot.

Total Iowa Prizes Won In Last Night’s Drawing

Iowa Lottery players won a total of 30,704 prizes in last night’s Powerball drawing ranging from $4 up to $150,000.

One Iowa ticket was just 1 number away from having a share of the jackpot, matching 4 of the first 5 numbers and the Powerball to initially win a $50,000 prize. But the player who bought the ticket added the Power Play® option to the purchase, which tripled the winnings to $150,000.

The $150,000-winning ticket was purchased at Casey’s, 916 E. Main St. In Marshalltown.

The winning numbers in last night’s Powerball drawing were: 11-38-41-62-65 and Powerball 15. The Power Play number was 3.

The $150,000 prize can be claimed at any Iowa Lottery office. If the winner has questions before claiming the prize, they’re welcome to call the Iowa Lottery at 515-725-7900 or email us at [email protected].

A Note About ‘Coverage’

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

The coverage estimate for last night’s Powerball drawing was about 22.6 percent. The coverage estimate for Saturday’s drawing is currently about 25.5 percent and could climb higher as ticket sales increase.

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

Play Healthy

At the Iowa Lottery, we ask our players to remember that you are gambling when you buy a ticket -- there’s no guarantee you’ll win. Please be sure that playing the lottery is something you do just for fun. Set a limit and stay within it for how much you’ll spend as you play.

Powerball Jackpot At Est. $1.09 Billion For Tomorrow Night’s Drawing

The Powerball® jackpot continues to climb, making it through its latest drawing and becoming the 2nd U.S. lottery prize in a week to top the $1 billion mark.

The jackpot for Powerball’s next drawing tomorrow night now stands at an estimated $1.09 billion annuity, $527.3 million lump-sum option.

It follows a Mega Millions® jackpot of $1.13 billion won in that game’s March 26 drawing.

While the current Powerball jackpot is huge, it has room to grow before approaching record territory. Powerball holds the world record for a lottery jackpot, a $2.04 billion prize won in November 2022.

The current jackpot is the 4th-largest Powerball prize and the 9th-largest U.S. lottery prize.

Total Prizes Won in Iowa in Last Night’s Drawing

Iowa Lottery players won a total of 20,995 prizes in last night’s Powerball drawing ranging from $4 up to $100,000.

Two Iowa tickets were just 1 number away from having a share of the jackpot, matching 4 of the first 5 numbers and the Powerball. One of those tickets won a $50,000 prize, while the other won a $100,000 prize. The player who bought the $100,000-winning ticket added the Power Play® option to the purchase, which doubled the prize.

The winning numbers in last night’s Powerball drawing were: 19-24-40-42-56 and Powerball 23. The Power Play number was 2.

The $50,000-winning ticket was purchased at Kimmes Carroll Country Store, 422 W. Sixth St. in Carroll.

The $100,000-winning ticket was purchased at Kwik Star, 111 E. Donald St. in Waterloo.

Those two prizes can be claimed at any Iowa Lottery office. If the winners have questions beforehand, they’re welcome to call us at the Iowa Lottery at 515-725-7900 or email us at [email protected].

Play Healthy

At the Iowa Lottery, we offer this reminder amid the giant jackpots: You are gambling when you buy tickets and there’s no guarantee you'll win. Playing the lottery is something you do just for fun.

Powerball Jackpot Becomes 2nd In A Week To Reach $1 Billion

This is no April Fool’s joke: For the 2nd time in a week, a lottery jackpot of $1 billion is on the line.

This time, it’s in Powerball®, where the jackpot for that game’s drawing tonight now stands at an estimated $1 billion annuity, $483.8 million lump-sum option. It follows a Mega Millions® jackpot of $1.13 billion won in that game’s March 26 drawing.

The two jackpots climbed together for nearly three months, simultaneously topping $800 million for the first time in late March.

With Mega Millions being won, the bulk of the jackpot attention is now on Powerball as it continues to grow. The Powerball jackpot was last won on New Year’s Day. And while the jackpot is huge, it has a lot of room to go before it would hit record territory. Powerball holds the world record for a lottery jackpot, a $2.04 billion prize won in November 2022.

Withholding Rates In Iowa For A Jackpot Prize

At the Iowa Lottery, we’ve been fielding tax-related questions about the giant jackpots. We can answer some of them, but others would need to be addressed by a tax expert. That’s just one of the reasons we always encourage our winners to consult a lawyer or financial planner who can help them put together a plan for their winnings.

Here are the specifics the lottery can provide: For any jackpot prize claimed in Iowa, 24 percent federal withholding applies along with 5 percent state withholding. Those amounts are automatically deducted before the prize is paid and can’t be modified or waived.

The withholdings are designed to cover a prize winner’s tax liability from claiming a large lottery prize. But the total taxes that a winner would owe are dependent upon that person’s financial circumstances outside of winning the lottery.

In some instances, the withholdings may not be enough, in other instances, they may be too much. The details would be sorted out in the winner’s income-tax filing for the year.

Scammers Unfortunately Notice Big Jackpots, Too

Scam attempts have been at all-time highs in recent years, and while the criminals behind them run cons of all types, they turn their attention to impersonating lotteries when jackpots are high.

Scammers have fraudulently used the names and logos of lotteries and well-known lottery games, along with the names of lottery winners and lottery officials in an attempt to steal people’s money.

The scams can involve persistent telephone calls and official-looking emails, text messages, social media postings and letters. They promise big prizes and will try to lure you into thinking you’ve won. But it’s a scam. A common thread is that the unsuspecting “winner” is asked to pay money up front for things like taxes, processing fees or delivery charges.

The scammers can sound really convincing. But it’s important to remember this simple truth: There is never a fee to claim a real lottery prize. If you’re asked to pay money up front, it’s a scam.

When you win a prize in a game like Powerball or Mega Millions, you notify the lottery that you’re the winner, not the other way around. The Iowa Lottery has records about the winning ticket and where it was purchased, but we don’t know the winner’s identity until that person comes forward to claim the prize.

The Iowa Lottery keeps these and other security reminders as a permanent feature on its website to help consumers stay safe.

Play Healthy

At the Iowa Lottery, we want our players to enjoy the moment when it comes to big-jackpot fun, but remember that you are gambling when you buy tickets. There is no guarantee you'll win. Playing the lottery is something that should be done just for fun.

Giant Jackpot Run Ends In Mega Millions, Powerball Still Going

Update on March 28: The Powerball jackpot has made it through another drawing, now standing at an estimated $935 million annuity, $449.7 million lump-sum option for the game's next drawing on Saturday. That's still the 5th-largest jackpot in the history of the game.

An Iowa ticket came within 1 number of last night's jackpot! It matched 4 of the first 5 numbers and the Powerball to win a $50,000 prize. That ticket was purchased at Casey's, 1125 N. Hickory Blvd. in Pleasant Hill.   

  

The Mega Millions® giant jackpot run has ended, while Powerball® is still going. Three Iowa tickets were just 1 number away from having a share of last night’s Mega Millions jackpot that topped $1 billion.

The $1.13 billion jackpot in last night’s Mega Millions drawing was won with a ticket in New Jersey.

With that game’s grand prize now returning to its starting amount, the bulk of the jackpot attention turns to Powerball, where its jackpot stands at an estimated $865 million annuity, $416.1 million lump-sum option for the game’s next drawing tonight. That’s the 5th-largest jackpot in the history of that game.

This week marked the first time that the Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots had simultaneously topped $800 million.

Total Prizes Won Last Night In Iowa

Iowa Lottery players won a total of 25,018 prizes in last night’s Mega Millions drawing ranging from $2 up to $20,000.

Three Iowa tickets were just 1 number away from having a share of the jackpot, matching four of the first five numbers and the Mega Ball in last night’s drawing. One of those tickets won a $10,000 prize, while two won a $20,000 prize. The players who bought the $20,000-winning tickets added the Megaplier® option to their purchase, which doubled their prize.

The $20,000-winning tickets were purchased at: Kum & Go, 165 SW Magazine Road in Ankeny and Amoco Jet Stop, 2760 Mount Pleasant St. in Burlington.

The $10,000-winning ticket was purchased at: Kwik Star, 2685 Dodge St. in Dubuque.

Those three prizes can be claimed at any Iowa Lottery office. If the winners have questions before claiming their prize, they’re welcome to call us at the Iowa Lottery at 515-725-7900 or email us at [email protected].

The winning numbers in last night’s Mega Millions drawing were: 7-11-22-29-38 and Mega Ball 4. The Megaplier number was 2.

Could One Person Win Both Jackpots?

With one of the giant jackpots being won but the other still going, this question has come up: Could one person win the jackpot in both games?

The short answer is: Yes. But the odds of that occurring are extremely long.

The odds of winning the jackpot in Mega Millions are about 1 in 302.6 million. The odds of winning the jackpot in Powerball are about 1 in 292.2 million. (Those figures are based upon the total number of combinations available to play in each game.)

To calculate the odds of winning both jackpots, you multiply 302.6 million by 292.2 million.
There are a lot of zeroes involved in the outcome! The odds of winning both jackpots are about 1 in 88.5 quadrillion (that’s 88,500,000,000,000,000).

Winning both jackpots is something fun to daydream about, but it’s perhaps the ultimate long shot. That’s why the Iowa Lottery emphasizes healthy play. Have fun playing the lottery, but remember to play with your head, not over your head.

A Note About ‘Coverage’

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

The coverage estimate for Tuesday’s Mega Millions drawing was about 25 percent. The coverage estimate for Wednesday’s Powerball drawing is currently about 13.5 percent.

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

New Threshold: First Time the Jackpots Simultaneously Hit $800 Million Or More

The giant Mega Millions® and Powerball® jackpots have reached another new threshold: This is the first time they’ve simultaneously been at or above $800 million.

The Powerball jackpot faces the next big test in that game’s drawing tomorrow night. The jackpot for that drawing now stands at an estimated $800 million annuity, $384.8 million lump-sum option. That’s the 6th-largest jackpot in Powerball history.

The Mega Millions jackpot is currently the bigger of the two, now standing at an estimated $1.1 billion annuity, $525.8 million lump-sum option for that game’s next drawing on Tuesday night. That’s the 5th-largest jackpot in Mega Millions history and the 8th-largest U.S. lottery jackpot.

How Have The Jackpots Grown So Large?

Time and ticket sales are why the jackpots have grown so large.

The Mega Millions jackpot now has been growing for nearly four months, last won in the drawing on Dec. 8. The Powerball jackpot has been growing for nearly three months, last won on New Year’s Day.

The jackpots grow from drawing to drawing when there is no grand prize winner, and sales generally increase as the jackpots climb. Higher sales, in turn, push the jackpots even higher.

The Deadline To Buy

Remember that the deadline in Iowa to buy tickets for the Mega Millions and Powerball drawings is 8:59 p.m. on the night of the drawing. If you buy a ticket after that, it will be for an upcoming drawing and you won’t be in the running for that night’s giant prize.

Play Healthy

The Iowa Lottery reminds players to enjoy the moment but remember that you are gambling when you buy tickets and there is no guarantee that you’ll win. Playing the lottery is something that should be done just for fun.

The Iowa Lottery keeps these and other Play Smart, Be Informed details on its website to help everyone have an accurate understanding of how the lottery works. 

Heading into the Weekend: Fast Facts About the Giant Jackpots

The giant Mega Millions® and Powerball® jackpots are heading into their next big tests this weekend. This is just the 3rd time that the jackpots have simultaneously topped $700 million.

The Mega Millions jackpot is currently the bigger of the two, now standing at an estimated $977 million annuity, $467 million lump-sum option for that game’s next drawing tonight. That’s the 6th largest jackpot in Mega Millions history and the 10th largest U.S. lottery jackpot.

And not to be forgotten, the Powerball jackpot for that game’s next drawing tomorrow night is an estimated $750 million annuity, $360.8 million lump-sum option. That’s the 9th-largest jackpot in Powerball history.

Lots Of First-Time & Occasional Players Jumping In

When the jackpots really get up there like they are now, lots of first-time and occasional players jump in to buy tickets. There also is a spike in office pools and people buying tickets together with friends and family.

Here’s a quick brush-up if you want to play but aren’t sure how: The simplest way to buy a ticket is to ask a clerk at a local store for an easy-pick play in Powerball or Mega Millions. The lottery terminal will select the numbers for that play and the ticket will be printed for you.

In most drawings, more than 90 percent of the tickets in Powerball and Mega Millions are easy-pick plays.

If you want more details about how to buy a ticket for a chance at one of the big jackpots, the Iowa Lottery keeps how-to-play videos available on its website. We also have reminders about keeping lottery group play fun and hassle free.

Play Healthy

At the Iowa Lottery, we remind our players to enjoy the moment, but we ask everyone to set a limit and stay within it for how much they’ll spend when they're buying tickets. Playing the lottery is something that should be done just for fun – it’s not an investment and you're not guaranteed to win.

The Iowa Lottery keeps these and other Play Smart, Be Informed details on its website to help everyone have an accurate understanding of how the lottery works.

The Latest About The Giant Jackpots

The Mega Millions® jackpot has survived its latest test and is nearing $1 billion, while the giant Powerball® jackpot will be on the line in that game’s drawing tonight.

This is just the fourth time that the jackpots have simultaneously topped $600 million.

The Mega Millions jackpot is currently the bigger of the two, now standing at an estimated $977 million annuity, $461 million lump-sum option for the game’s next drawing on Friday. That’s the sixth-largest jackpot in Mega Millions history.

Not to be left out, the Powerball jackpot for that game’s next drawing Wednesday night is an estimated $687 million annuity, $327.3 million lump-sum option.

Truth vs. Myth: The cash amount of the jackpot is the annuitized value minus taxes.

That’s a myth.

We’re hearing some mistaken beliefs out there about the cash vs. annuity amounts for a jackpot. The cash amount is not the annuity amount minus taxes. Nor is the cash amount a specific percentage of the annuity total.

Here are the actual details involved:

If a jackpot winner in either game chooses the annuity option, they would receive 30 payments over 29 years that add up to the annuity total.

In that instance, the cash on hand in the jackpot pool from the sale of tickets in the game is invested in securities. That initial amount invested plus all the interest generated through the years adds up to the annuity amount of the jackpot. Withholdings would be 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 their estate. The lottery would make future payments as determined by the estate or a court.

If a jackpot winner chooses the cash option, they receive a one-time payment for the amount in the jackpot pool from the sale of tickets in the game. There is no interest income in that scenario because the money isn’t invested. The winner receives the lump-sum amount in one payment, with withholdings applied to the entire amount.

Withholding Rates In Iowa

Here in Iowa, 24 percent federal withholding applies to a jackpot prize along with 5 percent state withholding. Those amounts are automatically applied before the prize is paid and can’t be modified or waived.

The withholdings are designed to cover the jackpot winner’s tax liability from claiming a large lottery prize. But the total taxes that a winner would owe are dependent upon that person’s financial circumstances outside of winning the lottery.

In some instances, the withholdings may not be enough, in other instances, they may be too much. The details would be sorted out in the winner’s income-tax filing for the year. That is one of the reasons the Iowa Lottery always encourages its winners to consult a lawyer or financial planner who can help answer their questions.

Have Fun, But Set A Limit

The Iowa Lottery reminds everyone to enjoy the moment, but set a limit and stay within it for how much you’ll spend when buying tickets. Playing the lottery is something that should be done just for fun.

You’ll find these and other Play Smart, Be Informed details on the lottery’s website to help everyone have an accurate understanding of how lottery games work.

Giant Jackpots Still Climbing, Mega Millions Gets Latest Bump

Status update on the giant jackpots: PowerbalI® made it through its latest test and continues to climb, while Mega Millions® will be on the line in its drawing tonight.

This is the fourth time that the huge prizes have simultaneously topped the $600 million mark.

Mega Million is currently the larger of the two, standing at an estimated $893 million annuity, $421.4 million lump-sum amount, for its next drawing tonight. That is the sixth-largest jackpot in Mega Millions history and the 10th-largest U.S. lottery jackpot.

The Powerball jackpot is at an estimated $687 million annuity, $327.3 million lump-sum amount, for its next drawing tomorrow night. While that amount is really up there, it is not yet in the Top 10 list of jackpots in the Powerball game.

The Mega Millions jackpot has been growing for more than three months, while the Powerball jackpot has been growing for more than two months.

The two games’ jackpots also simultaneously topped $600 million in 2018, 2021 and 2023.

Truth vs. Myth: I Have A Lucky Store & a Lucky Day To Buy My Tickets

While that may be something fun to talk about, it’s a myth that there are lucky stores or lucky days to buy a ticket. Every ticket in Powerball or Mega Millions has the same odds of winning, no matter when or where it was purchased.

That’s because the odds in each game are based solely upon the numbers you can play.

The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are about 1 in 302.6 million because that is how many ways the numbers in the game (five numbers from a pool of 1-70 for the white balls, one number from 1-25 for the yellow Mega Ball) can be combined to make a play. When the winning numbers are selected, they’re one of about 302.6 million possibilities. So are the set of numbers in each play.

The same definition applies in Powerball: The odds of winning its jackpot are about 1 in 292.2 million because that is how many ways the numbers available in the game can be combined to make a play.

The Deadline To Buy

Remember that the deadline in Iowa to buy tickets for the Mega Millions and Powerball drawings is 8:59 p.m. on the night of the drawing.

Play Just For Fun

As always, the Iowa Lottery reminds you to enjoy the moment, but remember to set a limit and stay within it for how much you’ll spend when buying tickets. Playing the lottery is something to do just for fun.

We keep these and other Play Smart, Be Informed details on the lottery website to help everyone have an accurate understanding of how the lottery works.

Rollin, rollin, rollin: Giant Jackpots Keep Climbing

Which one will get hit first? For now, the huge Mega Millions® and Powerball® jackpots are both still climbing. They’ve simultaneously topped the $600 million mark for just the 4th time.

Powerball faces the next big test with its drawing tonight. The Powerball jackpot stands at an estimated $645 million annuity, $307.3 million lump-sum amount for the drawing. And while that’s a huge amount, it’s not yet in the Top 10 list of jackpots in the Powerball game.

The Mega Millions jackpot stands at an estimated $875 million annuity, $413.5 million lump-sum amount, for that game’s next drawing tomorrow night. That’s the 6th-largest jackpot in Mega Millions history.

The Mega Millions jackpot has been growing for more than 3 months. It was last won on Dec. 8. The Powerball jackpot has been growing for more than 2 months, last being won on New Year’s Day.

The two games’ jackpots also simultaneously topped $600 million in 2018, 2021 and 2023.

$500,000 Iowa Powerball Double Play Winner On Saturday

Here in Iowa, we’re waiting to meet our latest big winner in Powerball!

A Powerball Double Play® ticket purchased at the Kwik Star convenience store, 1502 S. Federal Ave. in Mason City, won a $500,000 prize in Saturday’s drawing.

The Double Play option has been offered in Powerball since November here in Iowa. For an extra $1 per play, players can add the Double Play option to their Powerball tickets. (A Powerball play costs $2, and with Double Play added, a ticket costs $3.) The numbers on that ticket are then eligible to win twice – once in the regular Powerball drawing, and once in a separate Double Play drawing that same night.

In the case of the Mason City ticket, it matched the first five numbers but missed the Powerball in Saturday’s Double Play drawing to win a $500,000 prize. It was the only ticket in the country to win a $500,000 prize that night.

Truth vs. Myth: Are most tickets in Powerball and Mega Millions easy picks?

Most tickets in Powerball and Mega Millions are easy-pick plays, meaning that the lottery terminal selects the numbers on the ticket.

Years ago, about 65 to 70 percent of plays in the games were easy picks. But today, that percentage has climbed to around 90 to 95 percent. It’s a convenience factor: Players can ask for an easy-pick play at their local lottery retailer and the ticket is printed for them on demand.

Some players do choose their own numbers, and either type of play has the same odds of winning. But with 90 to 95 percent of the plays being easy picks, 90 to 95 percent of winning tickets in the games also are easy picks. It does not mean they are luckier, there are just a lot more of them.

Play Healthy

As always, the Iowa Lottery reminds everyone to enjoy the moment, but please set a limit and stay within it for how much you’ll spend when you’re buying tickets. Playing the lottery is something that should be done just for fun.

The Iowa Lottery keeps these and other “Play Smart, Be Informed” details on its website to help everyone have an accurate understanding of how the lottery works.

For 4th Time, Both Giant Jackpots Simultaneously At $600 Million Or Higher

For just the 4th time, the Powerball® and Mega Millions® jackpots have hit or topped the $600 million mark at the same time.

Mega Millions faces its next big test in its drawing tonight. That game’s jackpot stands at an estimated $815 million annuity, $385.1 million lump-sum amount, for tonight’s drawing. That’s the 6th-largest jackpot in Mega Millions history.

The Powerball jackpot stands at an estimated $600 million annuity, $285.9 million lump-sum amount, for its next drawing tomorrow night. And while that amount is huge, it’s not yet in the Top 10 for jackpots in the Powerball game.

The Mega Millions jackpot has been growing for more than three months. It was last won on Dec. 8. The Powerball jackpot has been growing for more than two months, last won on New Year’s Day.

The three previous times that the jackpots have simultaneously reached $600 million or higher were in 2018, 2021 and 2023.

The Deadline To Buy

Remember that the deadline in Iowa to buy tickets for the Mega Millions and Powerball drawings is 8:59 p.m. on the night of the drawing. If you buy a ticket after that, it will be for an upcoming drawing and you won’t be in the running for that night’s giant prize.

Truth vs. Myth: Do The Odds Get Longer As the Jackpot Grows?

Here’s a truth or myth question we get a lot at the lottery: Are the odds of winning tougher when the jackpot is high and more people are buying tickets?

The answer: No. That’s a myth.

The odds of winning in Powerball and Mega Millions do not change. They’re based upon the numbers you can play in the game, not how many tickets have been purchased.

The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are about 1 in 302.6 million because that is how many ways the numbers available to play 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.

The same definition applies in Powerball: The odds of winning its jackpot are about 1 in 292.2 million because that is how many ways the numbers available in the game can be combined to make a play.

Play Healthy

As always, the Iowa Lottery reminds everyone that it only takes one ticket to win. Have fun playing, but set a limit and stay within it for how much you’ll spend. Playing the lottery is something to do just for fun.

The Iowa Lottery keeps these and other Play Smart, Be Informed details on its website. Whether you play the lottery or not, we want everyone to have an accurate understanding of how the lottery works!

Powerball Results: Iowa Players Won More Than 47,000 Prizes Last Night

Another giant jackpot run is now in the books.

Last night’s Powerball® jackpot was won with a ticket purchased in California, while a ticket in Iowa was just one number away from a share of the big prize.

The winning numbers in last night’s drawing were: 22-24-40-52-64 and Powerball 10. The Power Play® number was 2.

The jackpot ended up at $1.765 billion annuity, $774.1 million cash option. Strong sales pushed the final jackpot value even higher than the latest estimates before the drawing.

Last night’s jackpot was the second-largest ever offered in the Powerball game and the fourth lottery jackpot to top $1 billion in 2023, a level not previously seen in any year.

The Powerball jackpot returns to $20 million annuity, $9.1 million cash option, for the game’s next drawing on Saturday.

Total Prizes Won In Iowa

Iowa Lottery players won a total of 47,231 prizes in last night’s drawing. A ticket purchased in Clarion matched four of the first five numbers and the Powerball to win a $50,000 prize.

The $50,000-winning ticket was purchased at Casey’s, 222 Central Ave. W. in Clarion. That prize can be claimed at any Iowa Lottery office.

Iowa Sales For The Drawing

Iowa Lottery players bought nearly $2.7 million in Powerball tickets for last night’s drawing, including more than $1.9 million in tickets yesterday alone.

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

How Population Factors In

In a game like Powerball, the odds of winning are the same for every ticket sold, no matter where you make your purchase. But simply because of their size, states with larger populations will have more people buying lottery tickets. And when more people buy tickets in a particular area, there will be more winnings there based on the sales volume.

Another way of putting that is that if 5 percent of lottery tickets are sold in a particular area, you expect to find about 5 percent of the prize winners there. Everyone has the same chance of winning, but there will be more winners in places where more tickets are sold.

Powerball is sold by 48 U.S. lotteries, including those in some of our nation’s biggest states. (California is No. 1 in terms of state population, followed by Texas, Florida and New York. All of those states sell Powerball.)

Iowa, with a population of about 3.1 million, is a fairly small state within the Powerball group, but the numbers show the state is doing well in terms of jackpot winners here.

Nine Iowa Lottery players have won Powerball jackpots through the years, including the largest lottery prize to date in Iowa, a $343.9 million jackpot won in 2018 by a Redfield woman.

This Month’s $2 Million Prize Still Unclaimed

The Iowa Lottery reminds its players to check their tickets for any prize they may have won, not just the jackpot. There are nine prize levels in Powerball, ranging from $4 for matching the Powerball alone up to the jackpot for matching all six winning numbers in a drawing.

Non-jackpot winnings can be significant, as demonstrated this past weekend in eastern Iowa. Someone who bought a ticket in Johnson County won a $2 million prize in last Saturday’s Powerball drawing. That prize hasn’t been claimed yet.

The winning ticket was purchased at Casey's, 403 Stephans St. in Tiffin. The ticket matched the first five numbers but missed the Powerball to initially win a $1 million prize in the Oct. 7 drawing. But whoever bought the ticket also added the Power Play® option to the purchase, which multiplies prizes at the Match 5 level to $2 million.

The $2 million prize needs to be claimed at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive. Lottery offices are open Monday through Friday, and appointments are strongly encouraged for those claims.

Powerball prizes won in Iowa must be claimed within 180 days of the drawing in which they were won.