ialottery blog

NOT An April Fools’ Prank: Dubuque Man Claims $40 Million Lotto America Jackpot

A Dubuque man bought a lottery ticket on April Fools’ Day and thought to himself that if he was lucky, he was lucky. And if not, oh well.

Then came the moment when he checked his ticket at the local store where he bought it and was told that he’d won the biggest jackpot in the history of the Lotto America game. Earl Lape says even he thought it was a joke. It took a few hours for the news to sink in.

Earl, a retired mechanic, chose to receive his winnings in the lump-sum option of $21.28 million. He plans to invest the money so it can help his family for generations. He also is planning donations to organizations that benefit children with medical needs, specifically the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital in Iowa City, and Blank Children’s Hospital in Des Moines.

Earl says he knows that a lot of parents can't afford the medical treatment that their children need, and with his donations, he can make a difference to help.

Earl’s jackpot-winning ticket matched all six numbers in the April 1 Lotto America drawing, which were: 2-38-43-46-51 and Star Ball® 7. The jackpot that night was a record for the Lotto America game: $40.03 million annuity, $21.28 million cash option.

Earl says he likes to play Lotto America because it has better odds of winning than the larger multi-state games, Powerball® and Mega Millions®.

Lotto America is known as Powerball’s smaller cousin. The game costs $1 to play and has drawings on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. It has the same playstyle as Powerball, with players selecting numbers from two separate pools for a chance to win. 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.

One of the first people Earl shared his jackpot news with was Randy Davis, his best friend since childhood. Randy was with Earl for moral support as he claimed his prize, and says he also initially didn’t believe it. But Randy says Earl stuck with the story, so he started to think it might be true.

Before Earl won the jackpot, he was in the process of buying the home of his long-time girlfriend who passed away in August 2022. He says that winning the lottery will mean he can pay for the house as well as the repairs and updates it needs.

Earl bought his jackpot-winning ticket at Eichman’s, a restaurant and convenience store at 11941 U.S. Highway 52 N. in Dubuque that’s a regular stop for him. Eichman’s will receive a $5,000 bonus from the Iowa Lottery for selling the jackpot-winning Lotto America ticket.

This is the second Lotto America jackpot won in Iowa. A Davenport man won a $4.38 million jackpot in the game in May 2018.

Follow The Money-Brick Road!

We don’t know who they are yet, but Iowa’s Lotto America® jackpot winner from this weekend definitely has folks buzzing!

You’ve likely heard by now that a ticket purchased in Dubuque won Saturday’s Lotto America jackpot of $40.03 million annuity, $21.28 million cash option. That's the largest prize ever offered in the Lotto America game.

People have asked us which option is better when claiming a jackpot prize: annuity or lump-sum. And that answer truly is up to the winner involved – they get to choose. That’s why we always suggest that our winners consult a trusted financial advisor or lawyer to make plans for their winnings before they step forward to claim the prize.

What do the two options look like for this jackpot?

If the Lotto America jackpot winner chooses the annuity option, they’ll receive 30 payments over 29 years. The money on hand from the sale of tickets for the jackpot would be invested, which would generate interest over time. The initial amount of the investment plus the interest earned over all those years would add up to $40.03 million.

The annual annuity payments to the winner would increase over time to accommodate for inflation. The first payment would be a little more than $600,000, while the 30th and final payment would be about $2.48 million. The first annuitized payment would be made when the prize was claimed, and the other payments would be made on the anniversary date of the claim. Withholding would apply to each payment, with a current federal rate of 24 percent and state rate of 5 percent.

If the winner chooses the lump-sum option, they’ll receive a one-time payment of $21.28 million before taxes. Federal withholding of 24 percent ($5.1 million) would automatically apply to that total, along with state withholding of 5 percent ($1.06 million). The Iowa Lottery would make a net payment of $15.1 million to the winner by wire transfer.

Please check your tickets!

As we wait for someone to present the jackpot-winning ticket, we at the Iowa Lottery remind our players to check their tickets for any prize they may have won, not just the jackpot. There are nine prize levels in Lotto America ranging from $2 up to the jackpot. Your ticket may have won at one of the lower levels, even if you didn’t win the grand prize.

We’re getting ready!

We’ve had fun this week prepping for our winner to come see us at lottery headquarters in Clive.

As you can see from the images here, we made a “money brick road” that the winner can follow in our auditorium as they make their way to the stage. Hey, this kind of thing will likely only happen once in a person’s life, and we want the winner's jackpot claim to be a fun and memorable day!

P.S. From the size of the bills involved, you can probably tell that our road is made of fake money, right? But it still makes you smile and that’s the whole point. :)

Not Joking: Iowa Ticket Wins $40 Million Lotto America Jackpot In April 1 Drawing

We’re not kidding, this is not an April Fool’s joke: Someone in Iowa won the Lotto America® jackpot in last night’s drawing.

The jackpot-winning ticket was purchased at Eichman’s, a restaurant and convenience store at 11941 U.S. Highway 52 N. in Dubuque.

The jackpot in last night’s drawing was a record for the Lotto America game: $40.03 million annuity, $21.28 million cash option.

Stacy Eichman is the owner of Eichman’s, which has been in her family since 1931. She says she hears people all the time saying: What are the odds? She says she’s still processing the big news and is waiting for it to truly sink in.

The Lotto America jackpot had been growing since July 2021. Before this latest run, the game’s jackpot record was a $22.82 million prize won in March 2018 by a Minnesota family.

Iowa Lottery CEO Matt Strawn is currently vice chair of the Lotto America game group. He said that as the jackpot continued to climb, the Iowa Lottery emphasized that the odds of winning it in Iowa are the same as anywhere else. And now it’s happened here! He calls it a moment to celebrate for the winner, the retailer, and the lottery.

The jackpot-winning ticket matched all six numbers in last night’s Lotto America drawing, which were: 2-38-43-46-51 and Star Ball® 7.

Eichman’s will receive a $5,000 bonus from the Iowa Lottery for selling the jackpot-winning Lotto America ticket.

Lotto America is known as the smaller cousin of Powerball®. The game costs $1 to play and has drawings on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, just like Powerball. It has the same playstyle as Powerball, with players selecting numbers from two separate pools for a chance to win. 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, and Powerball is offered by 48.

Jackpot prizes won in Iowa are claimed at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive, and appointments are strongly encouraged. To make an appointment or contact the lottery with questions, the winner or winners are welcome to call the lottery at 515-725-7900 or by email at [email protected]

Lottery offices are closed on weekends, so tomorrow is the earliest that the prize can be claimed. As always, the Iowa Lottery encourages its big winners to consult a lawyer or financial planner before stepping forward to claim the prize.

This is the second Lotto America jackpot won in Iowa. A Davenport man won a $4.38 million jackpot in the game in May 2018.

The Lotto America jackpot returns to $2 million annuity, $1.06 million cash option, for the game’s next drawing tomorrow night.

Giant Jackpots: One Claimed, A Couple Still To Go

Here are answers to the questions we’ve gotten about the giant jackpots around the country in the past few months and whether they’ve been claimed.

Yesterday, the biggest of those jackpots was claimed by a player in California. A man named Edwin Castro claimed the world-record Powerball® jackpot from the drawing on Nov. 7. The annuity amount of the prize was $2.04 billion, but the man chose to receive his winnings in the lump-sum amount of $997.6 million.

Two other giant jackpots are still unclaimed, and I think it’s understandable that the players involved would take time before presenting the ticket. Any of us can envision the decisions you would want to make and the details to think through before claiming a prize of that size.

A Mega Millions® jackpot of $1.348 billion annuity ($723.5 million cash option), the second largest in the history of the game, remains unclaimed after being won on Jan. 13 with a ticket purchased in Maine.

And a Powerball jackpot of $754.6 million annuity, $407.2 million cash option, also is unclaimed after it was won in the game’s Feb. 6 drawing with a ticket in the state of Washington.

Here in Iowa, we’re tracking a $1 million Mega Millions prize that’s still unclaimed after five months. We continue to highlight it, hoping that we can 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 Mega Millions drawing on Sept. 6. The winner or winners have until the close of business on Sept. 6, 2023, to claim the prize at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive.

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

Des Moines Man Claims Largest InstaPlay Jackpot By Far In Iowa

A Des Moines man now has bragging rights, claiming the largest InstaPlay jackpot in Iowa!

Brad Carter of Des Moines claimed the prize of $443,507 today. He won it in the Super 7s Progressive InstaPlay game with a ticket he bought after washing his van.

Brad said he probably checked the results of his ticket seven times, then asked his wife, his kids and his in-laws to check it. He said that until someone confirms it, you’re just in shock.

Brad bought his winning ticket yesterday at Quik Trip, 849 Army Post Road in Des Moines. He said he took the ticket home to play it, then called his wife to share the news, but was too emotional to talk! Angel Carter said she was worried at first that Brad had reinjured the knee he recently hurt, but he was eventually able to tell her the good news.

Angel said she went right home after that to double-check the ticket and share in the disbelief and excitement.

The couple is still figuring out what to do with their InstaPlay winnings. Angel says a larger kitchen would be nice, the question is whether that would be at their current house or a new one!

This is Brad Carter’s second big InstaPlay win. He claimed a progressive jackpot of $28,840 in a different game in January 2022.

The previous record for an InstaPlay prize was a jackpot of $303,674 in the Extreme Green Progressive game in January 2022.

Jackpots in the Iowa Lottery’s progressive InstaPlay games have a starting amount and then grow with each ticket sold statewide until they’re won. The prize amount involved varies with the purchase price of the game.

For example, the jackpot in the $1 Loose Change Progressive InstaPlay game starts at $650 and grows by 8 cents with each ticket sold statewide until it’s won. Conversely, the jackpot in the $5 Jumbo Bucks Progressive InstaPlay game starts at $5,000 and grows by 35 cents with each ticket sold.

In the $30 Super 7s Progressive InstaPlay game, the jackpot starts at $50,000 and grows by $3 with each ticket sold.

Jackpot Considerations: This Or That? Mix and Match? One Of Each?

Update at 8:45 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 2: Neither jackpot was hit on Wednesday, so they'll keep growing for at least one more drawing! Saturday's Powerball jackpot stands at an estimated $700 million, while the Lotto America drawing on Saturday will feature an estimated jackpot worth $34.57 million.

Knowing that lottery jackpots are always dependent on the results of the next drawing, two big prizes in particular are creating a study in contrasts for tonight!

The Powerball® jackpot for tonight’s drawing has climbed to an estimated $653 million annuity, $350.5 million cash option. That’s the 8th-largest jackpot in the history of that game.

Not to be left out, the Lotto America® jackpot for tonight is an estimated $34.52 million annuity, $18.52 million cash option. That’s a record for the Lotto America game.

We sometimes hear from folks who say that “one person doesn’t need all that money” when it comes to the really giant prizes. (Sales would disagree with that statement, given that sales climb higher as the jackpot grows, and higher sales in turn push the jackpot higher.)

But with these two jackpots tonight contrasting with each other, the question is: Do you want this or that? Mix and match? Maybe one of each?

The odds of winning both jackpots are long (to determine that number, take the odds of winning Powerball and multiply them by the odds of winning Lotto America), but we are saying there’s a chance. :)

Good luck with your tickets in tonight’s drawings! 

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.

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.

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.

Powerball & Mega Millions Both Made List Of Top 10 U.S. Search Terms In 2022

Here’s an interesting new factoid: Powerball® and Mega Millions® both made the Top 10 List for U.S. search terms in 2022.

Google released its Year In Search details this week, and this is its list of Top 10 searches in the United States for 2022:

1. Wordle
2. Election results
3. Betty White
4. Queen Elizabeth
5. Bob Saget
6. Ukraine
7. Mega Millions
8. Powerball numbers
9. Anne Heche
10. Jeffrey Dahmer

The Google data shows that searches for Mega Millions spiked in July when the game’s jackpot was on its way to $1.337 billion for the drawing on July 29. That’s the second-largest jackpot ever offered in Mega Millions and the fourth-largest lottery jackpot in the world. Two people in Illinois claimed that prize.

Searches for “Powerball numbers” spiked in November when that game’s jackpot was on its way to a world-record amount of $2.04 billion for the Nov. 7 drawing. A ticket in California won that night’s giant prize.

It’s fun to see the things that got us all talking – and searching – in the past year!

Iowa Powerball Results: 2 Prizes Of $100K Among State’s Winners

A California ticket has won that world-record $2.04 billion Powerball® jackpot, but 4 Iowa tickets were just one number away from having a share of the big prize.

The jackpot ended up at $2.04 billion annuity, $997.6 million cash option in last night’s Powerball drawing. Strong sales across the country lifted the final jackpot amount even higher than the latest estimates before the drawing.

The winning numbers in last night’s drawing were: 10-33-41-47-56 and Powerball 10. The Power Play® number was 2.

Total Prizes Won In Iowa

Iowa Lottery players won a total of 97,022 prizes in last night’s drawing ranging from $4 up to $100,000.

Four Iowa tickets matched four of the first five numbers and the Powerball to each win a $50,000 prize. But the players who bought two of the tickets added the Power Play option to their purchases, which multiplied their winnings to $100,000 each.

The $50,000-winning tickets were purchased at: Yesway, 1905 SE 37th St. in Grimes; and Casey’s, 2245 Karr Ave. in Early.

The $100,000-winning tickets were purchased at: Walmart, 415 Industrial Ave. in Grinnell; and Casey’s, 5505 Asbury Road in Dubuque.

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

Last Night’s Drawing Was Delayed

One of the lotteries that sells tickets in the Powerball game needed extra time to complete the required security protocols for last night’s drawing. The delay ultimately pushed the drawing back by several hours.

At the Iowa Lottery, we’re proud that our team cleared all the security protocols for the drawing. We expected that the drawing to take place on schedule, but understand that the rigorous security procedures in Powerball and all our games exist to protect the integrity and fairness of the lottery.

It's vital the game that the security steps are followed by every lottery, even if that means a delay.

The Powerball drawing is occasionally delayed as lotteries complete their security procedures. Last night’s drawing just drew huge attention because of the jackpot that was on the line.

Iowa Sales For Last Night’s Drawing

Iowa Lottery players bought more than $5.5 million in Powerball tickets for last night’s drawing, including more than $4.4 million in tickets that day alone.

But the average Powerball purchase in Iowa for the drawing remained about $7, or about four plays per ticket. It’s nice to see that Iowans had fun playing and didn’t go overboard.

Powerball Jackpot: Winning Numbers In The World-Record $1.657 Billion Drawing

Update at 10:15 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 5: The winning numbers in tonight's huge Powerball drawing are: 28-45-53-56-69 and Powerball 20. The Power Play number is 3.

Tonight's jackpot ended up at a world-record $1.657 billion annuity. We'll see in the morning how Iowa did and if anybody nationwide won the truly GRAND prize! Thank you to everyone who played and was part of this moment. Good luck on your tickets!

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 93 percent of the plays purchased in Iowa for tonight’s drawing were easy picks.

But players also can choose their own numbers. They choose five numbers from a pool of 1 to 69 for the white balls and one number from a separate pool of 26 for the red Powerball.

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.

A player wins the jackpot by matching all six winning numbers in a Powerball drawing. However, there are a total of nine prize levels in Powerball ranging from $4 up to the jackpot, so the Iowa Lottery reminds its players to be sure to check your tickets for all the prizes you may have won.

What Does ‘Coverage’ Mean & Why Does It 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 heading into tonight’s Powerball drawing was about 60 percent.

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

Two Iowa Tickets Came SO CLOSE

Iowa Lottery players won a total of 68,008 prizes in Wednesday’s Powerball drawing, including two tickets that were just one number away from having at least a share of the big jackpot.

The two tickets each matched four of the first five numbers and the Powerball to win a $50,000 prize. In an interesting twist, they were purchased at the same store: the Kwik Star at 1800 Blairs Ferry Road NE in Hiawatha.

A group of 21 co-workers at a Hiawatha engineering firm claimed one of the $50,000 prizes on Thursday. And a group of 10 co-workers at a Hiawatha manufacturer claimed the other $50,000 prize yesterday.

The members of both groups pitched in money at work for office-pool tickets, agreeing to split any winnings.

The co-workers who claimed their prize Thursday call themselves Hallin’ Cash. They’re all employees at Hall & Hall Engineers Inc. in Hiawatha.

The group that claimed its prize yesterday calls itself “One Link Short.” All of its members work at RUD Chain in Hiawatha, a company that produces chains for tires.

Wednesday’s winning numbers were: 2-11-22-35-60 and Powerball 23. The Power Play® number was 2.

While each group’s winning easy-pick tickets matched four of the five white balls and the Powerball, the numbers on their tickets were slightly different. The Hallin’ Cash ticket missed white ball 22, while One Link Short’s ticket missed white ball 35.

Where Can You See The Drawing?

The Powerball drawing is livestreamed on the Iowa Lottery website as it occurs at 9:59 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Video of the latest drawing then remains on the site until the next drawing occurs. The livestream is on the Powerball page of the lottery’s website here.

As the drawing time approaches, a countdown clock will show in the video box on the page.

How Has The Jackpot Grown By So Much?

As the Powerball jackpot has continued to climb, the amounts by which it has increased between drawings have grown larger. The Iowa Lottery has gotten questions from players wondering how it can jump up by so much.

Sales are a driving factor behind the jackpot amount. And sales follow the jackpot up. As the jackpot climbs, sales increase. And that in turn causes the jackpot to climb even higher.

When the jackpot is in the stratosphere like it is now, it can increase by millions of dollars between drawings. That huge increases show just how many people are playing the game across the country in the 48 jurisdictions that sell Powerball tickets.

Please Play Responsibly

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

Pball Jackpot Now A World Record: Estimated $1.6 Billion For Tomorrow

The Powerball® jackpot is now in world-record territory, with strong sales in Iowa and across the country pushing the giant prize even higher for tomorrow night’s drawing. The jackpot is now at an estimated $1.6 billion annuity, $782.4 million cash option.

The latest estimate was bumped up this morning after lottery officials reviewed sales figures nationwide.

The previous record Powerball jackpot was a prize of $1.586 billion won in the drawing on Jan. 13, 2016.

Two Iowa Tickets Came SO CLOSE

Iowa Lottery players won a total of 68,008 prizes in Wednesday’s Powerball drawing, including two tickets that were just one number away from having at least a share of the big jackpot.

The two tickets each matched four of the first five numbers and the Powerball to win a $50,000 prize. In an interesting twist, they were purchased at the same store: the Kwik Star at 1800 Blairs Ferry Road NE in Hiawatha.

A group of 21 co-workers at a Hiawatha engineering firm claimed one of the $50,000 prizes yesterday. And a group of 10 co-workers at a Hiawatha manufacturer claimed the other $50,000 prize today.

The members of both groups pitched in money at work for office-pool tickets, agreeing to split any winnings.

The co-workers who claimed their prize yesterday call themselves Hallin’ Cash. They’re all employees at Hall & Hall Engineers Inc. in Hiawatha.

The group that claimed its prize today calls itself “One Link Short.” All of its members work at RUD Chain in Hiawatha, a company that produces chains for tires.

Wednesday’s winning numbers were: 2-11-22-35-60 and Powerball 23. The Power Play® number was 2.

While each group’s winning easy-pick tickets matched four of the five white balls and the Powerball, the numbers on their tickets were slightly different.

The Hallin’ Cash ticket missed white ball 22, while One Link Short’s ticket missed white ball 35.

Where Can You Watch The Drawing?

The Powerball drawing is livestreamed on the Iowa Lottery website as it occurs at 9:59 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Video of the latest drawing then remains on the site until the next drawing occurs. The livestream is on the Powerball page of the lottery’s website here.

As the drawing time approaches, a countdown clock will show in the video box on the page.

How Is The Jackpot Growing By So Much?

As the Powerball jackpot has continued to climb, the amounts by which it has increased between drawings have grown larger. The Iowa Lottery has gotten questions from players this week who wondered how it can jump up by so much.

Sales are a driving factor behind the jackpot amount. And sales follow the jackpot up. As the jackpot climbs, sales increase. And that in turn causes the jackpot to climb even higher.

When the jackpot is in the stratosphere like it is now, it can increase by millions of dollars between drawings. That huge increases show just how many people are playing the game across the country in the 48 jurisdictions that sell Powerball tickets.

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 tomorrow night’s Powerball drawing is now about 60 percent.

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

I Don’t Know How To Buy A Ticket …

When the Powerball jackpot really gets up there like now, lots of first-time players want to jump in. Some of them have reached out to us at the lottery, saying they don’t know how to play and don’t want to look silly.

We’ve shared with them that the simplest way to buy a ticket is to ask a clerk at a store for an easy-pick Powerball play. The lottery terminal will select the numbers for that play and the lottery terminal will print out the ticket. Nearly 93 percent of the tickets purchased for last night’s drawing were easy-pick plays.

And to help, here’s our quick brush-up video on how to play Powerball.

Things To Consider As You Dream Big

In addition to first-time players, we’re hearing from a lot of people who are dreaming about winning and what they would do if they win. There are specifics to consider, and to help, check out our video called: You Won! Now What?

Please Play Responsibly

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

Powerball Jackpot Now At An Estimated $1.5 Billion, Closing In On The Record

The Powerball® jackpot continues to climb into the stratosphere, now at an estimated $1.5 billion annuity, $745.9 million cash option, for Saturday’s drawing. That’s getting close to the record in the Powerball game, which also is the largest lottery prize ever offered in North America.

The record Powerball jackpot was a prize of $1.586 billion won in the drawing on Jan. 13, 2016. Will Saturday’s jackpot end up topping the record? We will see what the next couple days bring! Strong sales across the country pushed last night’s jackpot past the latest estimates heading into that drawing.

Two Iowa Tickets Came SO CLOSE

Iowa Lottery players won a total of 68,008 prizes in last night’s Powerball drawing, including two tickets that were just one number away from having at least a share of the big jackpot.

The two tickets each matched four of the first five numbers and the Powerball to win a $50,000 prize. In an interesting twist, they both were purchased at the same store: the Kwik Star at 1800 Blairs Ferry Road NE in Hiawatha.

A group of 21 co-workers at a Hiawatha engineering firm claimed one of the $50,000 prizes this morning! But the group does not have the other $50,000- 
winning ticket, so we will wait to see who claims that prize.

The co-workers call themselves Hallin’ Cash and all are employees at Hall & Hall Engineers Inc. Hiawatha. 

Last night’s winning numbers were: 2-11-22-35-60 and Powerball 23. The Power Play® number was 2.

Iowa Sales For Last Night’s Drawing

Strong sales in Iowa and across the country pushed last night’s jackpot past the estimates heading into the drawing. The jackpot ended up at $1.248 billion annuity, $620.4 million lump-sum option.

Iowa Lottery players bought more than $3.9 million in Powerball tickets for last night’s drawing, including more than $2.9 million in tickets yesterday alone. But the average Powerball purchase in Iowa for the drawing was about $7, or about four plays per ticket. We're glad that a lot of people are having fun playing and haven't gone overboard.

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.”

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

The coverage estimate for last night’s drawing was about 46 percent. The estimate for Saturday’s drawing is about 49 percent.

I Don’t Know How To Buy A Ticket …

When the Powerball jackpot really gets up there, lots of first-time players want to jump in. Some of them have reached out to us at the lottery, saying they don’t know how to play and don’t want to look silly.

We’ve shared that the simplest way to buy a ticket is to ask a clerk at a store for an easy-pick Powerball play. The lottery terminal will select the numbers for that play and the lottery terminal will print out the ticket. Nearly 93 percent of the tickets purchased for last night’s drawing were easy-pick plays.

And to help, here’s our quick brush-up video on how to play Powerball.

Things To Consider As You Dream Big

In addition to first-time players, we’re hearing from lots of folks who are dreaming about winning and what they would do if they win. There are specifics to consider, and to help, check out our video called: You Won! Now What?

Please Play Responsibly

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

Pball Jackpot At An Estimated $1.2 Billion For Tomorrow Night’s Drawing

For just the second time in the game’s 30-year history, the Powerball® jackpot has topped the $1 billion mark.

The jackpot now stands at an estimated $1.2 billion annuity, $596.7 million cash option, for tomorrow night’s drawing. That’s is the second-largest prize in the history of the game and it’s getting closer to Powerball’s record jackpot amount of $1.586 billion.

The Powerball jackpot hasn’t been this big since March 2019. This time around, it’s been growing for nearly three months. The jackpot was last won on Aug. 3.

Total Prizes Won Last Night In Iowa

Iowa Lottery players won a total of 46,268 prizes in last night’s Powerball drawing, and it turns out that 13 was a lucky number!

The winning numbers in last night’s drawing were: 13-19-36-39-59 and Powerball 13. The Power Play number was 3.

So The Powerball Can Be The Same As …

With so many first-time and occasional players buying tickets now, lots of folks were curious about the repeat number in last night’s drawing. The Powerball was 13 -- the same number as one of the first five white balls.

That definitely can occur and it’s exactly how the game is designed to work.

Remember that there are two separate sets of numbers involved in Powerball drawings. Players choose five numbers from a pool of 69 for the white balls and one number from a different pool of 26 for the red Powerball. It’s always possible for the Powerball to be the same number as one of the five white balls.

Iowa Sales For Last Night’s Drawing

Iowa Lottery players bought more than $2.6 million in Powerball tickets for last night’s drawing, including more than $2.1 million in tickets yesterday alone. But the average Powerball purchase in Iowa for the drawing remained about $6, or about three plays per ticket. We’re glad to see that a lot of folks are having fun playing Powerball, and Iowans are not going overboard.

Wait, Powerball Has A Monday Drawing?

Another question in past few days has come from those who thought the lottery was mistaken about Powerball having a Monday drawing. That drawing has been part of the game for more than a year.

In August 2021, Powerball moved from having two drawings a week to drawings on three days each week. The game now has drawings on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. The change was designed to produce more winners and generate larger, faster-growing jackpots, and that has happened.

Remember The Deadline To Buy Tickets

The majority of tickets for a particular drawing are always purchased on the day of the drawing. So, if you’re buying a Powerball ticket for tomorrow night’s drawing, remember that there is a sales cut-off time involved. Here in Iowa, the sales cut-off 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 will just be for a future drawing and you won’t be in on that night’s big money. The cut-off deadline is an automated procedure and can’t be pushed back.

Please Play Responsibly

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

Pball Jackpot Nearly $1 Billion For Tonight’s Drawing

Update at 10:15 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 31: The winning numbers in tonight's Powerball drawing are: 13-19-36-39-59 and Powerball 13. The Power Play number is 3.

Tonight's final jackpot amount ended up at $998 million annuity. We'll see in the morning how Iowa did and if anybody nationwide won the huge jackpot!  

With tonight’s drawing happening on Halloween, hope you had a very spooktacular time playing Powerball! Tonight's jackpot is the second-largest prize in the history of the game and it’s getting closer to Powerball’s record jackpot amount of $1.586 billion.

The Powerball jackpot hasn’t been this big since March 2019. It reached $768.4 million for the drawing on March 27, 2019. This time around, it’s been growing for nearly three months. The jackpot was last won on Aug. 3.

Total Prizes Won Saturday In Iowa

Iowa Lottery players won a total of 38,007 prizes in Saturday’s Powerball drawing ranging from $4 up to $150,000.

The $150,000-winning ticket, purchased at Floyd Food & Fuel, 3241 Floyd Blvd. in Sioux City, matched four of the five white balls 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 multiplied the prize to $150,000.

The winning numbers in Saturday’s drawing were: 19-31-40-46-57 and Powerball 23. The Power Play number was 3.

The $150,000-winning ticket can be claimed at any Iowa Lottery office.

If the winner or winners of the Sioux City prize have questions before coming forward to claim it, they can call the lottery at 515-725-7900 or email us at [email protected]

Iowa Sales For Saturday’s Drawing

Iowa Lottery players bought more than $2.2 million in Powerball tickets for Saturday’s drawing, including more than $1.1 million in tickets on Saturday alone. But the average Powerball purchase in the state for Saturday’s drawing remained about $6, or about three plays per ticket. The Iowa Lottery is glad to see that Iowa players are having fun playing for the jackpot and aren’t going overboard.

How Long Has Powerball Had A Monday Drawing?

In August 2021, Powerball moved from having two drawings a week to drawings on three days each week. The game now has drawings on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. The change was designed to produce more winners and generate larger, faster-growing jackpots – and that has happened.

Lots Of First-Time And Occasional Players Jumping In

When the Powerball jackpot really gets up there like it is now, lots of first-time and occasional players jump in to buy tickets. Office pools and people buying group-play tickets with friends and family also see a big jump.

The Iowa Lottery keeps details on its website to help both sets of players. How-to-play details for Powerball, the game’s rules, and tables showing the prizes available in the game can be found on the Iowa Lottery website here. And, reminders to help keep lottery group play fun and hassle free can be found here.

Remember The Sales Cut-Off Time

The majority of tickets for a particular drawing are purchased on the day of the drawing. So, if you’re buying a ticket for tonight’s drawing, remember that the sales cut-off 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, it will just be for a future drawing. The cut-off deadline is an automated procedure and can’t be pushed back.

Another Game’s Jackpot Also Continues To Climb

Powerball isn’t the only game right now with a headline-making jackpot. Its smaller cousin, Lotto America®, is in record jackpot territory for that game. The current Lotto America jackpot stands at an estimated $29.43 million annuity, $14.63 million lump-sum option, for that game’s drawing tonight.

Lotto America has a similar playstyle to Powerball and Mega Millions, but its jackpots are smaller and a lot easier to win.

Please Play Responsibly

And as always, the Iowa Lottery reminds everyone that it only takes one ticket to win. Please play responsibly. You’ve heard us say it many times, and it’s true: Playing smart is a lot more fun.

Pball Jackpot Raised To Est. $825 Million For Tomorrow Night’s Drawing

The Powerball® jackpot has been raised to an estimated $825 million annuity, $410.2 million cash option, for tomorrow night’s drawing. That’s up from yesterday’s figures, but it’s still the 2nd largest jackpot in the 30-year history of the Powerball game and the 5th largest lottery prize ever offered in North America.

When the jackpot reaches this level, it becomes harder to predict the grand-prize estimate for the next drawing. Stronger sales drive the jackpot higher and can lead to the revisions of the prize estimate before the next drawing, as has occurred this past week.

Details About Cash vs. Annuity – And Taxes

There are misconceptions out there about cash vs. annuity and what that means. The cash option is NOT the annuity amount minus taxes. Here are the actual details involved:

If a jackpot winner were to choose the annuity option for tomorrow’s big prize (currently an estimated $825 million), they would receive 30 payments over 29 years adding up to the annuity total.

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. The initial amount invested plus the interest generated over time by the investment adds up to the annuity amount of the jackpot. 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 their 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 prize (currently an estimated $410.2 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 involved in that scenario because the money isn’t 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 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 the winner would owe depends 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 one of the reasons the Iowa Lottery always encourages its winners to consult a lawyer or financial planner before they claim their prize.

Scammers Unfortunately Notice Big Jackpots, Too

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

In the past week, the Iowa Lottery has heard from multiple Iowans who received suspicious text messages, emails, or social media contacts claiming that they were big lottery prize winners. Those contacted indeed had not won a prize – they had received a message from scammers attempting to con them.

When you win a Powerball prize, you notify the lottery that you are the winner, not the other way around. The Iowa Lottery has records about the winning ticket and where it was purchased, but the lottery does not know the winner’s identity until that person presents the ticket for payment.

The Iowa Lottery keeps security reminders as a permanent feature on its website to help consumers stay safe. You can find the lottery’s Player Security tips here.

Remember The Sales Cut-Off Time

The majority of tickets for a particular drawing are purchased on the day of the drawing. So, if you’re buying a Powerball ticket for tomorrow night s drawing, remember that there is a sales cut-off time involved. Here in Iowa, the sales cut-off 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, it will just be for a future drawing and you won’t be in on that night’s big money.

The cut-off deadline is an automated procedure and can’t be pushed back.

Please Play Responsibly

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

Pball Jackpot Now An Estimated $800 Million, 2nd Largest In History Of Game

The Powerball® jackpot made it through last night’s drawing and is still growing! It now stands at an estimated $800 million annuity, $383.7 million cash option for Saturday’s drawing.

That’s the second highest jackpot in the history of the game and the fifth largest lottery prize ever offered in North America.

When the jackpot reaches this level, it’s harder to predict the grand-prize estimate heading into the next drawing. Stronger sales drive the jackpot up and can mean revisions of the prize estimate, as we’ve seen this past week.

The Powerball jackpot has reached its current level because it has been growing for nearly three months. It was last won on Aug. 3 with a ticket in Pennsylvania.

I’ve Heard That The Odds Change As The Jackpot Grows …

There are a lot of beliefs out there about playing the lottery, and some of them aren’t … quite accurate. When it comes to the Powerball jackpot, some people say that players have a harder time winning when the jackpot climbs because more people are buying tickets.

But if that were the case, how would we ever know the odds of winning – would they change with each ticket sold?

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

For the Powerball jackpot specifically, the odds of winning it are about 1 in 292.2 million because that’s 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 292.2 million possibilities. Will the numbers on your ticket match?

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 95 percent of the plays purchased in Iowa for recent drawings in the games were easy picks. 

But players also can choose their own numbers. They choose five numbers from a pool of 1 to 69 for the white balls and one number from a separate pool of 26 for the red Powerball.

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.

A player wins the jackpot by matching all six winning numbers in a Powerball drawing. However, there are a total of nine prize levels in Powerball ranging from $4 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.

Reminders About Group Play

When a jackpot reaches into the stratosphere, group play increases, with many lottery players buying tickets in office pools or with family and friends. The Iowa Lottery keeps group play reminders on its website to help players 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.

And Hey, Another Jackpot Also Is Making News!

Powerball isn’t the only game at the moment with a headline-making jackpot.

Its smaller cousin, Lotto America®, is in record jackpot territory for that game. The current Lotto America jackpot stands at an estimated $29.38 million annuity, $14.09 million lump-sum option, for that game’s Saturday drawing.

The Lotto America jackpot has been climbing since July 2021. Before this latest run, the previous record jackpot in Lotto America was a $22.82 million prize won in March 2018. Lotto America costs $1 to play and has drawings on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

The game has a similar design to Powerball and Mega Millions, but its jackpots are smaller and a lot easier to win.

Please Play Responsibly

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

Big Powerball Jackpot Keeps Growing!

The giant Powerball^® jackpot for tonight has climbed to an estimated $700 million annuity, $335.7 million cash option!

The jackpot is now the fifth highest in the history of the Powerball game. It’s been growing for nearly three months and was last won on Aug. 3 with a ticket purchased in Pennsylvania.

Here in Iowa, three tickets came oh, so close to at least a share of the giant prize in Monday’s drawing. All matched five of six numbers and were just one number away from winning that night’s $680 million jackpot. The three tickets each won $50,000, and were purchased at:

• QC Mart, 3545 Eastern Ave. in Davenport.
• Kwik Shop, 309 N. Locust St. in Glenwood.
• Fareway, 214 N. Magnolia Drive in Cedar Falls.

But Powerball isn’t the only game with a lofty jackpot. Its smaller cousin, Lotto America^®, is in record jackpot territory for that game. The current Lotto America jackpot stands at an estimated $29.11 million annuity, $13.96 million lump sum for tonight’s drawing.

Lotto America costs $1 to play and has drawings on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. The game has a similar design to Powerball and Mega Millions^®, but its jackpots are smaller and a lot easier to win. 

While we’re all having fun with these large jackpots, the Iowa Lottery reminds its players to please play responsibly. It only takes one ticket to have a shot at a prize.

Lotto America Jackpot Is Now In Record Territory For That Game

Update on Tuesday, Oct. 11:

The Lotto America jackpot is still climbing. No one hit the big prize in last night's drawing, so the jackpot climbs to an estimated $26.1 million annuity, $13.37 million cash option for Wednesday's drawing.  Here are the winning numbers from Monday night's Lotto America drawing: 4-8-14-32-44 and Star Ball 4. The All Star Bonus number was 4. Good luck on your tickets!

Its bigger cousins may get more attention, but Lotto America® is making news of its own. The Lotto America jackpot is in record territory for that game, at an estimated $24.69 million annuity, $12.98 million cash option for tonight’s drawing.

Lotto America also is in the midst of its longest jackpot run ever. The game’s jackpot has been climbing since July 2021. It was last won in the drawing on July 14, 2021. A ticket purchased in Oklahoma won that night’s $8.04 million jackpot.

This isn’t the first time that Lotto America has gone on a long jackpot run. (A run is the period of time that the jackpot grows before it’s won). The game’s jackpot grew for a little more than 14 months from May 2018 to July 2019 before it was won in the drawing on July 10 that year. A Minnesota ticket won that $21.6 million prize.

Before the current jackpot amount, the previous record jackpot in Lotto America was a $22.82 million prize won in the game in March 2018.

Has an Iowan won a Lotto America jackpot? Yes! A Davenport man won a $4.38 million prize in the game in May 2018.

So how high will the current jackpot climb? Only time will tell. One thing is certain: Someone WILL win it, we just don’t know when.

Lotto America costs $1 to play and it has drawings on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

The game has a similar design to Powerball® and Mega Millions®, but its jackpots are smaller and a lot easier to win. Lotto America players choose five numbers from a pool of 52 and another number, called the Star Ball®, from a pool of 10. Players who match all six numbers selected in a drawing win the game’s jackpot.

That Giant Jackpot Has Been Claimed! But Have Any Huge Prizes Ever Expired?

News is breaking today that the $1.337 billion Mega Millions® jackpot from back in July has been claimed, split by two people in Illinois. Here are articles about it from Forbes and WGN-TV.

Now folks are asking about big lottery prizes that have expired without being claimed. And specifically, has a jackpot prize ever expired? That has happened. In fact, several jackpots have expired without being claimed, and they each were worth millions.

The list includes:
• a $77 million Powerball® jackpot won in 2011 in Georgia.
• a $68 million Mega Millions jackpot won in 2002 in New York.
• a $63 million SuperLotto Plus® jackpot won in 2015 in California.
• a $51.7 million Powerball jackpot won in 2002 in Indiana.
• a $46 million Mega Millions jackpot won in 2006 in New York.

So why do lottery prizes go unclaimed? There likely are as many reasons as there are people who play. Maybe the person never checked their ticket and it eventually got lost or thrown away. Maybe the ticket got ruined – sent through the washing machine or the dryer. Maybe something sticky got spilled on it and it ended up getting stuck to a surface somewhere.

We send our huge congratulations to the big winners in Illinois! And to everyone else, this is a gentle reminder to check and double-check your tickets!

$2 Million-Winning Ticket In Bettendorf, IA Players Won Nearly 99,000 Total Prizes

Last night’s giant Mega Millions jackpot was won with a ticket purchased in Illinois, while five tickets in Iowa were just one number away from a share of the big prize.

The Iowa tickets matched the winning numbers in different ways, with one of them winning a $2 million prize and the other four winning prizes of $10,000 each. The $2 million-winning ticket purchased in Bettendorf was one of six across the country to win at that prize level in Friday’s drawing.

The winning numbers in last night’s drawing were: 13-36-45-57-67 and Mega Ball 14. The Megaplier number was 2.

The jackpot amount ended up at $1.337 billion annuity, $780.5 million cash. The final value was pushed higher based on actual sales than the latest estimates heading into the drawing.

The Mega Millions jackpot returns to $20 million annuity, $11.6 million cash option, for the game’s next drawing on Tuesday.

Total Prizes Won In Iowa

Iowa Lottery players won a total of 98,939 prizes in last night’s drawing ranging from $2 up to $2 million.

The $2 million-winning ticket, purchased at the Big 10 Mart, 999 Middle Road in Bettendorf, matched the five white balls but missed the Mega Ball to initially win a $1 million prize. But the player who bought the ticket added the Megaplier option to the purchase, which multiplied the prize to $2 million.

Big 10 Mart will receive a $2,000 bonus from the Iowa Lottery for selling the $2 million-winning ticket.

The four Iowa tickets winning $10,000 prizes last night matched four of the five white balls and the Mega Ball. They were purchased at:

• New Star Newton, 702 First Ave. E. in Newton
• Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh Express, 1260 Lake Ave. N. in Storm Lake
• Casey’s, 1305 W. Commercial St. in Manchester
• Hy-Vee Gas, 1702 E. Washington St. in Mount Pleasant.

The $2 million-winning ticket must be claimed at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive while the $10,000-winning tickets can be claimed at any of the lottery’s offices. In addition to lottery headquarters location in Clive, there are regional lottery offices in Cedar Rapids, Mason City and Storm Lake.

If the winners have questions before coming forward to claim their prizes, they can call the lottery at 515-725-7900 or email to [email protected]

Iowa Sales For Last Night’s Drawing

Iowa Lottery players bought more than $5.6 million in Mega Millions tickets for last night’s drawing, including more than $3.4 million in tickets yesterday alone.

But the average Mega Millions purchase in Iowa for the drawing was about $7, or about three plays per ticket. Lottery officials were pleased that Iowans had fun playing and didn’t go overboard.

Giant Mega Millions Jackpot Raised Again, Now Est. $1.28 Billion Annuity

Update at 10:15 p.m. on Friday July 29

Here are the winning numbers in tonight's Mega Millions® drawing: 13-36-45-57-67 and Mega Ball 14. The Megaplier® number was 2. We'll have full Iowa results from the drawing in the morning. Thank you to everyone who played and was part of the fun. Good luck on your tickets!     

The giant Mega Millions jackpot tonight was an estimated $1.28 billion annuity, $747.2 million cash option.

That is the second-highest jackpot in the history of the Mega Millions game and the third largest ever offered in the United States.

When the jackpot reaches this level, it becomes harder to predict the grand-prize estimate heading into the next drawing. Stronger sales mean the jackpot will go even higher, and that’s what has happened this week!

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 about 64 percent. (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 in a play.)

Remember The Sales Cut-Off Time

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 will 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.

What If I Win?

The Iowa Lottery has a video for its biggest winners to help provide an overview of the process when someone wins a sizeable prize. The video gives details about the forms required for a prize claim, the cash vs. annuity decision for a jackpot prize, the withholdings involved, and the open records requirements for lottery winners in Iowa. I have included the video above with this blog post and it's online here for anyone looking for more details as they dream about hitting it big.

Reminders About Group Play

With the jackpot at its current level, a lot of lottery players are buying tickets in office pools or with family and friends. The Iowa Lottery has Group Play Reminders on its website to help 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.

Please Play Responsibly

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

Even Bigger: The Mega Millions Jackpot Has Been Raised Again!

The giant Mega Millions® jackpot has climbed even higher for tomorrow night’s drawing. The latest projection for the game’s grand prize was raised today, with the jackpot now at an estimated $1.1 billion annuity, $648.2 million cash option.

The jackpot is now the second highest in the history of the Mega Millions game and the third largest ever offered in the United States.

When the jackpot reaches this level, it becomes harder to predict the grand-prize estimate heading into the next drawing. Stronger sales mean the jackpot will go even higher.

The game’s jackpot has gotten this high because it’s been growing for a few months. Mega Millions was last won on April 15 with a ticket purchased in Tennessee.

Reminders About Group Play

When a jackpot reaches into the stratosphere, a lot of lottery players decide to pool their money to buy tickets as part of office pools or with groups of family and friends.

The Iowa Lottery keeps group play reminders on its website that are designed to 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.

3 Iowa Tickets That Came SO Close On Tuesday

A total of 48,996 plays purchased by Iowa Lottery players won prizes in Tuesday’s Mega Millions drawing ranging from $2 up to $30,000.

Three Iowa tickets were just one number away from having at least a share of Tuesday’s giant prize. They each matched four of the five white balls and the Mega Ball to win a $10,000 prize. However, the Megaplier® option was added to one of the plays, which multiplied that prize to $30,000.

The $10,000-winning tickets were purchased at Kum & Go, 3215 Seventh Ave. in Marion; and Kwik Stop, 185 Peosta St. in Peosta. The $30,000-winning ticket was purchased at Casey’s, 1759 Madison Ave. in Council Bluffs.

The winning numbers in Tuesday’s drawing were: 7-29-60-63-66 and Mega Ball 15. The Megaplier number was 3.

Deadline To Buy Tix For Tomorrow Night’s Drawing

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

Here in Iowa, the sales cut-off is 8:59 p.m. on the night of the drawing. If you buy a ticket after that, you’ll still have a valid Mega Millions play, it will just be for a future drawing and you won’t be in on that night’s big money. (And yes, there have been people who waited too long and missed the cut-off. It’s an automated procedure and can’t be pushed back.)

Please Play Responsibly

As always, we at the Iowa Lottery remind you to play with your head, not over your head. It only takes one ticket to win. Please play responsibly.

All The Latest About The Mega Millions Jackpot

The giant Mega Millions® jackpot has climbed even higher for Friday’s drawing. No one won the big prize in last night’s drawing, so the jackpot currently stands at an estimated $1.025 billion annuity, $602.5 million cash option for Friday.

That’s the 3rd-largest jackpot in the history of the game, and the 4th-largest jackpot ever offered in the United States.

When the jackpot reaches this level, it becomes harder to predict the grand-prize estimate heading into the next drawing. Stronger sales mean the jackpot will go even higher, so the initial jackpot estimate for Friday’s drawing could be raised again in the next few days.

3 Iowa Tickets That Came SO CLOSE

A total of 48,996 plays purchased by Iowa Lottery players won prizes in last night’s Mega Millions drawing ranging from $2 up to $30,000.

Three Iowa tickets were just one number away from having at least a share of the jackpot. They each matched four of the five white balls and the Mega Ball to win a $10,000 prize. And the Megaplier® option was added to one of the tickets, which multiplied that prize to $30,000.

The winning numbers in last night’s drawing were: 7-29-60-63-66 and Mega Ball 15. The Megaplier number was 3.

The $10,000-winning tickets were purchased at Kum & Go, 3215 Seventh Ave. in Marion; and Kwik Stop, 185 Peosta St. in Peosta. The $30,000-winning ticket was purchased at Casey’s, 1759 Madison Ave. in Council Bluffs.

Our New Signs Are Keeping Up!

In recent years when a jackpot reached into the billions of dollars, the Iowa Lottery’s jackpot signs in retail locations couldn’t display amounts that large. The lottery would display the current jackpot amount until it topped $999 million, then the signs would continue to display $999 million until the jackpot was won and returned to its starting amount.

When the Iowa Lottery updated its statewide gaming system last September, we also replaced our jackpot signs in retail locations. This is the first time that the “billions” option has been used since the new signs were installed in retail locations last year. And it makes me smile to see that they’re keeping up with the current jackpot amount! (The picture you see with this blog entry was taken today of one of the signs.)  

Easy Picks vs. Your Own Numbers

The vast majority of tickets purchased in lotto games like Mega Millions and Powerball® 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 last night’s Mega Millions drawing were easy picks.

But you also have the option of choosing your own numbers. You choose five numbers from a pool of 1 to 70 and one Mega Ball number from a separate pool of 25.

You win the jackpot if the numbers on your play match all six of the winning numbers in a Mega Millions drawing. But there are a total of nine prize levels in Mega Millions ranging from $2 up to the jackpot, so be sure to check your tickets for all the prizes you may have won.

And as always, remember that it only takes one ticket to win. Please play responsibly.