ialottery blog

Reminders About How To Redeem Winning Tickets

We got nearly identical questions from Facebook and by email from two different players asking where winning pull-tab tickets can be cashed here in Iowa. Here’s the answer in case you have wondered the same thing:

Prizes in our pull-tab games need to claimed at the retail location where you purchased your ticket, or, for pull-tab prizes of more than $600, at a lottery office. This is due to the individual accounting procedures for those games.

If you don’t remember where you bought your winning pull-tab ticket or you received the ticket as a gift, you can send us an email or call us and we can tell you where the ticket was purchased. We’ll need to know the name of the pull-tab game on your ticket as well as the ticket’s serial number, which is found on the front, right above the bar code.

All tickets in any of the Iowa Lottery’s other games can be redeemed at any lottery retailer across the state, except for prizes of more than $600. Those prizes must be claimed at a lottery office for tax-reporting purposes.

And remember the deadlines for claiming prizes. Scratch and pull-tab tickets are valid for 90 days after the announced end of the game. Tickets in Powerball^®, Mega Millions^®, Hot Lotto^®, Lucky for Life^® and All or Nothing™ are valid for 365 days from the date of the drawing. Tickets in Pick 3, Pick 4 and InstaPlay are valid 90 days from the date of the drawing.

You can find more information about claiming lottery prizes on our website, here.

FREE Tickets To Be Randomly Given Away With Some Lotto Purchases

If you buy a Powerball^®, Mega Millions^® or Lucky for Life^® ticket this month, you could randomly win a FREE ticket in one of our InstaPlay games.

Starting Sunday, thousands of players will randomly receive free InstaPlay tickets with a qualifying lotto game purchase in our “Fast and Fun” promotion.

During this promotion we’ll be randomly surprising players with a FREE InstaPlay ticket when purchasing a different lotto game each week. First up will be first Powerball (Sunday – Jan. 14), then Mega Millions (Jan. 15-21), and finally Lucky for Life (Jan. 22-28).

Just buy the lotto game that qualifies for a chance to win a free InstaPlay ticket that week and listen for a special “Surprise, Player Bonus” sounder. If you hear that sound, the terminal will automatically print your free $1, $2 or $5 InstaPlay ticket. We’ll randomly give out free tickets across the state, so it could happen at any time!

Human Reporting Error Delays IA Results In Lucky For Life Drawing

A human reporting error caused the winning numbers for last night’s Lucky for Life drawing to initially be reported incorrectly here in Iowa and then delayed the drawing results in the state entirely for several hours.

We were able to correctly enter the official drawing results this evening and have resumed paying prizes from that drawing.     

The Lucky for Life drawing was conducted correctly as scheduled last night and official results were produced. But our redundant reporting procedures here in Iowa failed after the drawing. It takes time to correct an error like that on our statewide gaming system. We worked through those complexities as quickly as possible. We know that as long as human beings are involved in any process, mistakes can happen. But we sincerely apologize for today’s interruption.

We are reviewing our procedures with an eye toward improvements and enhancements as we move ahead. And, we want to hear from any Iowa Lottery players who have questions or concerns about this situation. We’ll be glad to help.

The mistake impacted only the Iowa Lottery’s reporting of the official results for last night’s Lucky for Life drawing. All other lottery tickets could be purchased, checked and cashed as usual at lottery terminals across the state and the results for all other lottery drawings were recorded correctly here in Iowa.

The CORRECT winning numbers in last night’s Lucky for Life drawing were: 10-15-21-23-34 and Lucky Ball 1. That is the winning combination for which we'll pay prizes.         

As part of our procedures, two different people in two different locations both enter the results from lotto drawings before they are officially recorded on the lottery’s statewide gaming system that connects the lottery terminals in retail locations all across the state. But when the winning numbers from last night’s Lucky for Life drawing were being inputted, one of the numbers was mistakenly entered as “24” rather than “34.” 

The incorrect results were available about 10 p.m. yesterday. Lottery staffers noticed the error shortly after 7 a.m. today, corrected the drawing results on the lottery’s website and disabled the results for the drawing on lottery terminals, knowing that correcting the lottery’s statewide gaming system would take longer. We continued to work through the situation today and were able to go live with corrected official results about 6 p.m. tonight.

Our records show that a total of 3,318 Lucky for Life plays here in Iowa won prizes ranging from $3 up to $200, for a total of $17,672 in winnings in last night’s drawing. Under the incorrect results initially reported, 96 plays would have won differing amounts for a total difference of $223 in prizes.

We know that the number of folks potentially impacted by the situation is small, but we also want to hear from anyone who may have a question or concern. Any player with a Lucky for Life ticket from last night’s drawing can now check and cash the tickets with the official numbers drawn.

Iowa Results Delayed For Thursday's Lucky For Life Drawing

The results of Thursday's Lucky for Life drawing are delayed on the Iowa Lottery's system statewide. The delay impacts only that lotto game and drawing for tickets purchased in Iowa; all other lottery tickets can be purchased, checked and cashed as usual at lottery terminals across the state.

We are working to address the issue and we anticipate being able to reach a resolution later today. If you have tickets from Thursday's drawing you should keep them so you can check them once the Iowa results have been finalized.

"We apologize for any inconvenience this delay may have caused," Iowa Lottery CEO Terry Rich said. "We are working to finalize our Iowa drawing results as quickly as we can."

Player Mail: What’s Up With Those ‘Lottery Trucks’?

A woman who follows us on Facebook made us smile this week when she asked about the “lottery trucks” she’d just seen in her area. Her name is Lynn and here was her question: “Is there a special reason for the state of Iowa/Powerball & Mega Millions semi in Dubuque today?”

Great question, Lynn, and thanks for being an observant player! We worked with the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division to design signs for those trucks. The trucks deliver liquor to retail outlets across Iowa where it is sold. Because the trucks are out and about all over Iowa, ABD asked us if we would like to add lottery advertising to the trailers to highlight our products and how lottery proceeds help the state.

We have three different designs on ABD trucks: one that advertises Powerball and Mega Millions; another that focuses on the Lucky for Life game; and a third that highlights the proceeds that the lottery raises each year to help our state’s veterans and their families through the Iowa Veterans Trust Fund.

Now you’ll be in the know if you see one of the trucks in your community!

Player Mail: How Many States Play ‘Game X’?

We got a question last week from a player who wondered which states are in the lotto games we have here in Iowa. Here’s a quick membership breakdown so you’ll have all the lists in one place!

Powerball® is played in Iowa and by 46 other lotteries. Here’s a link to the map showing all of the members in that game. And yes, it’s nearly the entire country.

Mega Millions® is nearly as big, being offered by a total of 46 lotteries. (Puerto Rico is a member of Powerball but not Mega Millions, so that’s the difference.) Here is a map showing that game’s membership.        

Lucky for Life® is sold by 21 lotteries while Hot Lotto® is sold by 15 lotteries around the country.

The multi-state version of All or Nothing™ is sold in Iowa and Minnesota.

The Pick 3 and Pick 4 games that we have here in Iowa are offered only in our state. So, those two games truly are “Iowa only.”

We offer a variety of games in all of our product lines – lotto games, scratch games and pull-tab games – so you’ll have a variety to choose from. And if you don’t care for one particular game, hopefully you’ll find a different one that you like. With different price points, game designs and playstyles, we hope to have something for everyone.

Player Mail: Help! I Can’t Get The ‘Power For Life’ Deal!

We’ve gotten emails and heard from some folks on social media who say they’re having difficulty buying tickets at a discount in our “Power for Life” promotion that started last week. Here’s the inside scoop to help out, should you encounter that same situation.
 
We’ve provided information about the promotion to our retailers and our folks in the field who visit our retail locations each week will continue to provide them with updates and reminders. These are the details we’re sharing with them:

Retailers print plays in the promotion by using the Power for Life icon on the game screens for Powerball® and Lucky for Life® on the lottery terminal. The image above shows where to find the Power for Life icon along the right side of the screen.

By asking for the Power for Life bundle, you’ll get a $2 discount on plays in Powerball and Lucky for Life. They’re easy-pick plays for the next two drawings – a Powerball with Power Play ticket and a Lucky for Life ticket. That normally would be a $10 purchase but it costs just $8 during the promotion that runs through the end of this month. (This promotion is available at any retail location in Iowa where lottery tickets are sold.)  

When the Power for Life icon is pressed on the screen, a confirmation window will pop up. The store clerk should choose “yes” to sell the promotional bundle. An audio recording then plays from the lottery terminal. You’ll hear, “Woo-hoo! It’s your lucky day!” and two easy-pick tickets, one in each game for the next two consecutive drawings, will be printed.

Hope this helps!

 

Just How Did This Guy Find Out He Won A Big Prize?

Kevin Reynolds of Bettendorf has quite a story about how he found out he’d won a big prize in the Lucky for Life game. It involves a bit of stress, a little laughter and a dash of disbelief. Click on the video above to hear him give all the details!

Bettendorf Man Is Iowa’s 2nd Big Winner In Lucky for Life

A Quad Cities man says his boss had a little fun when it came to helping him figure out that he’d won a big lottery prize. That’s because management at the store where he works had a good idea he’d won before he even knew it.

Kevin Reynolds of Bettendorf said that store management had him sit down and then asked if he had something to tell them. He said he truly did not know what they were talking about. Then they asked if he’d checked his lottery tickets. He said he had two in his pocket that he hadn’t checked yet. So he scanned them right away and learned he’d won $25,000 a year for life in the Lucky for Life® game. All he could say was: Wow.

Reynolds works in the produce department at the Davenport supermarket where he bought his winning ticket. And after reviewing security-camera footage with the lottery, store management thought Kevin might be the man they could see in the footage purchasing the ticket. And they were right!

Reynolds’ ticket matched the first five numbers but missed the Lucky Ball in Monday’s Lucky for Life drawing to win the game’s second prize of $25,000 a year for life. He bought his winning ticket at Hy-Vee, 4064 E. 53rd St. in Davenport. Hy-Vee will receive a $500 bonus from the lottery for selling the winning ticket at one of its stores.

The winning numbers in Monday’s Lucky for Life drawing were: 13-21-27-35-43 and Lucky Ball 14. Players can win Lucky for Life’s top prize of $1,000 a day for life by matching all six numbers selected in one of its drawings. The game’s second prize – for matching the first five numbers but missing the Lucky Ball – is $25,000 a year for life.

The game’s top two prize levels are described as “lasting as long as you do,” meaning that they are truly for life. The minimum guaranteed payout for those two prize levels is 20 years, and there is a lump-sum option for players who prefer that.

Reynolds, 56, claimed his prize today. He chose to receive his winning in annual payments and got his first check for $25,000 today. He said he’ll use his lottery winnings to plan for retirement.

How Long DO Those Lucky For Life Prizes Really Last?

We’ve been watching some of the comments on social media about Lucky for Life^®, and there seems to be confusion about the length of time involved in the pay-out of the game’s top prizes.

Some of the confusion likely came about after our first big winner in the game chose the lump-sum payout option for his prize, which certainly was his prerogative. Let’s take a closer look at the larger prizes in Lucky for Life and how they work.

There are 10 prize levels in the Lucky for Life game, ranging from $3 up to $1,000 a day for life. The top two prize levels in the game are what get the most attention, because they’re for life, meaning that they last as long as you do.

You win the game’s top prize of $1,000 a day for life by matching all six winning numbers in one of its drawings. The game’s second prize level of $25,000 a year for life comes from matching the first five numbers but missing the Lucky Ball.

So, what does “for life” mean? It really does mean for life, but there are some qualifiers to that answer. The MINIMUM payment period for the game’s top two prize levels is 20 years. So, if you were to win one of those prizes at 55 but die at 70, you (and your estate) would still receive 20 years’ worth of payments. But let’s say you win the game’s top prize when you’re 35, you choose the annuity option and you live to be 85. In that instance, the payments would continue that entire time, for 50 years.

There is a lump-sum option for the top two prizes, should you want cash up front. The lump-sum option for the top prize is $5.75 million while the lump-sum option for the second prize is $390,000.

In March, Roy King of Sioux City won the game’s second prize of $25,000 a year for life. He chose to receive his prize as the lump-sum option, which may have blurred the lines a bit for some folks about the payout periods in the game.

We hope this explanation helps!

Yes, Iowa Hearts Bacon – And We’re Seeing A BUNCH Of Lucky for Life Winners!

We never had any doubt, but you just proved it: Iowa really DOES heart bacon!

In January, we released a bacon-themed scratch game. Tickets in the $1 “I Heart Bacon” game of course prominently feature artwork of strips of bacon. And you win a prize by finding a bacon symbol in the play area on your ticket. The game’s top prize is $1,000.

The folks at our main warehouse in Ankeny let us know yesterday that they’d sent out our last pack of tickets in that game. Tickets are likely still available in most retail locations, but those are all we have left. We’re getting close to a sell-out!

Mmmmm … bacon!

And in news about another game, what’s up with Lucky for Life here in Iowa? The lotto game with drawings on Mondays and Thursdays debuted here in Iowa in late January. Late last month, Roy King of Sioux City became our first winner of $25,000 a year for life in the game. And as of last night, we’ve had three $5,000 winners in the past week!

Two tickets – one in Des Moines and the other in Jefferson – each won a $5,000 prize in Monday’s Lucky for Life drawing. And a ticket sold in Webster City won a prize of $5,000 in last night’s drawing.

We’re on a roll! I wonder when we’ll see our first top-prize winner of $1,000 a day for life here in Iowa?

Sioux City Man Claims Iowa’s First Big Prize In Lucky for Life

 

Roy King of Sioux City is Iowa’s first big winner in Lucky for Life. And he won his prize of $25,000 a year for life with just the fourth ticket he bought in the new game. Click on the video above to see Roy’s story!

Sioux City Gets Iowa’s First Big Winning Ticket In Lucky For Life

Someone who bought a lottery ticket at a Sioux City supermarket has won Iowa’s first big prize in the new Lucky for Life game that just debuted here in January.

The Sioux City ticket matched the first five numbers but missed the Lucky Ball in last night’s drawing to win the game’s second prize of $25,000 a year for life. The lucky ticket was purchased at Hy-Vee, 4500 Sergeant Road in Sioux City. Hy-Vee will get a $500 bonus from the lottery for selling the winning ticket at one of its stores.

Lucky for Life is a $2 game with drawings twice a week, at 9:38 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays. Players choose five numbers from a pool of 48 for the white balls and 1 out of 18 numbers for the Lucky Ball. Players can win the game’s top prize of $1,000 a day for life by matching all six numbers selected in one of its drawings. The game’s second prize – for matching the first five numbers but missing the Lucky Ball – is $25,000 a year for life. Other prize levels in the game range from $4 up to $5,000.

Iowa became the 18th state to offer Lucky for Life when sales started here in late January.

The game’s top two prize levels are described as “lasting as long as you do,” meaning they are truly for life. The minimum guaranteed payout for those two prize levels is 20 years, and there’s a lump-sum option for those who would prefer that.

The top two prize levels in Lucky for Life have to be claimed at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive. If the winner or winners of the Sioux City ticket need information before coming forward to claim the prize, they’re welcome to call us here at the lottery at 515-725-7900.

Listen for Your Chance To Win Lottery Swag From Radio Stations Around The State!

We told you last week about the Power for Life® promotion that’s underway to celebrate the start of the Lucky for Life® game here in Iowa, and now we’re amping up the fun with some radio giveaways.

The Iowa Lottery has teamed up with 11 radio stations across the state to give away some prize packs. Each pack includes coupons for free lottery plays plus the merchandise you can see in the photo here.

Click here for the full list of stations that are part of this month’s giveaways!

 

 

How You Can Get A Discount On Powerball, Lucky for Life

For the next four weeks, you can get a discount by buying tickets together in the Powerball^® and Lucky for Life^® games. It’s a promotion we’re calling Power for Life.

The promotion got underway yesterday. We’re offering a $2 discount on the bundled purchase of one Powerball with Power Play^® ticket and one Lucky for Life ticket for the next two drawings. Those plays regularly would cost $10, but they’ll be just $8 during the promotion, which runs through 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, March 12.

To get the discount, just ask the clerk at your local lottery retailer for the Power for Life promotion. You'll hear a "Woo hoo! It's your lucky day!" sound from the terminal and it will print two tickets, one for each game for the next two consecutive drawings.

All plays will be easy-pick, and only for the next two drawings. There will be one set of numbers printed on your Powerball ticket and one set of numbers on your Lucky for Life ticket.

Thanks for playing, and enjoy this discount!

 

New Lotto Game Starts Sunday In Iowa: Lucky for Life!

A new lotto game debuts this weekend here in Iowa, and it comes with a twist on big lotto prizes.

Iowa sales in the Lucky for Life^® game begin Sunday. It offers 10 ways to win, including a top prize of $1,000 a day for life, and a second prize of $25,000 a year for life.

Iowa will be the 18th state to offer the Lucky for Life game, which got its start in Connecticut in 2009 before becoming a New England-wide game three years later and adding even more lotteries in the past year.

We’ve been looking for some time at game ideas that would complement Powerball® and our other lotto games and bring a different look and feel to that product category. We think Lucky for Life will be a great fit in our line-up of games.

Lucky for Life is a $2 game with drawings twice a week, at 9:38 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays. Players choose five numbers from a pool of 48 for the white balls and 1 out of 18 numbers for the Lucky Ball. You can win the game’s top prize of $1,000 a day for life by matching all six winning numbers selected in one of it drawings. The game’s second prize – for matching the first five numbers but missing the Lucky Ball – is $25,000 a year for life. Other prize levels in the game range from $4 up to $5,000.

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

The odds of winning Lucky for Life’s top prize are about 1 in 30.8 million. That compares to odds of about 1 in 292.2 million of winning the Powerball jackpot; and odds of about 1 in 259 million of winning the Mega Millions® jackpot.