ialottery blog

Player Question: Why Is There A Sales Cut-Off Before A Drawing?

A player who emailed us with questions about our lotto drawings unfortunately had some conspiracy theories to share as well, so I’m addressing those here in case the same rumor has made it way to you.

The player wondered why there is a sales cut-off time before the drawings in games like Powerball® and Mega Millions®. The player said he wants people to be able to buy tickets right up until the time of the drawing, arguing that doing so would eliminate the rumored possibility he’s heard that drawing officials sometimes spray a substance on the drawing balls used in lottery drawings to keep certain numbers from being selected.

That last part isn’t true, and the sales cut-off times in the games are there for a reason. Here’s the back story:

Sales cut-off times are one of the security processes that lotteries use to ensure that everything is ready to go for a drawing. With millions – and sometimes billions – of dollars involved in our drawings, it’s obviously important that mistakes are avoided!

Before a drawing can be held, all the lotteries in that game have to verify that their sales figures balance and all plays are recorded in the system. It’s a meticulous process, and we know it’s what the public expects.

The good news is that as computer speeds and technology have improved through the years, it now requires much less time to accomplish that work. So today, our sales cut-off times here in Iowa are an hour or less before our drawings. Years ago, the sales cut-off times were often two hours before the drawing, but we’ve been able to reduce that. And we hope it’s a convenience for our players and retailers.

I would imagine there will always be some time required for balancing and verification before a drawing can happen, but perhaps in the future, the time involved can be even shorter than it is today.

The exact sales cut-off times vary from state to state, depending upon the requirements in that particular state. Check your state lottery’s website for the information that applies in your area.

And when it comes to the drawings themselves, there are multiple layers of security involved.

For example, the machines and sets of numbered balls used in the drawings are kept in double-locked and sealed vaults, and are only taken out when the drawing manager, security officer, and independent auditor are all present.

And those aren’t ping-pong balls in the machines. The drawing balls are actually made of rubber and have to meet exact specifications through testing, weighing and measuring.

Multiple sets of balls are available for the drawings along with multiple sets of machines. The exact machines and numbered balls used in each drawing are randomly selected and everything that happens with them once they’re out of the vault is recorded on audio and video.

There also are testing procedures leading up to each drawing, with the entire process carried out under the supervision of an auditor and security officials.

Scam Alert: Uptick In Lottery Scams Being Reported

Investigators are warning of a current increase in lottery-related scams, with many of the calls apparently originating out of Jamaica.

Scam operations unfortunately are a common part of our world today, and some of them drag lotteries’ names and products into the mix. This latest wave of scams apparently promises that you’ve won a prize in the so-called Mega Millions Sweepstakes. Sometimes people are told they’ve won a jackpot, other times it’s a new luxury vehicle. There is no Mega Millions Sweepstakes, by the way. Mega Millions® is lotto game with drawings twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays, but there is no sweepstakes associated with it.

We’ve warned about lottery-related scams for years, noting that they’ve involved many different forms: letters, telephone calls, emails, text messages, and social media contacts. In the current phone calls, those contacted say the caller has a definite Caribbean accent. And the scammers want those contacted to pay a “processing fee” up front to receive their promised winnings.

It’s a scam. And anyone who sends money to the scammers will never see those funds again, nor will they ever receive the promised winnings.

Please keep these details in mind if you’re ever contacted about winning a lottery prize:

• If someone says that you've won a big prize, stop and ask yourself this question: Did I buy a ticket or enter that contest? If you didn't, it's likely a scam.
• Never pay processing fees, insurance or commissions to claim a lottery prize. Legitimate lotteries do not require winners to pay anything up front to receive a prize.
• Never believe a letter, phone call or Internet message from someone who claims they can guarantee you a prize. Legitimate lotteries do not guarantee that you will win and do not require you to join a prize pool to play.
• And remember that in here in our state, the Iowa Lottery is the only lottery authorized under state law. 

The Attorney General’s Office advises you to report suspected scam calls to the FCC Consumer Complaint Center. The AG also says to consider using call-blocking apps and other services to reduce the number of robocalls you receive.

And please remember that while the current scam-related telephone calls are getting attention, there are likely other types of scams underway. The best thing you can do is to be vigilant and protect yourself.

From A Player: I’m Mad. That Store Said I Couldn’t Use A Debit Card.

A man who recently contacted us was mad that he couldn’t use a debit card at a local store to buy lottery tickets. The answer to his question isn’t whether it’s legal to do that in Iowa, but whether the location involved wants to allow it.

Here’s the background: State law in Iowa allows lottery tickets to be purchased with cash, debit cards, checks and gift cards, but a retail location isn’t REQUIRED to accept any form of payment if it doesn’t want to do so.

Real-world details including card fees and payment verification are part of the daily picture for retailers, and at the Iowa Lottery, we understand that. Businesses have their own payment policies, so check with the store involved if you have questions.

Another important point to remember is that it is illegal in Iowa for credit cards to be used to purchase lottery tickets.

Player Comment: I Think The Lottery Pays Out Less Today …

We heard this week from a man who was unhappy with the lottery, and let us know he’s convinced our prize payouts have gone down over time.

Now, I get that he wants to win big and likely won’t ever be truly satisfied unless that happens. But in fact, the Iowa Lottery’s prize payouts have gone up over time, not down. I’m sharing the numbers with you here so you’ll have the details involved.

In fiscal year 1986, the first year that the Iowa Lottery was in operation, 46 percent of each dollar in lottery sales in Iowa went to pay prizes. (Iowa Lottery sales that year totaled a little more than $85 million and prizes totaled $39.3 million.) 

In fiscal year 2020, our latest financial year that just ended June 30, 64 cents of each $1 in Iowa Lottery sales went to prizes. (Lottery sales in FY 2020 totaled about $372 million while prizes totaled $236.3 million.)  

That’s an 18 percent increase in our prize payouts since the lottery’s first year.

People can and do win Iowa Lottery prizes every day, and everyone has the same chance of winning. But you’re gambling when you play the lottery, so winning – and not winning – are both a part of it.

And if buying lottery tickets is making you unhappy or causing you stress, then take a break or maybe decide not to do it at all. It’s your decision as a consumer.

Third Time Lucky: Fort Dodge Man Wins Top Prize On Ticket No. 3

Here’s a story of lottery luck that just kept growing: A Fort Dodge man won bigger and bigger amounts on the tickets he was buying in a scratch game, and his last win took a huge jump up.

Harold Hinds said he recently made his usual stop for coffee and a scratch ticket and ended up winning $10. He decided to go back to the store to redeem his prize and buy another ticket. That time around, he won $30. That sent him back to the store again for another ticket, and that time, he won the top prize of $100,000 in the “$100,000 Mega Crossword” game.

Harold, who is 80, won the 15th top prize in the game. There are 10 more top prizes still available in it. He says that he and his wife plan to use his winnings on home repairs and possibly a new car.

We would say that this story is an example of the phrase: If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again, but Harold succeeded every time – just sometimes larger than others! Congratulations, Harold!

After The Storm: Our Cedar Rapids Office Is Unable To Process Prize Claims

Aug. 18 update: Our Cedar Rapids office is now able to process prize claims again! Clean-up from last week's storms continues, but progress IS being made! Thank you to everyone who has been part of the effort.    

In the wake of the powerful storm that swept across Iowa earlier this week, our Cedar Rapids office is unable to process prize claims.

We know that emergency crews are working as quickly as possible to make repairs, but damage in eastern Iowa is extensive. There currently is not a timetable for when our Cedar Rapids office will be able to resume paying prizes. 
 
If you have a prize to claim at an Iowa Lottery office, please know that curbside claims are available at our locations in Clive, Mason City, and Storm Lake. You also can mail your prize claim to us or use our secure dropbox at lottery headquarters in Clive. We have full details on the How To Claim A Prize page of our website.
 
If the Cedar Rapids office would be the most convenient for you to visit, you can always wait until a later date to claim your prize there. Just know that we don’t yet have an estimate for when that would be possible.

Take Care of Yourself, And If It’s Causing You Stress, Don’t Play

We’re all feeling extra stress these days with worries about health and safety and just the daily occurrences of life. My team and I here at the lottery can sometimes feel that stress coming through from the folks who contact us, and for whatever reason, this past week has seemed like a hot point for some people.

We do our best to help and provide clear answers to questions. And I’ll stress a point here on the blog that we’ve made to a couple people this past week, because we mean it sincerely.

Please remember that playing the lottery is gambling, and there's no guarantee you'll win when you buy a ticket. Gambling is a form of entertainment, like buying a magazine or watching a movie. How you choose to spend your disposal income is entirely your own decision.

A lottery ticket is always an optional purchase for you as a consumer. If playing the lottery is causing you stress or you don't enjoy it, then please don't do it.

And if you have concerns about problem gambling, please know that help is available 24/7 here in Iowa by visiting YourLifeIowa.org or calling 1-800-BETSOFF.

Take care of yourself out there!

Player Question: How Are The Remaining Prizes Tracked?

A player who reached out to us on Facebook asked an important question about the Remaining Prizes list we keep on our website: Where do those numbers come from?

If you’re not familiar with the Remaining Prizes list, it can be found here. (I also included a screenshot below from that page.) It lists the prizes of $100 or more available in our scratch, pull-tab and InstaPlay games, the number of those prizes that have already been claimed, and the number that are still available. The details automatically record as tickets are scanned on the lottery’s statewide gaming system.

The list on our website is then updated each morning to provide the latest snapshot of our games and prizes.

We want you to know the stats and have regular updates about the tickets that are out there, and the list is a quick way to keep all of those details in one place.

We also keep an Unclaimed Prizes list on our website of the prizes that have been won but not yet claimed in our lotto games including Powerball® and Mega Millions® as well as our InstaPlay games. That information also records automatically as tickets are scanned on our system, and the list on our website is refreshed each morning.

Feel free to check out those lists when you’re looking for the latest details, but if you ever have further questions, feel free to reach out to us. We’ll be glad to help.

Iowa Lottery Meets Budget Targets In Latest Fiscal Year

We've released the Iowa Lottery's annual results today, with its sales, proceeds to state causes, and prizes to players all meeting budget targets for fiscal year 2020 even amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

It’s gratifying to be able to look back at the past 12 months – and particularly the months of the public health emergency – and see that we’ve been able to adapt and deliver on our promise to responsibly generate revenue for important Iowa causes.

The preliminary figures today show that the lottery generated $81.5 million in proceeds to state causes for the year. Annual lottery sales in FY 2020 were $372 million, while prizes to players totaled $236.3 million. Lottery sales commissions to the local businesses statewide that sell its tickets totaled $24.3 million.

All of those figures are understandably down a bit from the previous year’s numbers. The lottery’s FY 2020 results were largely impacted by two main factors: the COVID-19 pandemic and a relative lack of big jackpots in national lotto games.  

The jackpots in Mega Millions® and Powerball® both repeatedly climbed into the stratosphere in fiscal year 2019, with the Mega Millions grand prize in particular reaching more than $1.5 billion in October 2018, the largest jackpot in the history of that game. But in FY 2020, both games’ jackpots were won more often at lower levels ($40 million to $100 million). That meant lower overall sales in both games, and the COVID-19 emergency impacted the lotto category even more, with sales in lotto games nationwide falling during the pandemic.

But at the same time, scratch-game sales in Iowa had a strong year. Scratch games sold well throughout FY 2020, including during the months of the pandemic. Iowans who suddenly had a lot of time at home made scratch tickets part of their entertainment options along with the puzzles, board games and bicycles that have been selling at such high rates they’re now in short supply in many places.      

Scratch-ticket sales in Iowa have set annual records each year since FY 2015, and did that again in FY 2020, totaling $262.4 million. That’s an increase of $11.8 million from the previous year’s total for that product.

The lottery retailer with the highest sales in Iowa for the year was the Hy-Vee at 1843 Johnson Ave. NW in Cedar Rapids. That store sold more than $911,000 in lottery tickets in FY 2020.

The largest lottery prize won during the year in Iowa was $1 million, and two players each claimed that amount. Shane Saxen of Correctionville claimed a $1 million Powerball prize in March, and a group of five friends from Eldora calling themselves "Just Us" claimed a $1 million Mega Millions prize in December.

For the 2nd Time This Month, Iowa Ticket Wins $500,000 Powerball Prize

Someone who bought a Powerball® ticket in Clinton won a $500,000 prize in last night’s drawing. It’s the second prize of that size to hit in Iowa this month.

The latest $500,000-winning ticket was purchased at the Kwik Star convenience store, 911 S. 14th St. in Clinton. The ticket came within one number of having at least a share of last night’s $87.3 million Powerball jackpot.

The Clinton ticket matched four of the first five numbers and the Powerball to initially win a $50,000 prize. But whoever bought the winning ticket also added the Power Play® option to the purchase, which multiplied the prize to $500,000.

A Waterloo man won a $500,000 prize with the same type of play in the Powerball drawing on July 8. Tu Kha Maung, 29, claimed his prize two days later.

Last night’s winning numbers were: 27-47-61-62-69 and Powerball 4. The Power Play number was 10. No one matched all six numbers to win the jackpot, so the big prize climbs to an estimated $97 million annuity ($78.3 million cash option) for Saturday.

The Clinton ticket was one of three in the country to win a $500,000 prize in last night’s drawing, while a ticket in California won a $1 million prize.

Kwik Star will receive a $500 bonus from the Iowa Lottery for selling the $500,000-winning ticket at one of its stores.

Prizes of $500,000 have to be claimed at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive. The lottery’s offices are open Monday through Friday, and currently offer curbside prize claims by appointment. To make an appointment, the winner or winners of the Clinton prize should call the lottery at 515-725-7900.

It’s Started Today: Our Summer Promotion Will Give Away $250,000 In Prizes

We’re making the move into summer here at the Iowa Lottery with today’s start of the “Summer Cash Bash” Prize Zone promotion that will give away a total of $250,000 in cash prizes by mid-September.

The promotion will award 90 cash prizes totaling $250,000 during the next two months. To keep things interesting, every two weeks, we’ll change up the prizes on the line and the scratch games that can be entered inti the promotion.

The Summer Cash Bash officially started this morning, and the first entry period runs through the morning of July 28. The first drawing takes place on July 30, and we'll give away 22 prizes that day totaling $60,000. Nonwinning tickets from five scratch games can be entered into this first round of the promotion: Quick 5s, Money Ball, Amazing Money, $50,000 Classic Black, and $100,000 Mega Crossword.

We’ve got details about the next couple upcoming rounds of the Summer Cash Bash on our promotions page, so feel free to check out the current games that can be entered as well as the details that are on deck.

Definitely Fireworks Of A Different Kind -- All Predicted By Her Horoscope

I love everything about this story: The fireworks show, the fact that she didn’t play her ticket until afterwards, and the fortune that came true. Especially the fortune!

All those details belong to Susan Legge of Granger, who claimed a $30,000 lottery prize Monday. She won one of the top prizes in the “Amazing Money” scratch game.    

Susan said she bought her winning ticket on the Fourth of July as she was on her way to watch a local fireworks show. She didn’t play the ticket until she got home that night and said she didn’t trust what she was seeing at first. So she handed the ticket to her daughter to double-check it.

Susan said that her daughter scanned the ticket with the Iowa Lottery’s mobile app and it showed that she had indeed won a $30,000 prize. But wanting one more source to verify it, they rushed back to the Casey’s store in Granger where she’d bought her ticket and had it scanned on the lottery terminal there, which also showed that she’d won the game’s top prize.

And here’s where the fortune comes in: Susan said she’d read an online horoscope the day before that predicted something good would come her way, that she should expect a miracle. And then she bought a winning lottery ticket. She said she’s still stunned!

She said she plans to use her winnings for a down payment on a house and to upgrade her camper.

Congratulations, Susan! Now maybe the rest of us will have to take a closer look at our horoscopes, too!

Curbside Prize Claims Reminder: Our Offices Are Closed Tomorrow

It’s been a very busy and successful first month of curbside prize claims at the Iowa Lottery, and we’re glad to see that our players have found the process convenient and easy to use. And hey, we’re just glad to be able to interact with people again!

We’re doing our curbside appointments with virus-mitigation procedures in place to keep everyone safe, and it’s a process that’s worked well since we began using it on June 1. If you have a prize to claim directly from us at the lottery, check out the details on our Curbside Claims page so you’ll know how and where to make an appointment.

We’re loving the photos of our winners as they claim their prizes at their curbside appointments. There’s a slice-of-life feel to the images that shows it is possible for all of us to still have fun even with the challenges from COVID-19.

As a plan-ahead reminder, our offices are closed tomorrow (Friday, July 3) for the Independence Day holiday weekend, so we’ll see you all again on Monday. Have a very happy Fourth of July, everyone!

Player Question: Why Do You Still Sell That Game After The Promotion Has Ended?

With the Prize Zone now an ongoing part of our VIP Club and the big Summer Cash Bash starting in a couple weeks, I’ll answer a question here on the blog that we’ve received from a few players in the past about the games that can be entered into our promotions.

Those folks have wondered why we continue to sell the games involved in our promotions after the promotions end. What they may not have realized is that the scratch games involved are often already available before a promotion starts and sometimes stay on the market after it has ended. That’s because the promotion isn’t the primary function of the game – it’s an extra, or an add-on, but the game itself is its own vehicle.

The prizes in our games themselves aren’t tied to a promotion – they’re separate and only a part of that game. That's why the game involved will often be on sale for far longer than a particular promotion is offered – players want the chance to win the prizes in the game itself and realize that the promotion is a temporary (and fun) addition with prizes of its own.

We refer to our promotions as “Play It Again” or second-chance opportunities because if you don’t initially win a prize on the ticket involved, you can play it again by entering the promotion for a chance to win the prizes offered there.   

The upcoming Summer Cash Bash is a perfect example of the timing issue I've discussed in this blog entry. The promotion doesn’t start until July 13, but some of the games involved are already on sale, and we’re letting players know that they can save their tickets to enter the Cash Bash when it starts. Those same games may end up being on the market after the promotion ends, it all depends on how long the supply of tickets lasts.

We do our best to come up with fun games and promotions and tie them together when we can for even more chances to win. But the games involved stand on their own and have their own timeline outside of the promotion.

SW Iowa Man Talks About Winning A Big Prize During A Pandemic

Here is Delbert Littleton of Atlantic in his own words as he talks about winning a big lottery prize during a pandemic. Congratulations on your big win, Delbert, and thank you for lifting our spirits with your positive outlook!

Atlantic Man Danced With His Wife In the Kitchen After Realizing He’d Won Big

A southwest Iowa man said he and his wife danced in their kitchen at 4:30 a.m. after realizing he’d won a lottery prize of $25,000 a year for life.

Delbert Littleton of Atlantic said they both were shaking and hugging after realizing the big news. His ticket matched the first five numbers but missed the Lucky Ball in the Lucky for Life drawing on June 15 to win the game’s second prize of $25,000 a year for life.

Delbert, who’s 62 and works at an assisted-living facility, said he realized early the next morning that he’d won a big prize. And even though his wife Jodi was still asleep, he knew he had to share the news. So he carefully told her that she needed to get up and look at something. After they danced and hugged, he said she told him right away that they needed to put the ticket in their safety deposit box so nothing would happen to it.

They kept the ticket safe and Delbert was able to claim his prize today at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive.

He bought his winning ticket at Casey’s, 701 Poplar St. in Atlantic, and Casey’s will receive a $500 bonus from the lottery for selling the winning ticket at one of its stores.

Delbert is Iowa’s ninth big winner in Lucky for Life since the game debuted in January 2016 in our state. He said that he and his wife already know how they’ll use the winnings: They plan to buy a new house, both buy new cars, and put the rest away for retirement.

Because he works in environmental services, Delbert takes precautions against COVID-19 every day. He said that winning a big prize during the worldwide pandemic lightens the load a little bit and gives him more hope that we’ll all eventually get through this.

Delbert chose to receive his prize in its lump-sum option of $390,000. He said that no one can predict the future, so he and Jodi decided to take the lump sum and enjoy making plans with the winnings right away.

If I Spend $1 On A Lottery Ticket, How Does That Help Iowa?

We’ve added a new page on the Iowa Lottery’s website that answers a couple of the questions we receive the most: How is the money spent on lottery tickets used in our state, and what kind of help does that mean for Iowa? 

The new page can be found under the “Lottery Gives Back” link on our homepage. It replaces the previous “Where The Money Goes” page we’d utilized for a number of years. The details on the previous page focused on the historical use of lottery proceeds since the Iowa Lottery’s start in 1985. The new page expands on that.

At the top of the new page is a breakdown of how each $1 spent on lottery tickets in Iowa is used. The figures currently listed are for fiscal year 2019, and we’ll update that with each new year’s results as we have them. The biggest share of the money in FY 2019 of course went to players, with 62 cents on the dollar going to pay prizes. The second-largest category was proceeds to state causes, with 24 cents on the dollar going directly to Iowa programs.

Below those details are graphics that highlight how lottery proceeds help Iowa. You’ll find direct links there that you can use to learn more about the state programs that receive funding from the Iowa Lottery.

At the bottom of the page is a list of the programs that received lottery proceeds in the past, but are no longer current recipients. We hope that by dividing out the current and past uses of lottery proceeds, we’re clearly defining how the Iowa Lottery makes a difference in Iowa.

InstaPlay Prize Of Nearly $75,000 Nearing Expiration Date

A lottery prize of nearly $75,000 won in southwest Iowa will expire within a month if it isn’t claimed in time, and we’re reminding players to double-check their tickets.

The winning ticket in the Extreme Green Progressive InstaPlay game was purchased in April at Casey’s, 204 Sixth St. in Corning. It won a progressive jackpot that had reached $74,938.00 in the Extreme Green game on April 6 and the prize will expire in early July if it isn’t claimed by then.

Players in InstaPlay games need to claim their prizes within 90 days of the date they purchased their ticket, so the winner of the prize in Corning has until 4 p.m. on Monday, July 6, to claim it at one of the Iowa Lottery’s offices.

Remember that we currently offer curbside prize claims by appointment at our offices, and Iowa Lottery winners also have the option of mailing or shipping their tickets to us or putting them in the secure dropbox at lottery headquarters.

So if you bought an InstaPlay ticket recently, please get it out and double-check it! You may have won a big prize, and time is running out for it to be claimed.

The money from unclaimed lottery prizes in Iowa goes into the lottery’s prize pools for future games and promotions, so it will be used to pay prizes, just not those prizes that have expired.

It’s So Nice To See Our Winners’ Smiling Faces Again!

This week, we were able to start interacting with our winners in person again through curbside prize claims at our offices in Storm Lake, Mason City and Cedar Rapids. And on Monday, curbside claims will begin at lottery headquarters in Clive.

It’s another step forward as we all do our best to continue navigating safely during the COVID-19 emergency. And I have to tell you, it’s been so incredibly NICE to see our winners’ smiling faces again! We’ve interacted with winners of large and small prizes this week in a curbside claims process that is working well.

Four of our winners from this week are shown here, and to each of them I say: CONGRATULATIONS! Thank you for helping to lift our spirits this week!

Back in March as the COVID-19 emergency was deepening, we made the decision that for the health of everyone, public access to our offices would need to be restricted. For more than two months, winning tickets needed to be mailed or shipped to the Iowa Lottery or put in the secure dropbox available at lottery headquarters. (If you’ve won an Iowa Lottery prize and would prefer to use one of those prize-claim methods, you’re welcome to do so!)

But curbside claims by appointment are now available as well, and the process went really smoothly this week. We hope to see YOU as a prize winner soon!

Additional Prize-Claim Option Coming Soon

As we continue to safely find our way forward during this COVID-19 health emergency, the Iowa Lottery is continuing to restrict public access at our offices, but we’re adding an additional prize-claim option.

Beginning on Monday (June 1), we’ll offer curbside claims by appointment at our offices in Storm Lake, Mason City, and Cedar Rapids. And a week later, on June 8, curbside claims by appointment will begin at lottery headquarters in Clive.

If you’ve won a lottery prize, you also have the option of mailing or shipping your ticket to us if you’d like, and we have a secure dropbox at lottery headquarters. Some people prefer a prize-claim process with no direct human interaction right now, and we understand that. That’s why we’re making a variety of prize-claim options available.

To utilize curbside claims, call the lottery office where you want to claim your prize to make an appointment and receive other details, including the documentation you’ll need to have with you. (Remember that all prizes of more than $250,000 must be claimed at lottery headquarters in Clive.)

Here are our telephone numbers:

Clive: 515-725-7900
Cedar Rapids: 319-395-9313
Mason City: 641-424-6011
Storm Lake: 712-732-6662

(Our How To Claim A Prize page provides a list of the documentation required, including a government-issued I.D., when claiming an Iowa Lottery prize. Direct links to our prize-claim documents are also available on that page.)

Our curbside claims process will be similar to the curbside procedures we’re all using in so many places these days. When you arrive at the lottery office, you’ll park in one of the spaces designated for curbside prize claims and stay in your vehicle. You’ll call the telephone number for the office involved to let staffers know that you have arrived, since the doors to our offices are closed. Please tell the lottery staffer you speak with the number of the curbside claims spot where you’re parked.

A lottery staff member wearing gloves and a mask will then bring prize-claim documentation out to your vehicle and maintain social distance while you complete the necessary forms. The lottery staffer will review the documentation with you, then return to the lottery office to process the claim.

After printing your prize check, the lottery staffer will bring it to you in your vehicle and complete any final paperwork details with you.

Why Can I Sometimes Not Play Certain Numbers In Pick 3 & Pick 4?

A man who reached out to us on Facebook was surprised recently when he tried to buy a Pick 4 play and couldn’t because the lottery terminal showed that the combination was sold out. He wanted to know what that meant.

Every so often, a particular number combination in our Pick 3 and Pick 4 games sells out, meaning that no more plays of that combination can be purchased for the next drawing. Unusual dates often are big sellers and can lead certain combinations to sell out. We saw that back on Sept. 9, 2009, when 9-9-9 sold out in Pick 3 and 9-9-0-9 sold out in Pick 4. The same thing had happened with the corresponding numbers on July 7, 2007, and Aug. 8, 2008.

Some people consider the dates lucky, others just like the play of the numbers involved.

Sometimes it’s not obvious to us why a particular combination of numbers sells out, we just know that the liability limit has been reached. Lotteries have liability limits in Pick 3 and Pick 4 games to protect the integrity of the games and the proceeds that the lottery raises for state causes.

The liability limits don’t get hit all that often, but when they do, that particular set of numbers will be sold out for that particular drawing, and you’ll have to choose a combination to play that time around. The combination will be available again for the next drawing, assuming that the liability limit isn’t reached the next time around as well.

Calhoun County Man Claims Prize Of $25,000 A Year For Life

A northwest Iowa man has claimed a prize of $25,000 a year for life that he won in a drawing late last month.

David Holder of Pomeroy is Iowa’s eighth big winner in the Lucky for Life game since its 2016 debut in the state. He bought his winning ticket at Country Stores of Rockwell City at 730 High St. in Rockwell City. His ticket matched the first five numbers but missed the Lucky Ball in the drawing on April 27 to win the game’s second prize of $25,000 a year for life.

Holder’s prize claim was received in the Iowa Lottery's secure dropbox and processed Wednesday at lottery headquarters in Clive. He chose to receive his prize in its lump-sum option of $390,000.

The winning numbers in the April 27 Lucky for Life drawing were: 1-5-9-28-35 and Lucky Ball 9. Country Stores of Rockwell City will receive a $500 bonus from the lottery for selling the winning ticket at one of its locations.

Lotto America Jackpot Changes Will Follow Those In Powerball & Mega Millions

Changes will be made next month to the jackpot in Lotto America that are similar to the updates already made in Powerball and Mega Millions.

After the Lotto America drawing on June 13, the starting jackpot amount in the game and the rate that the jackpot increases between drawings will be based upon sales and interest rates, with no fixed minimums.

The adjustments are needed to ensure that the game’s ticket sales can support its jackpots and other prizes. The current COVID-19 public health emergency has drastically impacted life for us all and altered normal consumer behavior for all types of products, including ticket purchases in lottery games like Lotto America. Interest rates also have declined during the health crisis, and that in turn drives down the annuity amount of the game’s jackpots.

We know that folks have many more important issues on their minds these days than purchasing lotto tickets, and in many locations around the country, they're not in a position to buy them at all. That in turn means changes have to be made on different fronts, including in the Lotto America game.

Player Question: Why Do Some Tickets Seem to Scratch Differently Than Others?

Some players who buy different scratch games have noticed that the security coating on the tickets can vary from game to game, and they’ve asked why. In many cases, it’s because they’re specifically designed that way, but I have more background below.

The material on scratch tickets that you remove when you play them is called a security coating. There are different types of security coatings on our tickets, depending on the specific game that you’re playing.

For example, in some of our games, the security coating has to be transparent so you can see through it to the letters, numbers and symbols that you’ll scratch off in the play area. In other games, the security coating covers up the details below it so the play area can’t be seen until you scratch the ticket.

In addition, the scratch games that we sell here in Iowa can come from different companies. (There are only three companies that print the scratch tickets available in the U.S. market, and the Iowa Lottery has printing contracts with them all so we can access the popular concepts they each offer.)

For all those reasons, the security coating on our tickets can vary from game to game. Sometimes it can be a powdery substance when you scratch it off and other times it will be a bit gummy. Sometimes the coating is purposefully thin, and other times it can have multiple layers. That also means you likely will need to apply different amounts of pressure as you scratch off the security coating on different tickets.

All our games go through testing to ensure that the security coating involved meets the parameters required for those particular tickets.

I hope this background helps! And, happy scratching.

New Step In the Process When You Check A Ticket Using Our Mobile App

An update being made today to our mobile app allows you to clear out the results of the previous ticket before starting to scan another one.

We’re making the change after input from some players who said this additional step could help make the process of checking tickets on the app more clear for them. This update is designed to do just that.

So now, when you check a ticket on the mobile app and have had a chance to review the results, you’ll click the “Clear Scan Results” button to remove that information from the screen. You then can proceed with checking the next ticket, and since you’ve cleared the results of the previous one, you’ll be starting with a clean slate. We hope this change will be a positive!

We debuted our app for Apple AND Android devices back in 2017, and like any technology, we’ve updated it over time. If you already have our app (it’s called the Iowa Lottery’s LotteryPlus) on your device, there’s nothing you need to do to receive this update. It happens automatically. If you don’t yet have the app, feel free to install it from the Google Play Store® or Apple iTunes Store® as applicable for your particular device.

The most popular way that people use our app is to check the results of their lottery tickets. You can check lotto, scratch and InstaPlay tickets on the app, so you don’t have to visit a store or a lottery office to see if you’ve won. Two other popular ways that people use the app is to enter their tickets into our VIP Club drawings and to check the winning numbers in recent lotto drawings.

Thank you for playing the lottery, and we hope this update makes it even easier for you to use our mobile technology!

Ticket Purchased In NW Iowa Wins Prize Of $25,000 A Year For Life

Someone who bought a lottery ticket at a northwest Iowa convenience store has won a prize of $25,000 a year for life in the Lucky for Life game.

The Rockwell City ticket matched the first five numbers but missed the Lucky Ball in last night’s drawing to win Lucky for Life’s second prize of $25,000 a year for life. The winning ticket was purchased at Kimmes Rockwell City Country Store, 30 High St. in Rockwell City.

It is Iowa’s eighth big winner in the game since it debuted in January 2016 in our state.

Lucky for Life is a $2 game with drawings twice a week, at 9:38 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays. 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 rather than lifetime annuity payments.

The winning numbers in last night’s Lucky for Life drawing were: 1-5-9-28-35 and Lucky Ball 9. Kimmes Country Stores will receive a $500 bonus from the lottery for selling the winning ticket at one of its locations.

This prize must be claimed at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive. During the current public health emergency, public access to lottery offices is restricted to email and telephone, so players can mail or ship their tickets to the lottery to claim prizes and there also is a secure dropbox option at the Clive location. Full details are available on the lottery’s website here.

If the winner or winners of the Rockwell City ticket have questions before coming forward to claim the prize, they’re welcome to call us at the lottery at 515-725-7900.

There's plenty of time for this prize to be claimed: Players in Lucky for Life have up to 365 days from the date of the drawing to claim prizes won in Iowa.

Player Question: Why Are You Ending That Scratch Game?

Here’s a question that came our way about a scratch game that was ending, and why and how we reach the decision to stop distribution of a particular game. The player involved made it clear he wanted to keep buying tickets in the game he was asking about, and he didn’t understand why we would pull it from store shelves.

There are generally a variety of factors involved, ranging from how long a game has been on the market, its current ticket sales level, and whether stores want to replace it with something newer.

We have dozens of scratch games for sale at any one time, but there are only so many bins for tickets in our self-service kiosks and only so many slots for tickets in our dispensers. That means some retail locations simply don’t have enough room for all the games that are out there, and individual locations can decide which games they want to sell.

Most often, we discontinue sales in a particular scratch game when the last top prize in it has been claimed. We don’t want a game on the market if you can’t still have a chance at its top prize!

Sometimes we have specially-themed games that only run for a short period of time, such as our holiday games. Those games come off the market in January each year because it just wouldn’t make sense if we were selling a snow-themed game in July! But the good news is, we work hard to keep the odds of winning the same in our holiday games as they are in the others that are on the market for much longer.

In other instances, if a game has been available for some time and players show us through their purchases that they prefer something else, it also will be removed from the shelves.

People’s reactions to our procedures are sometimes completely at odds with each other. We’ve gotten complaints from players who don’t want us to end a game at the same time we’ve heard from people who want to make sure we definitely do that, especially when the last top prize has been claimed. I suppose that’s an example of the old saying that you can’t please all the people all the time.

We do our best to design policies that err on the side of players as much as possible. So just know that we’ll keep coming up with fun, new games to replace those that are ending!

Ways To Win: A Number Within A Number, A Word Within A Word Don’t Count

We’ve gotten this question before about words within words on our “Crossword” scratch tickets, but here’s a slightly different twist on it, asking about numbers within numbers in the “Cash Multiplied” game.

The player in this instance asked that if the numbers they needed to match to win were 4 and 8, and on their ticket they found a 14 and an 18, does that mean they won? Could they win if any of the numbers on the ticket contained a 4 and an 8?

The short answer is no. A number within a number doesn’t count. The number 14 is only that number – it can’t be “taken apart” to count as a 1, 4, or 14.

That same concept applies in our Crossword games: Words within words, meaning partial words, don’t count. So, for example, if the word “someone” is in the play area on your ticket, you must complete the whole word. You can’t try to make “some” or “one” a word on their own and ignore the word as a whole.

I hope that the answers we provide here on the blog help make the rules clear for everyone.

Have a good weekend, and stay safe!

Have Iowa’s Back: Participate In The 2020 Census

During the next couple months, you’ll see messages from us at the Iowa Lottery reminding everyone why it’s so important that we help our state by completing the 2020 Census.  

For the next two weeks and again for two weeks in May, the lottery will run special messages on its lotto tickets encouraging everyone to participate in the Census. We’ll also have Census messages on the display screens at our lottery terminals and self-service kiosks where you buy tickets.

If you buy a lotto ticket this week in a game like Powerball® or Mega Millions®, look at the top. We hope the message you see there is self-explanatory:

Make Iowa count! Complete the 2020
Census online or by phone or mail.

The Census is a once-in-a-decade count that gives a snapshot of our nation about who we are and where we live. The results of the Census are used to make any number of critical decisions, like where communities should build new schools, where new roads are needed, and how hundreds of billions of dollars in federal funding should be spent in programs including Medicaid, Head Start, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

The Census also determines the number of seats Iowa has in the U.S. House of Representatives and is used to draw the boundary lines for Congressional and state legislative districts.

In a nutshell, a complete and accurate Census count helps ensure that we as Iowans receive the political representation we deserve and that our taxpayer dollars are spent in a way that helps our state.

Iowa had top ranking in 2000 in getting its residents counted, with 76 percent of households in the state returning their Census forms. And in 2010, Iowa helped lead the way in the mail-in process for the Census, with 78 percent of households sending back their forms.

Earlier this month, U.S. households began receiving official Census Bureau mail with details about how you can complete the 2020 Census online, by phone or by mail. And if a count hasn’t been submitted for your household by later this year, Census staffers will visit homes from May to July to help make sure everyone is counted.

The Census Bureau is required by law to deliver its counts to the president and Congress in December.

So please take a few minutes to complete your Census form. Be counted for Iowa!   

Powerball & Mega Millions Changing, We’re Offering Free Plays For “Multi-Draw” Tickets Involved

***This blog entry has been updated to include details about changes to the Mega Millions game that were announced on Friday, April 3, and to include a direct link to the web page with the claim form for free-play requests.***

After earlier changes were announced in Powerball®, the Mega Millions® game is now making similar adjustments. The deepening COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on everyday life is behind it all.

In both Powerball and Mega Millions, the starting jackpot amount will be eliminated along with any minimum amount that the jackpot will grow between drawings. Instead, both amounts will be determined on a drawing-by-drawing basis and announced ahead of the next upcoming drawing.

The adjustments are needed to ensure that ticket sales in both games can support their jackpots and other prizes. The deepening COVID-19 public health emergency has drastically impacted life for us all and altered normal consumer behavior, including ticket purchases in Powerball and Mega Millions. Interest rates also have declined amidst the health crisis, and that in turn drives down the annuity amount of the games’ jackpots.

The timing of the changes in each game is slightly different, based upon its drawing schedule. (Mega Millions drawings are at 10 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays, while Powerball drawings are at 9:59 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays.)

In Mega Millions: The jackpot for tonight’s drawing remains at an estimated $121 million annuity, $96.7 million lump-sum option. If the jackpot is won tonight, it will reset to a guaranteed $20 million for Tuesday’s drawing (April 7). If there is no jackpot winner tonight, the game’s grand prize will roll to an estimated $127 million annuity for Tuesday. From that point on, the game’s starting jackpot and the rate at which the jackpot increases will be based upon sales and interest rates, with no fixed minimums.

In Powerball: The jackpot for tomorrow night’s drawing remains at an estimated $180 million annuity, $144.8 million lump-sum option. If the jackpot is won tomorrow, it will reset to a guaranteed $20 million annuity for Wednesday’s drawing (April 8). If there is no jackpot winner tomorrow, the game’s grand prize will roll to an estimated $190 million annuity for Wednesday. From that point on, the game’s starting jackpot and the rate at which the jackpot increases will be based upon sales and interest rates, with no fixed minimums.

The leadership of the Powerball Product Group and the Mega Millions Consortium, which are made of up the member-lottery directors in each game, will determine the jackpot details for it.

We know that some of our players may have used the “multi-draw” option to purchase plays in upcoming Powerball and Mega Millions drawings. Those plays, of course, are still valid, but are now impacted by the upcoming jackpot changes.

As a goodwill gesture, we’re offering those players free-play coupons for use in future drawings of the game they played. To be eligible for free-play coupons: 

• In Mega Millions, an Iowa Lottery player must have purchased a multi-draw ticket no later than 4 p.m. today (April 3) for a Mega Millions drawing held on April 7 or later. 
• In Powerball, an Iowa Lottery player must have purchased a multi-draw ticket no later than 4 p.m. yesterday (April 2) for a Powerball drawing held on April 8 or later.

Details about the free plays along with the form you’ll need to complete and send to us to request free-play coupons are available here on the lottery's website.

I’ll add in just a quick personal note to close out this blog entry: I know that these Mega Millions and Powerball changes are coming on top of the many, many other changes that we’re all experiencing. Just know that they’re not being made on a whim or at random. They're being made because the games and the prizes they offer are based upon mathematics. And there simply aren’t enough ticket sales occurring to continue the games in their previous format.

We understand that folks have much more important issues on their minds these days than purchasing lotto tickets, and in many instances, they're simply not in a position to buy them at all. Safety is what matters now, and all of us getting through this together.

But in the meantime, changes have to be made on many different fronts, including in these two games.