New types of lottery games are
popping up more and more frequently. But the basics remain Lotto, Little
Lottos, Dailies, Multi-State Games, and Instant Games. The Instant Games are
scratch-off tickets, while the other lottery games are on-line games because
they consist of computer-generated tickets.
Let's look at the various games lottery players love to play, beginning with
Lotto, which has become the most popular of all lottery games.
Lotto
In Lotto, six numbers are drawn from a range of numbers (such as 42, 46, 47,
49, 51, and 54). In England (the UK Lotto), for instance, has a 6-out-of-49
game (6/49), meaning that six numbers are drawn from a possible 49. Florida's
Lotto is 6/53, meaning that six numbers are drawn from a possible 53.
To play Lotto, indicate your six chosen numbers by marking the numbered squares
on a play slip. Then take the play slip to a lottery retailer (or agent). The
retailer enters your selection in the on-line terminal, which produces your
game ticket. The ticket, not the play slip, is the official receipt and must be
presented and validated in the event of a win. Always check to make sure that
the correct date and numbers are on the game ticket before you leave. Lottery
agents are found in convenience stores, gas stations, and grocery stores.
The cost for one chance at Lotto is still £1 (and $1 in many US states).
Typically, Lotto drawings are held twice a week, usually on Wednesday and
Saturday nights. However, this may not be true for every country or state.
The lottery officials use special ball-drawing machines, and the balls
are numbered. The machine randomly shoots out six selected balls; these balls
display the winning numbers for that evening's lottery drawing. If all six of
your numbers exactly match the numbers drawn, you win the jackpot. In Lotto,
your numbers don't need to be listed in any particular order, as long as they match
those drawn. If two or more persons correctly pick the six numbers, the winners
split the prize money. If no one wins, the prize money rolls over and the
jackpot becomes increasingly larger. Not surprisingly, when this occurs, more
and more players take part, lured by the huge jackpot.
Now that you know how to play Lotto, you probably want to know how much you can
win. The amount of the prize depends upon several factors. Lotto is a
pari-mutuel game, meaning the amount of the prize is determined by the total
sales for each drawing and the number of winners. Or, if there is no winner,
the prize is rolled over, with an increased amount compared to the previous
game. The more populous regions/countries/states, such as Europe
(EuroMillions), Texas, New York, and California, will usually have larger
jackpots. Shortly after each drawing, your lottery body announces the estimated
grand prize amount for the next drawing. Even if you don't match all six
numbers, you can still win a prize by matching three, four, or five of the
numbers. While the payoff for matching three out of six is small, the odds are
better.
Little Lottos
Little Lotto games have better odds and are played more often. The method of
play is similar to that of Lotto, but the number of balls drawn and the playing
fields are usually lower. For example, in the United Kingdom , there is the
Daily Play (7/27), the player tries to correctly pick the seven numbers drawn
from a field of 27 - to try to win the jackpot of approx £30,000.
To play a Little Lotto game, select five numbers from your chosen Lottery's field
of numbers and mark your play slip. Take the play slip to a lottery agent, who
will then give you your game ticket. The game is played the same way as Lotto,
with the machine shooting out five selected balls instead of six. If all of
your numbers exactly match the numbers drawn, you win a Little Lotto jackpot.
As in regular Lotto, your numbers do not have to be in the same order as the
winning numbers.
In most instances, the drawings are held more often with Little Lotto than
Lotto. Generally, they are held six or seven days a week. The amount of the
prize money for Little Lotto games works the same as Lotto. But since there are
fewer "picks" (five) than in Lotto (six), your odds of winning these
games are much better. You can also win smaller prize amounts if only three or
four of your numbers match.
Multi-state Games
This concept was borne originally from US states with relatively small
populations joined together to create games that have bigger jackpots. Games
now include states with a wide range of populations. One such game is Mega
Millions, formerly called The Big Game, which is now played in California, Georgia,
Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Texas,
Virginia, and Washington.
Mega Millions has two separate drawings -- one of which is a "bonus"
type ball, or the Megaball. Along with the "Mega" jackpots are, of
course, mega odds. In 2000, while still called The Big Game, it made headlines
when it offered the largest jackpot in North American history -- $363 million.
Another game with really big stakes is Powerball, offered by the Multi-State
Lottery Association (MUSL). It's played in 29 states, the District of Columbia,
and the U.S. Virgin Islands. To win, the player must correctly pick five
numbers drawn from a field of 55 (5/55) and also correctly pick the Powerball
number, which is one number drawn from a field of 42 (1/42). Two separate
ball-drawing machines are used.
Powerball has formidable odds against winning. But the payoff is comparable to
Mega Millions and has made it one of the most popular lotteries in America. As
in Lotto, you can still win a smaller amount if you correctly pick some of the
numbers. These drawings are held every Wednesday and Saturday night.
Instant Games
The Instant Games, also called "scratch-off" games, don't involve
picking numbers and may be purchased at any time. The popularity of
"scratch-offs" is due to several reasons. First, the games are colourful
and fun to play. Second, a player doesn't need to pick numbers or fill out a
play slip. And finally, there's no waiting -- just scratch off the spots.
Many Lottery Bodies introduce new Instant Games every few weeks. (Michigan
offers nearly one new game a week.) Some are more popular than others and are
kept going for a longer period of time. Other games are soon discontinued, only
to reappear months or years later. Still others are seasonally or holiday
oriented, such as the various versions of Stocking Stuffer, Holiday Cash, Heat
Wave, and Mother's Day. There are also the perennials, such as Monopoly, Bingo,
and Win for Life.
With a few exceptions, the top prizes on instant tickets are much lower than
Lotto jackpots. In addition to the top prizes in each game, the player has a
chance to win smaller cash amounts ranging from 1 to 50 cash prizes.
Quick Picks
For the person who doesn't wish to take time to select his own numbers, Quick
Picks (computer-generated random numbers) are an easy option. Instead of
filling out a play slip, you simply tell the clerk you want a Quick Pick. The
machine will then issue you a ticket with randomly generated numbers.
Considering the convenience of Quick Picks, why do players bother to pick their
own numbers? Many players believe their "system" -- whatever it may
be -- gives them an edge. And who knows? Maybe they're right. Besides, picking
your own numbers is part of the fun of lottery games.