New York Lottery Rules

NEXT JACKPOT

US$ 2.5 million

Next Draw: Sat 21/12/2024

How to Play

The New York Lotto is a very popular lottery game in the United States, and one of the oldest. The jackpot prize usually starts at $3 million and over the years since it began in 1967 has paid out over $3.5 million in prizes.

What and When

New York Lotto draws are held on Wednesday and Saturday nights at 11:21 PM. Players must pick six distinct numbers from 1 to 59 in addition to the Bonus number. Players can also have a computer randomly pick the numbers for them, this is called a QuickPick. With the basic New York Lotto play slip there are five levels of prizes, while when playing the Lotto Extra option there is a total of eight prize levels.

A machine with numbered balls is used to draw the winning numbers, the balls numbered from 1 to 59. To win the New York Lotto jackpot players must match all six of the winning numbers. Apart from the jackpot prize there is a big second prize awarded to those who match five of the winning numbers plus the Bonus number. Smaller prizes are also given out to those players who matched three, four or five of the winning numbers.

New York Lotto Prizes and Jackpot

With Lotto Extra there are even more prize levels since players have two Bonus numbers. In addition to the prize levels mentioned above in the tradition playing ticket, the second prize is awarded if either of the Bonus numbers the player picked match the Bonus number drawn. Prizes are also awarded to those players who matched four numbers plus a Bonus number, three winning numbers plus a Bonus number and those who matched two numbers plus a Bonus number.

The New York Lotto jackpot typically starts at $3 million. When there is no jackpot winner the jackpot fund is rolled over and increases the jackpot at the next draw. The second prize level is also rolled over to the next draw when there is no winner. The cash amount of the lower prize levels depends on the revenue from ticket sales and the number of winners. The prize money in each prize level is divided between the winners on that prize level.

Players who win the New York Lotto jackpot prize can choose whether they would prefer to receive their prize in a cash lump sum or in 26 annual payments. The cash lump sum is worth around half of the advertised jackpot. The lower level prizes are paid out in cash.

Where can you Play?

New York Lotto prizes must be claimed within a year from the date of the draw. Prizes that aren’t claimed within the allotted period of time are given back to the lottery organization for additional lottery activities.

All in all 40% of revenue from sales tickets constitute the prize money fund, distributed at all prize levels. Of this fund, a large part - 75% - is the jackpot fund, and the remainder is divided between the prize levels.