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How to Play Lotto America

Lotto America can be played by visiting authorized retailers in any of the 15 participating states, or by playing online in those states that allow it. Find out all about how to play Lotto America on this page and follow the steps below to buy your first entry.

How to Buy a Ticket

  1. Retailer

    Pick up a Lotto America playslip from an authorized retailer in any of the participating states.

  2. Main Numbers

    On the playslip, pick five main numbers between 1 and 52.

  3. Bonus

    Pick one Star Ball between 1 and 10.

  4. Quick Pick

    Alternatively, select the Quick Pick or Easy Pick option to have all of your numbers randomly selected.

  5. Repeat

    Repeat these steps for each line of numbers you want to play. Each line costs $1.

  6. Draws

    Select how many draws you wish to enter in advance (where available).

  7. Multiplier

    Choose whether to play the All Star Bonus for an additional $1 per line.

  8. Payment

    Pay the retailer for your ticket(s) and remember to store them safely until after the draw.

  9. Checker

    Visit the Winning Numbers page after the draw to check if you’re a winner.

Drawings take place on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 9:15 p.m. CT in Johnston, Iowa. Lotto America now uses a digital draw system rather than a mechanical ball machine.

Ticket sales close at different times on the day of the draw in each of the participating states. The table below shows the different ticket purchase cut-off times for each state. You do not have to be a resident of a state to buy a ticket, but you must be the minimum age to play.

Lotto America Ticket Cut-Off Times
State Ticket Sales Deadline
Delaware 9:45 p.m. ET
Idaho 7:10 p.m. MT
Iowa 8:59 p.m. CT
Kansas 8:59 p.m. CT
Maine 9:30 p.m. ET
Minnesota 9 p.m. CT
Mississippi 9 p.m. CT
Montana 8 p.m. MT
Nebraska 9 p.m. CT
New Mexico 8 p.m. MT
North Dakota 8:58 p.m. CT
Oklahoma 8:59 p.m. CT
South Dakota 9 p.m. CT
Tennessee 9 p.m. CT
West Virginia 9:59 p.m. ET

When you buy a ticket in-store, you have to keep it safe and remember to check it after the draw. If you play Lotto America online, your numbers are kept secure and there is no danger of missing out on a prize.

In Tennessee, you can also play Quick Cash alongside Tennessee. This is an instant-win game so you don’t need to pick any more numbers or even wait for a draw. All you need to do is add the Quick Cash option to your ticket for an extra $1 per play, and you could win up to $500 right there when you purchase your ticket. Find out more about how to play Quick Cash TN on the Tennessee page.

How to Win Prizes

On the night of each draw, the digital draw system randomly produces a total of six lottery numbers. The first five are the five red main Lotto America numbers, and the last one is the single blue Star Ball.

You win prizes by matching the numbers you selected with those that have been confirmed as the winning numbers. The more numbers that you match, the bigger the prize. The smallest prize is won by just matching the Star Ball, while the jackpot is won by matching all five main numbers and the Star Ball. There are nine different prize tiers in total, details of which can be found on the Prizes page.

It’s important to remember that you can only win a prize in a Lotto America draw if you have bought a ticket. Scammers often target people to say they have won a big prize in the lottery, usually in a draw that they have not entered. Take a look at our Scams page for more information and find out what to do if you think you have been contacted by a scammer.

Playing the All Star Bonus

The All Star Bonus costs an additional $1 per line. To play it, simply mark the option on your playslip. You don’t need to select any further numbers.

On the night of the draw, an All Star Bonus number between 2 and 5 will be randomly selected. If you opted to play the All Star Bonus, any non-jackpot prizes you win are multiplied by this number. The bonus is the same for all players.

See the All Star Bonus page for more information about the kind of money that can be won when you play with this extra feature.

How to Claim a Prizes

Prizes can only be claimed in the state in which the winning lottery ticket was bought. How you claim your winnings depends on the size of the prize and the state you are playing in. Winning tickets must be checked and validated by the lottery operator in the state where the ticket was bought, or by an agent of the operator, such as a licensed retailer, before prizes can be paid out.

For full details of how to claim Lotto America prizes, see the How to Claim page.