Lotto America Prizes
To win a prize on Lotto America, the numbers you select must match the winning numbers drawn. The more you match, the greater the payout, and you win the jackpot if you correctly predict all five main numbers and the Star Ball. You can also increase the value of non-jackpot prizes by playing the All Star Bonus.
The jackpot starts at $2 million and rolls over to the next drawing if it is not won. It can keep growing until it is won as there is no jackpot cap, and the grand prize has been known to roll for several months, pushing it well beyond $10 million.
If there is more than one winner of the jackpot, the money is shared between all the players in the Match 5 + Star Ball category. However, all of the other payouts are fixed, starting from $2 for matching the Star Ball on its own or with a single main number.
The table below shows the different prizes on offer in Lotto America and the odds of winning each one:
| Match | Odds of Winnings | Payout |
|---|---|---|
|
5 + Star Ball
|
1 in 25,989,600 | Jackpot |
|
5
|
1 in 2,887,733 | $20,000 |
|
4 + Star Ball
|
1 in 110,594 | $1,000 |
|
4
|
1 in 12,288 | $100 |
|
3 + Star Ball
|
1 in 2,404 | $20 |
|
3
|
1 in 267 | $5 |
|
2 + Star Ball
|
1 in 160 | $5 |
|
1 + Star Ball
|
1 in 29 | $2 |
|
Star Ball
|
1 in 17 | $2 |
| The overall chances of winning a payout are 1 in 9.6 | ||
All Star Bonus
If you play the All Star Bonus in addition to the main Lotto America game, any non-jackpot prize you win will be multiplied by up to five times its original value. The All Star Bonus – 2x, 3x, 4x or 5x – is randomly selected in a separate draw and announced when the main drawing takes place.
You must choose whether to play the All Star Bonus when you purchase your ticket. You cannot opt in once your ticket has been printed. If you win the grand prize, it will not be increased if you played the All Star Bonus.
Go to the All Star Bonus page to find out more about how to play this extra feature and the prizes on offer.
Pari-Mutuel Prize Amounts
All of the prize amounts are fixed for players in the Match 5 category downwards, but in extreme circumstances (when there are more winners than expected) there may not be enough money in the prize fund to pay out the specified amounts. In these situations, the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) may be able to use a reserve fund, otherwise the prizes become pari-mutuel.
If that happens, the prize amounts will depend on the number of winners, as well as how much money is available from ticket sales. The following table shows how the prize pool will be split if there is not enough to pay the fixed amounts:
| Match | Percentage of Prize Pool Allocated to Prize |
|---|---|
| 5 + Star Ball | 46.20% |
| 5 | 1.39% |
| 4 + Star Ball | 1.81% |
| 4 | 1.63% |
| 3 + Star Ball | 1.66% |
| 3 | 3.74% |
| 2 + Star Ball | 6.24% |
| 1 + Star Ball | 13.73% |
| 0 + Star Ball | 23.61% |
Claiming Prizes
If you win a prize, it can only be claimed in the state where you bought your ticket. Each of the participating states has its own rules about when prizes must be claimed, but in general you are able to claim prizes of up to $600 from licensed retailers.
In some states you may be able to claim larger awards from regional offices or even submit a claim via mail, but if you win the jackpot you will need to contact your state lottery so that the claim can be made in person. Visit the How to Claim page for more information.
Cash vs Annuity
If you win the jackpot, you have the option of receiving your winnings as either a cash lump sum or annuity payments.
If you opt for the annuity, you will receive the full advertised amount in 30 annual payments spread over 29 years, with the first payment made as soon as your claim has been validated. The lottery then invests the remaining prize money and pays you on a yearly basis as the investments make a return.
If you take the cash lump sum option, you will receive one big payment for all the money that is in the jackpot prize fund at the time.
When the cash share of the jackpot is worth $250,000 or less per winner (if there are multiple winners), the MUSL may decide that there is no option for annuity and the payout will be a cash lump sum.
Tax
If you win a prize of more than $5,000, you must pay federal taxes at a rate of 24 percent to 37 percent (depending on the amount). All jackpot prizes are taxed, whether you opt for the cash or the annuity. Your prize may also be subject to state tax, depending on where you bought your ticket. Go to the Tax Calculator to view the level of withholding in each state, and work out the value of prizes in your jurisdiction.
Biggest Prizes
A family from Minnesota became the first winners of Lotto America when they landed a jackpot of $22 million on March 14th 2018. Debbie Kujava, from the town of Badger, purchased the winning ticket at Holiday Stationstores, at 503-3rd St. N.E., in Roseau on her way home from work a couple of days earlier. She had always agreed with her brother Dennis that they would share a big prize if either of them won, and they decided to take the cash option of $13 million before taxes.
Jeffery Love, from Elk River, became another big Minnesota winner on July 10th 2019, landing a prize worth $21.6 million. He revealed that he had driven past the lottery office in Roseville every day on his way to work and always said to himself that one day he would love to call in to claim a giant prize.
The biggest win to date came on April 1st 2023, after the jackpot had grown for almost two years. A ticket holder from Iowa won $40.03 million.