Overview of Alabama Lottery Results and Game Types

At present, due to constitutional prohibitions and staunch religious objections, there is no lottery for the state of Alabama. State lotteries provide invaluable revenue for states in lieu of higher taxes and provide citizens with opportunities at winning big! This win-win structure has resulted in lottery services present in all but 5 states of the United States, mostly citing religious beliefs (Utah, Alabama) or gambling revenue loss (Nevada) as concerns. There have been many attempts to bring an Alabama Lottery to life, most recently in the past couple of years, but they have stalled at the last legislative hurdle, failing to get enough support.

As there is no legal Alabama lottery, we’ll take you through the best lottery games the states bordering Alabama have to offer. Residents of the Alabama lucky enough to be close to state borders try their luck at the neighboring state lotteries, or even ask their interstate friends to purchase lottery tickets as gifts, as it’s a legal workaround! There are a lot of lotteries across the contiguous United States, and we’ll take you through some of the best of Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia and Florida, giving all you in Alabama the best opportunities at winning.

The Various Alabama Lottery Games that are Available

Due to the lack of an Alabama Lottery, the best lotteries available to Alabamians are the biggest – those extensive lotteries available nation-wide. There are a few heavy-hitting Draw Games that amass huge jackpots, notably Mega Millions and Powerball. With no official state lottery, these two do a good job of acting like it, being available across pretty much all the legal states. For a regional spin, Alabamians can head over to Florida, Georgia or Tennessee to snag a ticket for Cash4Life. Of course, scratch cards can be picked up across the lottery nation, offering smaller (but still substantial!) instant wins.

Draw Games: AL Lottos with Huge Jackpots

There are a handful of some really great draw games available to Alabamians willing to trek a little across state boundaries. Not sure what a draw game is? No stress, we’ve got you covered. A draw games lottery is the style that you might be most familiar with. They involve the drawing of a select amount of numbers from a wider range, at random. Ticket holders just need to select a set of numbers, and match them all to win the jackpot! Understandably, jackpots are few and far between, but many draw games offer lesser prizes for a few number matches. Check out the draw times for the Alabama lottery winning numbers.

There you have it folks, some of the best Alabama lottery games available just across the border. For Fantasy 5, head over to Georgia to collect your ticket, while Jackpot Triple Play’s open to those willing to grab their tickets in Florida. As you can see, there are even daily drawings for a few of these great lotteries, so you won’t have to wait long to see if you’ve won! Stick with us and we’ll take you through the types and odds of some of these top AL lotto games.

Mega Millions: The Big One

Okay, Mega Millions really is the big one. It actually used to be called The Big Game until 2002! This is a 5/70 game, drawing 5 numbers from 70 on Tuesday and Friday evenings, with a 1/25 “Megaball” bonus. You can pick up a ticket to select your 5 + 1 numbers for $2, and the payouts begin from that amount. Check out the odds and winnings table below. The payouts range from $2 to $1 million, but the real candy is the rolling jackpot, sometimes reaching into the $500 million territory!

Powerball: Paying Out

Powerball is a hugely popular United States lottery, offered in 45 states. It’s a 5/69 game, with a 1 in 26 bonus called – wait for it – the Powerball. The games got a pretty big reputation – in 2018, Powerball paid out a historic jackpot of 1.54 billion! Take a look at the table below to see the return on a $2 ticket. Spend an extra dollar on a Power Play, an increase the odds of scoring a smaller big win, and get higher returns across the board. Check the drawings as they happen on Wednesday and Saturday evenings.

Cash4Life: The Never-ending Prize

Cash4Life is a favorite in the Southeast, and a popular Alabama lottery for those who can get their hands on a ticket, for only $2. This AL lottery is a 5/60 game, again with a bonus of only 1 in 4! This makes for some pretty low odds for a payout, considering the other draw games on offer in Alabama. Two really great things about this lottery – match 5 numbers with or without the Cash Ball and you’ll have a steady income for the rest of your life, and there are daily drawings! Check out the table below.

Fantasy 5: A Daily Draw Georgia Treat

Fantasy 5 is another AL lottery with a daily draw, meaning you can play more and get returns faster! We love the simplicity and the value of this game. Only $1 gets you a ticket, which you can turn into sometimes $1 million if you’re lucky enough to hit the rolling jackpot. Choose 5 numbers from 42 and win from as low as 2 matches. Spend extra dollar-per-play to play for a bonus Cash Match instant win! Match any of your numbers to the Cash Match numbers to win up to $500.

Jackpot Triple Play: Flexible and Fun

Jackpot Triple Play is another one of those lotteries that offers a lower volatility for a small increase in ticket cost. Add a $1 Combo purchase to your $1 ticket to significantly lower the odds of winning one of the lower level payouts – basically increasing your chances of winning something! Let’s be honest, we’re all after that jackpot, but we love that flexibility. Drawings are held on Tuesday and Friday evenings. Take a look at the table below to scope out the prizes and odds.

The Best Alabama Scratchers: Lottery Scratchers with Best Odds

Okay, taken all that in? Now let’s talk about the best AL scratch lotteries. Scratchers are great – they offer instant wins for some pretty decent odds, without as much teeth-chattering anticipation as draw lotteries! Again, Alabama doesn’t yet offer scratch cards of its own, but check out the list below for some of the top games from Mississippi, Tennessee, Florida, and Georgia. Each of these states have some pretty unique scratch games – here’s hoping Alabama gets its own special games soon.

1. Mega Cash (Odds: 1 out of 3.61)
2. Full of $10,000 (Odds: 1 out of 2.75)
3. Fastest Road to $1,000,000 (Odds: 1 out of 2.52)
4. Billionaire Club (Odds: 1 out of 2.54)
5. Florida 100X The Cash (Odds: 1 out of 2.59)

That’s just a taste – there are many more scratchers out there offered at various prices with various prizes. The odds listed are the overall odds of returning a prize – any prize – and the prizes differ from scratcher to scratcher. We tried to pick the best ones for the price you pay per card – but this is by no means exhaustive. Check them out for yourself! There’s a lot more fun to be had, believe us.

Unique Alabama Lottery Games/ Online Lottery Games

Draw lotteries and scratch cards are definitely the most popular form of lotto out there, and the AL lotto is no exception. However, there are some other unique and wonderful lottery games available to Alabama citizens. Georgia hosts a huge range of quality Diggi Games that are available online, such as Juicy Loot and Jumbo Bucks. These games offer a great variety of game styles that make winning even funner! Florida also has a collection of in-house ticket lotteries, called Fast Play games. Match words on your ticket to win instant cash in Word Search, or toss the horseshoe in Horseshoe Ringer and see what comes up. We think these games have some pretty fair odds, and are super fun and instantly rewarding. While their top prizes are not as big as the other lotteries out there, they offer a bit of a fun quirky spin as an alternative. Check them out over at our page all about what’s on offer over in sunny Florida.

Important Laws Regarding AL Lotteries

As there is no legal lottery in Alabama yet, there are no laws, regulations or regulator surrounding its use, except for the fact of it being outlawed. We hope to see this change in the future, as do residents of the state, with many supporting a bill as recently as January 2020 to see proposed lotteries directing much of their revenue to education. As all States of the US are subject to their own laws and regulations, lotteries are legal just across the border, so all you Alabama residents out there can rest easy knowing there’s fun to be had not far away.

As you can see from the table above, there are a few state-specific conditions to keep in mind when buying your lottery ticket. A federal tax must be paid on all winnings in the United States, but some states require winners to pay a state tax. The legal age for lottery games can change from state to state, so it’s important to know if it’s even legal to purchase a ticket, for those of you on the edge of adulthood. Anonymity is also a big one, as it can be a great asset when wanting to remain private and not attract any undue attention.

Overview of Alabama Lotto

Lotteries in Alabama have actually never been legal, due to a few historical and contextual quirks. The Bible Belt state’s constitution, signed in 1901, specifically outlaws gambling in Alabama, citing religion, taxes and corruption. Lotteries didn’t have the greatest reputation back in the 19th century, as corruption and scandals were rife in the industry and winnings were often not paid. States like Alabama then outlawed such undesirable activities, and while the public sentiment around gambling and definitely lotteries have changed, the laws in Alabama are yet to catch up.

We’re hoping that Alabama follows neighbor Mississippi’s lead and legalizes lotteries in the state for everyone – the benefits are really great. Lotteries can act as an alternative to taxation, raising revenue for important public projects. Better yet citizens can choose where they put their dollar and win big in the process! The recent legislative push fell apart when it came to matters of video gambling and sports betting, but hopefully Alabamian lawmakers can look to Mississippi for inspiration to get around these legal hurdles. Check out the MS lotto page here.

Conclusion

Okay, we hope you’re all caught up on the state of lotteries in the glorious Heart of Dixie. While Alabama has no official lottery, there are some fantastic alternatives out there beyond the state lines. In the draw world, big nationwide hitters like Powerball and Mega Millions are at Alabamians doorsteps, as is local favorite Cash4Life. Some stellar scratch off tickets can be picked up too, if you like your fingers to be in many pies, like we do. Check back here for new winning numbers – you can follow the links to your state of choice via our homepage.

Common Questions that People Also Ask

Wait! Once you start playing, you might have a few questions. You probably have some right now that need answering. As always, an informed bettor is a strong bettor, so take the time to look down below and see if you can learn something to get ahead of the curve!

When will Alabama get a lottery?

In 1992, the people of Alabama put the issue of gambling to a vote – and unfortunately voted against legalizing gambling. While that was the people’s choice back then, the public opinion surrounding the issue has changed a lot, and a referendum held today could very well result in an affirmative outcome! The interest in the legislative houses are definitely there, with bills popping up here and there over the years. In our opinion? With Mississippi recently legalizing in 2018, it’s just a matter of time, maybe even 2 years.

Which AL lottery has the best odds?

The lotteries with the best odds tend to be those ones with a higher wager. Opt for a bonus in draw games, like the Cash Ball in Cash4Life, to increase your chances of winning! For the scratch off tickets, the prices range from $1 all the way up to $30 – the $30 ones have the best odds and the greatest payouts, but that doesn’t mean the cheaper ones aren’t worth it! The variety of prices is what makes scratchers great.

Can Alabama lottery winners stay anonymous?

As there is no Alabama Lottery yet, that question will be answered in time. For Alabamians lucky enough to be able to pick up tickets through friends or family in neighboring states, the law varies from state to state. Out of Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and Mississippi, only Georgia protects the identity of jackpot winners – and that’s below a certain dollar threshold. Privacy is an important issue surrounding lottery winners, and we hope that Alabama will choose to protect its citizens by retaining their anonymity.

What are the taxes on Alabama lottery winnings?

Residents of Alabama who pick up a lottery ticket outside of the state aren’t required to pay that state’s specific taxes on lottery winnings, according to the state laws. They pay a federal tax, but in regards to the state, Alabamians have it pretty good. There’s a top income tax of only 5% - which is pretty fair in comparison to some other states. Take New York for example, a NY resident would pay up to 12.7% tax on their lottery winnings! The tax man cometh indeed.

Is there an Alabama lotto app?

Unfortunately not! As Alabama is yet to legalize lotteries, and gambling in general, currently no app for an AL lotto exists. Neighboring state Georgia hosts an official GA lottery app, providing you with all the info for the state’s lotteries you need in the palm of your hand. Check out what the Peach State has to offer over on our Georgia page.