Guide to the Minnesota Lottery: Games, Odds, Results & More

Launched in 1988, the Minnesota Lottery is not only a favorite hobby for many locals but has become a vital support for the state’s infrastructure. Since its founding, over $3 billion has been raised to fund various state programs, with all signs pointing to the games becoming more and more popular and profitable each year.

In this Minnesota Lottery guide, you will find all you need to know about the different games that can be enjoyed in the state. By reading on and staying informed, you can be sure that you’re playing the right game with the best odds at taking home the jackpot prize.

In order to give you the best information, we’ve undertaken thorough research into every aspect of the MI lotto and how it operates. You can be sure that everything you read on this page is correct, and many Minnesotans trust our website every day to find out everything from the winning numbers to the best games to play.

Below, you’ll find the descriptions of the top games in the state and learn why some games offer better odds to win than others. You can also find an accurate schedule as to when the different games will be played so that you can watch the draws live or know when to check the numbers.

The Various Minnesota Lottery Games Available

Minnesotans have a lot to love about their local lottery offerings. Of course, players can take part in the mega jackpot national games such as the Powerball or Mega Millions, but there’s also a number of local-only games that are reserved for players inside state lines.

There are two types of lottery games that the lottery operates. The first is draw games, which tend to offer the biggest jackpots. Both Mega Millions and Powerball games are draw games. The other type of game is scratch cards, which can be bought at thousands of retailers across the state and can reward instant prizes.

Draw Games: MN Lottos with Huge Jackpots

To participate in a draw game, players will need to visit a licensed lottery retailer. Depending on what game is played, players are to pick a select set of numbers or receive them at random, whilst selecting what game they wish to take part in. Later, officials will draw a set of random numbers. If players’ numbers match, they win.

Because so many people play these games, they tend to have huge jackpot prizes that progressively build in the case that no jackpot is claimed. They also tend to offer lower-tier prizes for partial matches of numbers. However, these games are designed to build large jackpots, so the odds of winning are slim.

As the schedule above reveals, there is always a lottery game to play. We’ve listed the most popular above, but keep in mind that there are also a number of daily lottery games that offer smaller jackpots. However, these games tend to offer higher odds of winning, so they are definitely worth checking out.

Below, we’ve gone into further detail about the most popular lottery games in the state. We’ve provided details about the ticket pricing and odds to help guide you toward the best game for your budget, and have pointed out any games with higher chances to win where possible.

Powerball: Huge Jackpots Always

The Powerball lottery is a draw game that is played nationwide in every state that allows legal lotteries, which is 45 states. Players must pick 5 numbers between 1 and 69, then a Powerball number between 1 and 26. There are 9 different winning tiers depending on how many numbers you match, with the lowest prize being $4.

Tickets to regular games cost only $1, though for an extra $1 players can multiply their non-jackpot wins according to the random multiplier number assigned at the start of the game. Occasionally, a 10X multiplier will be offered, though this will come out of play when the jackpot grows above $150 million.

Mega Millions: The Maker of Billionaires

Like the Powerball, the Mega Millions offers huge progressive jackpots and is playable in 45 states. To play, players must pick five numbers between 1 and 70 and one Mega Ball number between 1 and 25. There are also nine winning tiers, though the lowest for Mega Millions is $2 – half that of the Powerball’s.

Mega Millions tickets cost $2 to purchase, and the game is drawn twice a week. Players can also add a Megaplier by betting an extra $1. This works similarly to Powerball, where lower tier prizes can be multiplied by a randomly selected Multiplier. While the prizes for Mega Millions can be huge, the odds of winning are a different story.

Lotto America: Played in 13 States

Lotto America is a semi-national game, with players from only 13 states allowed to play. The game is held twice a week and asks players to select 5 numbers between 1 and 53 and a Star Ball number between 1 and 10. There are nine ways to win, with the lowest prize being $2.

Like the Powerball, tickets cost just $1 to play. Also like the Powerball, there is an added All Star Bonus that can be played to potentially multiply the lower tier prizes. The minimum jackpot for Lotto America is $2 million, though this increases after every draw by no less than $50,000 until the jackpot is won.

Lucky for Life: A Brief Look

Lucky for Life is offered in 25 states across the country, making it even more widely played than Lotto America. The game has a particularly fun jackpot in that the second-tier prize awards $20,000 a year for the rest of your life and the main jackpot awards $1,000 a day for the rest of your life.

To play, select five numbers between 1 to 48 and one Lucky Ball number between 1 to 18. The price of a ticket is $2 per play, and one single ticket can hold up to 10 plays. With new states signing up to play the game every year, it’s clear that Americans all over can’t resist their chances on “The Game of a Lifetime.”

Gopher 5: Played 3 Times a Week

Gopher 5 is a lottery game that is only offered in Minnesota, meaning the contest for the jackpot is only between players within state lines. The rules are similar to the above lotteries though there is no special ball in play. Players pick from 5 numbers between 1 and 47 for a chance to win four tiers of prizes.

Tickets cost $1 per play, which is pretty great considering the odds to win any Gopher 5 prize at all is 1 in 12. The minimum jackpot is $100,000, and this will continue to increase until the prize is won. THe largest Gopher 5 prize ever won is $1.8 million, which is pretty great considering those odds are far better than Lotto America’s minimum $2 million jackpot.

Northstar Cash: A Daily Game

Northstar Cash is another game that is only offered in Minnesota. Players must pick five numbers between 1 and 30 for games that are drawn daily. The minimum jackpot for Northstar Cash is 25,000, and the price for a ticket is $1.

While this game is far less popular than other varieties, the odds of winning are certainly nothing to turn your nose up at. The odds for hitting the $25,000 jackpot are much higher than the odds for the $20,000 prize for Lotto America, and these odds become even more attractive when you consider that the jackpot has grown as high as $150,000 before.

The Best Minnesota Scratchers: Odds and Prizes

In addition to unique lotteries, most states will also offer their own variations on scratch cards. For those that are unaware, scratch cards are a kind of lottery game that requires players to scratch off different sections of a card to reveal a prize. They come in many different game types and offer varying prizes.

There are roughly 40 unique scratch cards available to Minnesota’s residents, with cards ranging in price between $1 and $50. Below, we’ve listed five of the top scratch cards of varying price ranges and offered the odds at winning a prize.

1. High Roller (Odds: 1 out of 2.92) ($50 Ticket)
2. $500,000 Riches (Odds: 1 out of 4) ($20 Ticket)
3. Power 10’s (Odds: 1 out of 3.49) ($10 Ticket)
4. Diamond 7’s (Odds: 1 out of 4.31) ($5 Ticket)
5. Pocket Change (Odds: 1 out of 3.79) ($1 Ticket)

As you can see, the odds of winning any prize with a scratch card tend to be far more favorable than a draw lottery. This is because most scratchcards have a larger number of winning tiers and also reward multiple jackpots.

The lowest tier prize tends to reward players the price of their ticket. The High Roller scratch card, for example, costs $50 per ticket, but has high odds to win back the price of the ticket is roughly 1 in 3. This game also has a high return to player rate of 74% and offers 125 players the $500,000 jackpot.

Unique Minnesota Lottery Games

It’s not just scratch cards and draw games that make up the best Minnesota Lottery games. Every year, the state holds its annual Minnesota Millionaire Raffle game. Launched in 2016, the raffle awards thousands of cash prizes and awards two lucky players a year a jackpot $1 million prize.

To enter, players must buy a $10 ticket starting from late October. The raffle is then drawn on the 1st of January of the next year. The odds of winning any prize are determined by how many tickets are sold, though the average odds are roughly 1 in 56.81.

Minnesota also offers a Print-N-Play progressive jackpot game, which is like a blend of instant scratch games and draw lottery. To play, players buy tickets costing $1, $3 or $5 and choose between Crossword, Bingo or Slingo games. The different price points determine how much of the percentage of a jackpot you win.

Important Laws Regarding Minnesota Lotteries

Before you participate in any lottery, it’s important to be aware of the different laws that apply to each state’s games. This is particularly important to consider for those who may travel between states often, as it may not be entirely clear that one state’s regulations on lottos may be different from another.

For example, the rules of the Michigan Lottery allow winners of jackpots to remain anonymous, while Minnesota requires that all winners must reveal their identity to the public. There’s pros and cons to requiring participants to go public, with some arguing it ensures game integrity while others arguing it puts winners at risk.

Different states also have different policies regarding the taxation of winnings. While no matter where you go, the federal government will always tax lottery winnings over $5,000 at 24%, Minnesota’s state laws require winners pay 7.25% tax on lottery winnings. This amounts to over 30% of taxes just to win!

Minnesota is no different from most other states in that it requires that participants must be over 18 years old to play. This is a fairly standard law across the country, though some states require players to be 18 years old and others outlaw gambling on the lottery entirely.

Overview of the Minnesota Lotto

In 1988, the Minnesota State Lottery was established after voters approved of the games in a statewide referendum. In the same year, voters also voted to establish a state Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF) that would support the revival of the state’s unique and treasured environment.

The first game that was launched was a scratch ticket in 1990, and as this guide has shown, it has since grown to include many other types of games. The Minnesota state lottery is operated by the state government and generates vital revenues for a number of state programs, including the ENRTF.

Since its creation, the lottery has awarded players in the state more than $7 billion. Over $3 billion has gone to the ENRTF to continue preserving and protecting the state’s wildlife and environment, while another $1.8 billion has gone towards funding programs such as education, elderly services and much more.

Conclusion

Since its debut in 1990, the Minnesota Lottery has grown to become one of the most diverse and exciting states when it comes to the American Lottery. As recent annual fiscal reports show, the love for the MN lotto has only grown, with 2020 bringing in a record $636 million in sales.

With so many games to keep an eye on, it can be difficult to keep track of the Minnesota lottery results. That is why you should return to this guide for up-to-date information on winning numbers, changes in regulations and special games that are coming to the state.

Common Questions that People Also Ask

If you still have questions regarding the Minnesota lottery and how it works, we’ve got you covered. Below, we’ve listed some frequently asked questions about the MN lotto and offered helpful answers so that you can immediately start playing with peace of mind.