Overview of New Mexico Lottery Results and Game Types

Established in 1996, the New Mexico Lottery offers residents and visitors a regular chance to win big jackpots. The lottery is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association, meaning that players are able to enjoy a huge lottery selection, from mega-jackpot national draw games to smaller localized scratcher options.

In this New Mexico lottery guide, we’ve covered all you need to know about the lottery offerings available to players, as well as some details on New Mexico gambling laws. We’ve also looked into the odds of winning for each game so you can be sure that you’re playing the right game.

So that you can be sure you’re gambling based on the best information, we’ve researched every aspect of the NM lotto, how it operates, and the local laws. Of course, this page will always include the most recent information on winning lottery numbers for all the best New Mexico games, so be sure to return regularly.

We’ve started this guide with an explanation of the available games in the state and discussed their different odds. We’ve also included an up-to-date schedule on what time different draw games will be played so that you can be sure to buy your tickets on time.

The Various New Mexico Lottery Games are Available

New Mexicans have plenty of lottery options to enjoy, ranging from regular small-jackpot games to huge national draw games. Keep in mind that depending on the size of the jackpot, your odds of winning will likely shrink. For this reason, it’s always good to consider local games when buying a ticket.

There are two kinds of lottery games that the New Mexico Lottery offers. The first type are draw games, which can offer huge jackpots like those offered by the Mega Millions and Powerball. The other type is scratchers, an easy-to-play variety that gives players the chance to win instant prizes.

Draw Games: NM Lottos with Huge Jackpots

Draw games are relatively simple lottery games and are by far the most popular. Although each game varies, the game is played by selecting a set of numbers for an upcoming game. During the game, a lottery official will draw a set of random numbers. If your numbers match those drawn, you win.

The largest of these games tend to have massive progressive jackpot prizes that will continue building until someone wins. However, the odds of hitting the main prize are minuscule as the games are built to progress to huge jackpots. Below, we’ve listed the draw times for New Mexico’s most popular draw games.

Thanks to the large variety of games on offer, New Mexicans always have a game to play. As a rule of thumb, the more often draws are made, the smaller the jackpot is, though daily lottery games tend to offer much better odds at winning.

Below, we’ve explained what makes each of the listed draw games special and what prizes are offered if you hit the right combination of numbers. We’ve also provided details about the price of tickets and the odds of winning so that you can be sure to bet within your means.

Powerball: Multi-Million Dollar Jackpots

The Powerball draw game is played in almost every state in the country. To play, pick 5 numbers between 1 and 69, then select a Powerball number between 1 and 26. Depending on how many numbers you match, there are 9 different winning tiers ranging between $4 and above the minimum jackpot of $40 million.

Tickets cost only $1, though players can spend an extra $1 for the chance to multiply their non-jackpot wins. The multiplier will depend on the random multiplier amount revealed at the beginning of each game. With the 10X multiplier being the highest offered, non-jackpot winners could theoretically take home $10 million!

Mega Millions: Always a Mega Jackpot

The Mega Millions is similar to Powerball in that it is played in 45 states across the country and offers huge progressive jackpots. However, the odds to win the jackpot are slightly lower than Powerball. To play, pick five regular numbers between 1 and 70 and one Mega Ball number between 1 and 25.

Tickets for Mega Millions cost $2, and games are drawn on Tuesdays and Fridays every week. Players can add a Megaplier by betting an extra $1, with the lower eight of the nine winning tiers being potentially multiplied. The Mega Millions jackpot has exceeded $1 billion before, though the minimum jackpot starts at $40 million.

Lotto America: A Semi-National Game

Lotto America was started as a multi-state game in Montana and Wisconsin and now accepts players from 13 states. While it may not be as popular as the previous two draw games, the jackpots can still be huge. In fact, one lucky player was lucky to win over $22 million in the Lotto America draw in 2018, so New Mexicans should definitely take notice.

The game is drawn twice a week and asks players to select 5 regular numbers and a Star Ball number. Tickets cost $1, with a $1 multiplier option available. The minimum jackpot for Lotto America is $2 million. In our opinion, the odds aren’t great for $2 million, but they definitely become more attractive once the jackpot grows.

Roadrunner Cash: Daily Wins

The Roadrunner Cash is a local draw game that is exclusive to players in New Mexico. To play, choose 5 numbers from 1 to 37. To win, players need to match two or more of their numbers to those drawn, with the prize value increasing the more numbers that are matched.

Tickets cost $1 per play per drawing. The lottery is drawn once a day, seven days a week. The minimum jackpot starts at $25,000, and both this and the lower-tier prize amounts will progressively increase with every draw. The largest-ever jackpot won on Roadrunner Cash is $900,000

Pick 3: Win Every Day, Twice a Day

The Pick 3 game is also a local game exclusive to New Mexico players. To play, players must select 3 numbers between 0 and 9. They then must select which type of game to play, with different probabilities of winning depending on which game type and prize category is selected.

Tickets cost $1 per play per drawing, and draws are held twice per day, seven days a week. While the prizes on all tiers are much smaller than games like Powerball or Lotto America, there’s no denying that the odds to win any prize are far better.

The Best New Mexico Scratchers: Lottery Scratchers with Best Odds

For instant prize game varieties, New Mexicans have plenty of options to enjoy with scratch cards. Scratch cards can be priced between $1 and $20, with the jackpot prize value progressing depending on the amount spent. Prizes may include everything from free tickets, cash, holidays, and merchandise.

Unfortunately, New Mexico does not list the odds of its available scratchers on their website. However, the overall game odds can be found on the back of each ticket or in-store at your local lottery retailer. A general rule of thumb is that the higher the jackpot prize, the lower the odds to win.

There are a number of great demonstration videos on the Scratchers section of the official New Mexico Lottery website. Be sure to check this out for details on available scratchers, as well as information on unclaimed prizes and upcoming deadlines for current scratchers you may already have.

Unique New Mexico Lottery Games

Formerly called Quicksters, the New Mexico Lottery also offers a unique kind of game called Fast Play. These games are like a mixture between scratchers and draw games, as a selection of numbers are chosen for each game and the winning numbers printed directly on the same ticket.

Tickets are priced between $1 and $5. Different odds and prize amounts are available depending on the price paid, with the $5 cards the only that offer progressive jackpot prizes. For $1 tickets, jackpots are usually around $100, for $2 tickets they are $200, and so on.

There are many different game varieties depending on the kind of Fast Play game chosen. One popular form is similar to Bingo, where players are given a number of different game boards that they must match their set numbers with in order to win a prize.

Important Laws Regarding NM Lotteries

It is important to remember that all states have their own laws and regulations that mandate how their lottery is operated. These regulations set everything from the legal minimum age to participate, how long winners have to claim their prizes, and the tax rate that must be paid on winnings.

There are certain lottery laws that are standard in all states. For example, most lotteries will allow non-residents and visitors to participate as long as they buy tickets within state borders and claim their prizes in person. Prizes over $5,000 will also always be subject to a federal tax rate of 24 percent.

As the table above shows, players must be over the age of 18 to participate in the lottery. The New Mexico Lottery requires all prizes over $600 to incur state taxes of 6 percent. Prizes must be claimed within 90 days from the date of drawing or the end date of a Scratcher game.

As the lottery is a government-run institution, the New Mexican Public Records Act requires that details of winners must be made public. This is likely to keep the game’s integrity intact, though we believe that anonymity is likely desirable for those who win large jackpot amounts due to safety and privacy concerns.

Overview of the New Mexico Lotto

The New Mexico Lottery was established in 1995 after then-Governor Gary Johnson signed Senate Bill 853 and in turn created the New Mexico Lottery Authority. In April of the following year, the first scratcher tickets were sold. Months later, the first Powerball ticket was sold in the state.

Since then, the New Mexico Lottery has been hugely popular with locals. The games have brought in hundreds of millions of dollars to fund state programs since they were approved, and the lottery remains a vital revenue stream for the state. Revenues generally fund state education programs.

There are currently no online lottery sales available for residents, and there seems to be little demand for one. There is, however, an official New Mexico Lottery app. With this, players are able to view the latest results for draws as well as information on odds and available scratchers.

Conclusion

As the 38th state to join the American Lottery, the New Mexico Lottery has been popular with locals and visitors for more than two decades. Since its creation, more than $852 million has been raised to fund the state scholarship program which has helped 128,000 students attend colleges and universities in the state.

We understand that there are many games to keep an eye on, with some being drawn twice a day. For this reason, we suggest that you regularly return to this guide for the latest information on winning numbers, updates to odds, regulation changes, and new games that are coming to the state.

Common Questions that People Also Ask

DO you still have questions about the New Mexico Lottery and how it works? Don’t worry, because we’ve got you covered. Below, we’ve answered some frequently asked questions about the NM lotto and provided accurate answers so that you can be sure you’re playing as responsibly as possible.