Overview of New York Lottery Results and Game Types

As one of the earliest adopters of a government-run lottery, the New York Lottery has awarded billions of dollars to lucky players since it was established in 1967. Whether it’s by playing national draw games or instant scratchers, New Yorkers have plenty of opportunities to win big in the lotto.

By reading this NY lotto guide, you can learn all you need to know about playing the lottery in the state. We’ve discussed everything from the types of games that can be played to offering an insight into how the revenues generated by the games are used to give you the best understanding of the state lottery system.

In the draw games section, we’ve explained what type of draw games are playable in New York and provided a schedule of playing time. We’ve then explained what scratchers can be played and their odds, and discussed important information about the New York lottery laws so you can be sure you’re participating legally.

The Various New York Lottery Games are Available

The New York lottery offers a huge variety of lotto games, including national draw games, multi-state draw games, daily local games, and scratchers. These games each offer varying prize pools, playing styles, and odds, all of which are important to consider when deciding what ticket to buy.

The two types of lottery games that are available are draw games and scratchers. The best New York lottery games such as the Powerball and Mega Millions are draw games, and tend to offer larger prizes with lower offs. Scratchers are an instant-style game that are played locally and can offer more chances to win.

Draw Games: NY Lottos with Huge Jackpots

Draw games require players to select or be given at random a set of numbers for an upcoming draw. In the draw, numbers will be selected at random, and if your chosen numbers are selected, you win. There are sometimes numerous prize tiers, with the largest jackpot awarded to whoever has all their numbers drawn.

For national draw games, the lottery will be drawn at the same time every week, though the exact time of the draw’s airing will depend on the timezone of the state. Below, we’ve provided a schedule of draw times for the most popular draw games in New York so you never miss a game.

As the schedule shows, New Yorkers are spoiled for choice when it comes to draw games. For a shot at the largest jackpots, be sure to buy tickets for the Mega Millions, Powerball, and New York Lotto. Because of the large number of participants, jackpot prizes regularly grow to hundreds of millions of dollars.

For smaller games with lower jackpots but more attractive odds, you’ll probably want to play daily draw games. Below, we’ve explained some of these draw games, their prizes, how they’re played, how much tickets cost, and the odds of winning each prize tier.

Mega Millions: Win Big

Starting off as a multi-state game with only a few state participants, the Mega Millions draw is now played in 45 states across the country. The game offers a progressive jackpot, with prizes in the past growing past $1 billion. However, the odds to win the jackpot are incredibly small.

To play, players must pick five numbers between 1 and 70 and one Mega Ball number between 1 and 25. Tickets cost $2 per game and games are drawn twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays. There are nine prize tiers to win, each one offering better odds. For an extra $1, players can add a multiplier to their lower tier wins.

Powerball: Huge Jackpots

The Powerball draw game is the oldest national draw game, and debuted as an inter-state. Like the Mega Millions, it is now played in 45 states. At $1 per ticket, the Powerball is even cheaper to play than the Mega Millions. Considering the odds of hitting the jackpot are slightly better, this is a game to look out for.

In saying that, the lower ticket price means jackpots can take longer to progress to the heights that the Mega Millions reaches. To play, players must pick 5 numbers between 1 and 69, then select a Powerball number between 1 and 26. The minimum jackpot of $40 million, though there are nine prize tiers in total.

New York Lotto: Jackpots Start at $2 Million

Considering the New York Lotto is only offered in one state, this is a game that offers great odds for potentially huge jackpots. It costs $1 to play for 2 game panels, although you can play up to $5 for 10 games on a payslip. Jackpots start at $2 million, with the largest ever jackpot exceeding $65 million.

To play, players must select six numbers between 1 and 59. There is also a Bonus number drawn. To win the second-highest prize, players need to land 5 out of six numbers, then match the Bonus number. As the table below shows, the prize amounts for all tiers are progressive.

Cash4Life: Win $1,000 a Day, for Life

This game is played in a few states across the country including Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Essentially, the Cash4Life lottery awards jackpot winners $1,000 a day for the rest of their lives, with runner-ups receiving $1,000 a week for life.

It only costs $2 to take a chance at this game, and games are drawn daily. To win the top prize, players must select then match the six numbers on their tickets to the drawn combination, which includes five numbers plus a Cash Ball. As the table shows, the odds of winning such a generous prize are pretty fair.

Take 5: A Daily Chance to Win

Another daily game, the Take 5 game promises a simple game experience with the best odds at winning. To participate, players just need to select five numbers between 1 and 39 and hope to match them. It costs $1 to play, and there are no bonus balls or multiplier features.

There is also an Instant Win round printed on tickets, which can award another ticket for the next drawing. There is an interesting prize structure that depends on how much is wagered. As the table shows, the prize amounts are estimated based on average participation. This means prizes can be smaller or higher.

The Best New York Scratchers Odds

In addition to its popular draw game offerings, the New York Lottery also offers residents and visitors dozens of instant scratch games. Tickets are priced as low as $1, but can be purchased for up to $30. A general rule of thumb is that the higher the price of a ticket, the higher the value of the prize.

Below, we’ve listed five of the best scratchers currently available in New York. We have chosen them for their great overall odds at winning and generous prizes.

1. $1 – 3 Times Lucky (Odds: 1 out of 4.75)
2. $2 – Hit 100 (Odds: 1 out of 4.37)
3. $5 – $1,000,000 Premium Play (Odds:1 out of 4.07)
4. $20 – $10,000 a Week for Life (Odds: 1 out of 3.39)
5. $30 – $10,000,000 Black Titanium (Odds: 1 out of 3.53)

It’s worth noting that while the odds above may appear to suggest that those are the chances for winning the jackpot prize, they instead reflect the odds of winning any general prize. We recommend taking a look at the Scratchers page on the New York Lottery page for more detailed information on scratchers, their rules and their prizes.

Unique New York Lottery Games

In some states, lotteries will provide other game types such as raffles or online games that locals and visitors can enjoy. Unfortunately, online lottery ticket sales are illegal in New York, though there is a great promotion bonus game called Collect ‘N Win that players can enjoy for more chances to win.

For a chance to Collect N’ Win, enter details of bought draw games tickets through the New York Lottery mobile app or website. By doing this, players can collect symbols for chances to win. If 6 symbols are collected, a Play Card is completed and this will be entered into a monthly draw.

Important Laws Regarding NY Lotteries

If you are not local to New York or frequently travel out of state, it’s worth considering that every state has its own laws that determine how lotteries can be played. These regulations determine everything from the minimum player age, the taxation on winnings, and whether winners can remain anonymous.

Below, we’ve provided details about details such as this so you can ensure that you’re playing legally. Keep in mind that breaking these laws can result in punishments, so always be aware of your local lottery rules.

Winners have one year from the date of the winning draw to claim prizes. If the prize goes unclaimed, it will go back into the prize pool for future draws or subsidize special promotions or future jackpots. Players must be over 18 years old to buy a lottery ticket.

In addition to federal taxes of 25 percent for prizes over $5,000, NY lotto winners must pay a tax of 8.82% of their winnings to the state. Winners can not remain anonymous. This can be helpful for those worried about their privacy, but New York enforces this to ensure the competition’s integrity is maintained.

Overview of the New York Lotto

The storied and sometimes controversial history of the government-run NY lotto began on November 8, 1966, when residents voted to approve a constitutional amendment authorizing the lottery. The amendment was passed on the grounds that profits would go toward education programs.

Before the games were launched in 1967, the state created the Division of the Lottery and a Lottery Commission. Regulation and oversight for the lottery now fall under the jurisdiction of the New York State Gaming Commission which is based in Schenectady, New York.

The state is considered to be the largest market for lottery ticket sales in the country. Despite criticisms surrounding its low payout rate, the lotto has raised over $68 billion since 1967 to fund K-12 Education. The games have enduring popularity, with the lottery taking in more than $3 billion in 2019 alone.

The highest ever win in New York went to Robert Bailey, who claimed half a Powerball ticket worth nearly $800 million. Despite the huge win, Bailey is adamant that he will not stop participating in the games, saying that he intends to continue playing his numbers until the day he dies.

Conclusion

New York offers the most popular lottery system in the American Lottery, and there’s clearly a great reason why. In addition to the great selection of national bi-weekly games and generous daily draws, players can enjoy a rotating offering of scratchers with great odds and prizes.

Of course, the only way to boost your chances of winning and claiming prizes is participating and staying aware of what’s going on. For this reason, we suggest that you return to this guide for regular updates on New York lottery winning numbers, game schedules, and changes to local laws.

Common Questions that People Also Ask

Do you still have some burning questions about the New York Lottery and how it operates? Well, keep reading, because we’ve answered some common questions asked about the NY lotto games, laws and offerings. The more you know, the better your lotto experience will be.