Overview of South Carolina Lottery Results and Game Types

South Carolina’s lottery, more formally known as the South Carolina Education Lottery or SCEL, was formed in 2002 after a state lotto was finally legalized. As you can guess from the name, the primary aim of the lotto is to earn revenue for state projects. A large percentage of that revenue goes towards various education programs.

On this page, you will find plenty of helpful information about the SC lotto, including available games, the difference between draw and scratcher games, draw schedules, odds, payouts and various state lotto laws.

We have provided a good overview of all of the draw games various types of games offered by the South Carolina lotto. That includes traditional draw games and instant games, a.k.a. scratch off cards. You can find out the differences between each of these, and hopefully find a game that suits you, by reading below. You can also jump directly to our frequently asked questions section if there are any special questions you want answered now.

The Various South Carolina Lottery Games are Available

In the following sections you will find information about draw games that South Carolina participates in alongside other states, as well as SC’s own in-state draws. These include popular games like Mega Millions and Powerball, which boast the highest jackpots.

You will also learn about scratch off games, a wide range of which are available from SC retailers. SCEL does not offer online lotto games but there is a South Carolina lotto app for checking winning numbers.

Draw Games: SC Lottos with Huge Jackpots

If you are interested in the biggest progressive jackpots, you will of course want to take part in a draw game, and especially in those multi-jurisdictional games that see winnings in the hundred million dollar range! These games work by allowing players to select their own numbers, or quick picks, and seeing how many they can match to the numbers randomly drawn by the lotto.

Drawings happen frequently; a full schedule can be found bellow for SC lotto draws. Be mindful that the bigger the jackpot, the more challenging the odds! You can find more about odds below, under individual game descriptions.

You can stay on top of the South Carolina lottery winning numbers easily by using the SC lotto app to check your draws, or visiting the official SCEL website. Keep reading to learn more about each individual draw game offered, and to learn what your odds are as well as how big of a jackpot you could win by playing.

Mega Millions: A Brief Look

With enormous jackpots, it is no wonder that Mega Millions has become one of the most popular draw games in all of the US. It is a multi-state game meaning it is available not only to South Carolinians, but also to many other states. That means bigger jackpots as more and more take part.

Tickets cost $2, but for an extra $1, players can choose a Megaplier, meaning all of their earnings will be multiplied. You can choose your own numbers or opt for quick picks to speed up the process.

Lucky for Life: Rules and Odds

Lucky for Life is another multi-state favorite. However, it has a major difference to other draw games in that it offers a daily payout for one lucky winner, rather than a lump sum jackpot. That means the top winner will receive $1,000 a day for life, for a minimum of 20 years. They can however choose to cash out the winnings as a lump sum instead.

The game costs $2 per play. It is also possible to play your own lucky numbers or rely on quick picks to test your luck!

Powerball Prize Amounts

Powerball is another of the top multi-state games available in America. That is because, like Mega Millions, it offers huge jackpots, usually in the hundreds of millions or even billions. Though these big jackpots are tempting, it is important to note that these games usually have more difficult odds than any others. You stand to win more, so it will be harder to get there!

Drawings of Powerball happen twice a week, so you have ample opportunities to play, especially as the jackpots get bigger and bigger! The largest ever payout from Powerball happening in 2016, with a whopping $1.5 billion jackpot.

Palmetto Cash 5: SCEL’s In-State Draw Game

Palmetto Cash 5 is a popular game only available within South Carolina. It is a five-number game, so your objective is to match as many of the randomly drawn five numbers as possible. What sets it apart from the multi-state games above is that it is drawn every day, so you have many opportunities to try your luck.

Each ticket costs $1 but you can also add $1 for POWER-UP, which gives you the ability to multiply your earnings.

Pick 4: Drawn Twice a Day

Pick 4 is another SCEL lotto exclusive game. As you might guess from the name, it is a four-number game, so you want to match as many of the four randomly drawn numbers as you can. Drawings for Pick 4 happen twice a day, meaning even more chances to play and hopefully beat the odds.

One unique aspect of Pick 4 is that you can choose what amount you want to wager on each bet, either $0.50 or $1. That will of course affect the amount you win, as reflected in the table below.

Pick 3: An In-State Favorite

Pick 3 is very similar to Pick 4, except that it only has a three-number draw as opposed to the more common four or five. Its drawings are always held twice per day at the same time as Pick 4, so players can enjoy both simultaneously.

Just like Pick 4, players can bet $0.50 or $1 per ticket and have a variety of ways to win. The odds are higher for wins, but the prize amounts are also lower than jackpots like Mega Millions and Powerball.

The Best South Carolina Scratchers based on Odds

You may know scratchers as instant games, the tickets you can buy at a retailer and scratch the surface of to immediately find out if you are a winner! There are many South Carolina scratchers out there, but we have compiled some of the best ones below, along with their odds.

Bear in mind there are many different games available for different prices per card, and therefore vastly different payouts.

1. 5X (Odds: 1 out of 4.74)
2. 10X (Odds: 1 out of 4.45)
3. Lady Jumbo Bucks Crossword (Odds: 1 out of 3.99)
4. Cash Payout (Odds: 1 out of 3.87)
5. Color of Money (Odds: 1 out of 3.44)

SC lotto offers scratch off cards at $1, $2, $3, $5 and $10. Some of their highest paying scratches (the $10 cards) give payouts of as much as $250,000, or a total of $2 million in prizes. You can easily buy these directly from retailers and find out the odds of winning on the card.

Unique South Carolina Lottery Games

Southern Carolina lotto offers much from its draw and scratcher games, but unfortunately it does not really have any other unique offers like sports lotto or raffles. Players interested in sports betting, pull tab games, video lottery terminals and online lotto play should perhaps visit another state, for example Rhode Island’s lottery which offers all of these.

Important Laws Regarding SC Lotteries

All lottos are regulated within the state, even when it comes to multi-state games like Mega Millions. Since these multi-state partnerships exist, it is even more important to be clear about what rules are unique to the state you are playing in, since they differ even between neighboring lottos. The table below shares some of the key facts regarding legality of playing the SC lotto.

Note that the above tax only reflects the state tax placed on winnings above $500. Federal tax authorities will claim another 24% on relevant winnings.

South Carolina is one of a handful of states that offers true anonymity for its winners. In some state lottos, though anonymity is supported, the Freedom of Information Act interferes, allowing people to access that information despite the winner’s wishes. You do not have to worry about that in SC!

Overview of the South Carolina Lotto

South Carolina was a relative latecomer to the lotto scene as far as the 50 states are concerned. It did not open its lotto until 2002. However, the lotto has been quite successful since then, boasting great returns which go towards funding education projects via the state’s general fund.

South Carolina has also seen some major wins. In 2019, a Mega Millions player claimed $1.5 billion in the state. They chose to stay anonymous. It just so happens that their numbers were selected by Quick Pick! That’s the luck of the draw for you.

Conclusion

We hope you now have a better understanding of what you can win and how you can play with South Carolina’s Education Lottery! The state offers some of the biggest jackpots like Mega Millions and Powerball, as well as smaller in-state draws with better odds, so there is something for everyone.

You can learn more about lotteries across the US by visiting our American Lottery page. Visit the official SCEL website for the latest winning numbers and all other relevant information on the best South Carolina lottery games.

Common Questions that People Also Ask

Do you have any additional questions? We are happy to help! Below you will find the questions we most commonly receive about South Carolina lottery. If you have any lingering questions, do not hesitate to reach out to us!