Minnesota Lottery

On March 25, 2020, the Powerball Product Group, a national association made up of lottery directors from across the country including Minnesota, announced changes to Powerball. The group determined that additional measures were necessary and on April 2, the group announced additional measures.

Due to these changes the Minnesota Lottery will offer refunds to players holding multi-draw Powerball tickets that will be impacted by the changes (see below).

Thank you for your understanding and your support. Stay safe, stay healthy, and #StayHomeMN.

FAQ

What is changing?

Changes have been made to the minimum starting jackpot and minimum jackpot increases. Some players will be eligible for a refund (see below).

Following the April 8 drawing, Powerball’s starting jackpot and the rate at which the advertised jackpot grows will be determined by game sales and interest rates. Guaranteed starting jackpot amounts and minimum jackpot increases will be eliminated. Previously, Powerball jackpots started at $40 million (annuity) and increased by a minimum of $10 million (annuity) between drawings.

Click here for official Powerball rules.

Why are these changes being made to Powerball?

Game sales and interest rates are the two main factors in the determination of Powerball’s advertised jackpot. Since last week, more states and cities have asked their residents to stay at home, which has affected consumer behaviors and Powerball game sales. In response to the public health crisis, interest rates have declined. As a result, more game sales are necessary to fund comparable jackpot amounts. The Powerball Product Group elected to enact the changes following the April 8 drawing to ensure that ticket sales can support future Powerball jackpots and other cash prizes.

When does this new change go into effect?

This change will go into effect immediately following the Wednesday, April 8 drawing. As normal protocol, MUSL’s Director of Finance will continue to distribute the Grand Prize Estimate, which announces the advertised jackpot annuity and cash value for that evening’s drawing and the next drawing.

The advertised Powerball jackpot for Saturday’s drawing is a guaranteed $180 million. If the jackpot rolls, it will grow to a guaranteed $190 million for the April 8 drawing. If the jackpot is won on Saturday night, it will reset to a guaranteed $20 million for the April 8 drawing and continue to grow based off sales and interest rates.

Weren’t there going to be changes enacted after the jackpot was won?

Yes. The Powerball Product Group, decided last week to reduce starting jackpots to $20 million (annuity) and minimum jackpot increases to $2 million (annuity) between drawings. Those changes were scheduled to go into effect after the current jackpot was won.

However, due to the evolving public health crisis, the Powerball Product Group revisited the topic and decided Powerball’s starting jackpot and subsequent advertised jackpots should be determined by games sales and interest rates effective following next Wednesday’s drawing.

What if I purchased a multi-draw ticket?

The Minnesota Lottery is committed to our customers and values your participation in the purchase of our products as we raise revenue for good causes in our state. Due to recent changes to the Powerball Annuity Jackpot and minimum rolling amounts, the Minnesota Lottery will reimburse players who meet the following requirement:

Any player who purchased a “multi-draw” Powerball Ticket from the Minnesota Lottery on or before 5:00 p.m. on April 2, 2020, may claim a refund for the price of all remaining drawings after April 8, 2020 through the expiration of your multi-draw ticket. You can keep your original ticket for free and it will remain eligible to claim any advertised prize associated with your ticket based upon the new game rules. The Minnesota Lottery must receive your refund claim form and copies of qualifying tickets on or before December 31, 2020 for reimbursement.

What is a multi-draw ticket?

Minnesota Lottery players have the option of purchasing “multi-draw” Powerball tickets. Instead of just being valid for the next drawing, multi-draw tickets can be purchased for up to 14 consecutive drawings.

How do I request a refund?

To claim a refund, please click here and follow all instructions on the reimbursement claim form.

How long will these changes remain in place?

At this point, we don’t know how long the changes will last. The Powerball Product Group constantly reviews the Powerball program and will continue to do so in light of sales, interest rates and other impacts with the best interest of players and participating Lotteries in mind.

Where is Powerball played?

Tickets are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Prizes up to and including $50,000 should be claimed by mail. We recommend keeping a copy of the front and back of your ticket for your records and that you use registered mail. For additional information, click here.

If you need to claim a prize of over $50,000. Call the Minnesota Lottery at 1-888-568-8379 or 651-635-8273 to discuss your options.

NOTE: In Minnesota, lotto game players have one year from the date of the drawing to claim prizes. For scratch games, players have one year from the date that a scratch game ends to claim any prizes. Consider waiting to claim prizes that are not approaching an expiration date. Here's a list of scratch game end dates.

CLAIM FORM

A: Seems like a great idea, doesn’t it? The reality, however, is that people want to play for the big jackpot amounts. Sales at the $200 million jackpot level are three times what they are at the $40 million jackpot level. We also have no control over the number combinations players select. It is possible to have none, one or many winners on any given set of numbers. We offer a variety of games so players can take their pick of jackpot sizes. Powerball and Mega Millions are the big jackpot games but Lotto America jackpots start at $2 million, Gopher 5 jackpots start at $100,000, and Northstar Cash jackpots start at $25,000.

A: Minnesota state law provides that your name, city of residence and the prize amount won is public information. Your street address, phone number and social security number are private information and will not be released by the Lottery.

A: This depends on the game you play. For Daily 3, it depends on the bet type you placed. For more information, visit the Daily 3 game page. For All or Nothing, Gopher 5 and Northstar Cash, the numbers on your ticket are always printed in numerical order. Those numbers need to match the numbers drawn, but not in the order drawn. If you play Powerball or Mega Millions you can match the first five white ball numbers drawn in any order. However, the Powerball number on your ticket (the last number, behind the letters “PB”) must match the Powerball number drawn. The Mega Ball number on your ticket (the last number, behind the letters “MB”) must match the Mega Ball number drawn. You cannot crisscross lines to match numbers on any ticket.

A: Powerball and Mega Millions are both $2 multi-million dollar jackpot games, but that's where the similarities end. The games have different starting jackpot amounts, different prize structures, and different drawing days. You can find more information about Powerball and Mega Millions on their respective game pages.

A: Yes. Payments continue to the winner's estate until exhausted. The Lottery also permits the estate to request that all remaining payments be paid immediately to the estate. This permits the estate to pay inheritance taxes immediately, avoiding any penalties, and to distribute the remainder to the heirs. The amount of the payment will be based on the present value of the securities being held by the Lottery. Then, of course, no more payments exist. There also might be certain lifetime prizes in the Lottery. These usually have a guaranteed minimum number of payments. If the winner dies before the minimum number of payments has been made, payments continue until the minimum is reached.

A: Guaranteed government-backed securities are purchased to fund the 30-year liability after a player elects to receive the Powerball jackpot prize in 30 payments. The first payment will be paid after the prize is claimed; the next 29 payments will be paid yearly.

A: The only money that is shared in Powerball and Mega Millions is the prize money paid to jackpot prizewinners. The rest of the revenue from tickets purchased in Minnesota stays in Minnesota.

A: You are taxed on the dollar amount that you are paid, at the time it is paid to you. If you choose the cash option, since you are paid one lump sum all at once, you would pay taxes at that time on the total lump sum. However, if you choose the annuity option, you would pay taxes each year on the amount you receive that year.

A: It is a percentage of the sales for each individual drawing. Fifty percent of ticket sales go to the entire prize pool. In addition, game rules specify that the minimum jackpot prize in Powerball and the minimum increase from draw to draw will both be determined by the amount of sales.

A: It makes absolutely no difference how many tickets are sold or how many states play the game. You are always playing against the numbers we draw. In Powerball, we always draw the white numbers from a field of 69 and the Powerball from a field of 26. The only impact increased sales would have on your odds is that the more tickets that are sold, the better the odds you might have to share the jackpot with another player (assuming you won).

A: Yes, more than one person can receive the same quick-pick numbers. The numbers produced on Lottery quick-pick tickets are created using a random number generator within the lottery ticket printer. The ticket printer uses several calculations based on the printer's internal clock and mathematical algorithms to produce the sets of numbers. The formula has no regard for previously selected sets of numbers and is tested extensively for randomness.

A: The percentage of quick pick plays varies a great deal from game to game and with the size of the jackpot. For Powerball, the quick-pick percentage normally runs about 70 percent, and about 70 percent of the winners are from quick-pick tickets. How you pick your numbers has absolutely nothing to do with being a winner. The numbers 1-2-3-4-5 and 6 have exactly the same chance of winning as any other set of six numbers. The only thing is, if you pick your own numbers, and you base them on something logical, artificial or limiting (like dates), you are more likely to have to split the pari-mutuel jackpot prize because others may be using the same numbers.

A: This is one of our most frequently asked questions. You need to also consider the odds of getting at least one of the white numbers correct in looking at the odds of getting only the Powerball.

A: Check out our drawing schedule page for a complete breakdown of drawing times for each game.

A: The games are designed by the Lottery to pay a specific percentage of prizes and provide a specific occurrence of winning. Game design is a matter of balancing the amount of prize money that is going to be committed to the jackpot prize and the lower set prizes. The more you allocate to the set prizes, the smaller the jackpot will be and the slower it will grow. These decisions are simply professional judgment calls based on industry information and market appeal.

LOTTO GAMES FAQ

You’ve got questions. We’ve got answers. Read up on our Lotto Games Frequently Asked Questions below.
Scroll down for General Lottery and Scratch Games FAQ.

Powerball® update: Game sales and interest rates to determine advertised Powerball jackpot

Q: Can I claim a prize by mail?

Q: Everyone gets so excited when the Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots go way up to multi millions of dollars. Why not pay 200 winners $1 million each, instead of $200 million to one winner?

Q: If I win the jackpot, do I have the option of remaining anonymous as far as the public and the media are concerned?

Q: Do I have to match the numbers in the exact order drawn?

Q: What’s the difference between Powerball and Mega Millions?

Q: If I die before I receive all the payments from a lottery prize like the Powerball jackpot, will my heirs receive the rest of my prize money?

Q: Where is the Powerball prize money kept until it is paid out? Is there any chance that something could happen to it before the 30-year payout period ends?

Q: Does Minnesota share Powerball and Mega Millions money with other states?

Q: If you win the Powerball jackpot and select the cash option, on what amount do you pay taxes?

Q: Who decides how much the Powerball jackpot should be and how is it figured?

Q: We have a serious discussion at work as to whether the odds of winning the Powerball increase, decrease or remain the same depending on how many tickets are sold. Which is it?

Q: If I buy a quick-pick ticket, can anyone else get those numbers?

Q: Are there any statistics regarding which picking techniques are winners? Do quick picks win more often than handpicked numbers?

Q: There are 26 red Powerballs so why aren't the odds of getting the Powerball 1 in 26 instead of 1 in 38 as shown on the "How to Play" section of the Powerball game page?

Q: What is the cutoff time to buy tickets for each night’s drawing?

Q: Why isn't there a better payback on low-end winners, especially for lotto games?