Colorado Lotto Set To Change On September 22nd
Tuesday September 3rd 2019The Colorado Lottery has announced that its flagship Lotto game will be changed for the first time in 30 years. From September 22nd, the game will be rebranded as Colorado Lotto+ and will see the odds of winning improve, as well as a number of exciting new features. Find out more about how Lotto is being adapted:
What’s New With Colorado Lotto+?
One of the biggest changes to the Colorado Lotto is that you will have to choose six numbers from a choice of 1 to 40, rather than six from 42 as has previously been the case. This shifts the odds of winning the jackpot from 1 in 5.2 million to 1 in 3.8 million, while the overall odds of winning a prize drop from 1 in 35 to 1 in 30. In short, it is more likely that you will win.
The prize structure will also be tweaked. Under the existing rules, the prizes for matching three or more numbers are calculated on a pari-mutuel basis, meaning they vary from drawing to drawing based on the number of winners and how many tickets are sold. The new rules will see fixed amounts, starting from $3 for the Match 3 category.
A random multiplier will be printed on each ticket, from 2X to 5X, and if you win a non-jackpot prize your award will be increased by the value of that multiplier. It is possible that your prize will be multiplied by up to five times its original value.
While the jackpot may be won regularly due to the new odds, the average jackpot is set to increase. This is because the cost of a single play will go up from $1 to $2, so the top prize will grow more quickly from its starting level of $1 million until it is won.
The following table shows the new prize structure for Colorado Lotto+, along with the odds of winning in each category:
| Numbers Matched | Base Prize | 2x Prize | 3x Prize | 4x Prize | 5x Prize | Odds of Winning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Jackpot | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1 in 3,838,380 |
| 5 | $250 | $500 | $750 | $1,000 | $1,250 | 1 in 18,816 |
| 4 | $25 | $50 | $75 | $100 | $125 | 1 in 456 |
| 3 | $3 | $6 | $9 | $12 | $15 | 1 in 32 |
Lotto Plus Game Coming In
The revamped game will also give you a chance to play Lotto Plus for an extra $1 per play. If you add the Plus option when filling in your playslip, your numbers will be entered into a second drawing that takes place right after the main draw.
The top prize for matching all six numbers in Plus is $250,000. Any other prize you win will be increased by the multiplier on your ticket. The table below shows the prizes you can win in Lotto Plus.
| Numbers Matched | Base Prize | 2x Prize | 3x Prize | 4x Prize | 5x Prize | Odds of Winning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | $250,000 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1 in 3,838,380 |
| 5 | $300 | $600 | $900 | $1,200 | $1,500 | 1 in 18,816 |
| 4 | $30 | $60 | $90 | $120 | $150 | 1 in 456 |
| 3 | $4 | $8 | $12 | $16 | $20 | 1 in 32 |
The changes have been made to freshen up the game and create more excitement for players. Tom Seaver, the Colorado Lottery Director, said: “For that extra dollar, we’re making the odds of winning better by lowering the number of numbers. We’re really enhancing the play of Lotto and making it easier to win bigger and more prizes.”
The game will continue to be drawn every Wednesday and Saturday night. The results for the first Lotto Plus draw can be found on the Lotto Plus Numbers page.
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