New York Lotto
New York Lotto takes place every Wednesday and Saturday. The jackpot starts at $2 million and can quickly go much higher, with no cap on how much it can reach. As a result, the largest payout was $90 million in January 1991, which was shared between nine ticket holders. The single largest win on New York Lotto was the $65 million jackpot that went to a player in Sunnyside, NY in June 2007.
How to Play NY Lotto
To play NY Lotto, choose six numbers from 1 to 59. If you pick your own numbers, you can either hand your completed playslip straight to the retailer or slot it into an NYL vending machine. Alternatively, ask the retailer for a Quick Pick and you'll receive a random set of numbers.
If you've got a ticket from the last 30 days, you can also just 'Play It Again' by taking it to a retailer. You will be given an identical ticket for the next drawing.
Ticket sales close at 8:00 PM ET on draw days, with the winning numbers announced from 8:15 PM.
It costs $1 for the minimum two plays in Lotto. It is possible to enter the same set of numbers for up to 26 consecutive drawings.
No Bonus Number on Ticket
Your NY Lotto ticket will have six numbers for each play. A seventh number - the Bonus - is also drawn from the remaining 53 balls after the first six have been selected.
The Bonus Number is part of the game as it helps to create more winning opportunities and boosts the value of certain payouts. However, you do not pick a Bonus Number when you play so there is not one shown on your ticket.
How to Win NY Lotto
There are five ways to win NY Lotto prizes. If you match all six main numbers, you will win the jackpot. Other prizes are awarded for matching five main numbers and the Bonus, five main numbers on their own, and also for matching four or three numbers.
The table below shows all the different prize levels, along with the odds of winning. In each draw, 40 percent of the money raised from ticket sales is allocated to the prize fund. The table also tells you how much of the prize fund is set aside for each category.
| Numbers Matched | Prize Fund Percentage | Odds of Winning |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Jackpot - 75% | 1 in 45,057,474 |
| 5 + Bonus | 7.25% | 1 in 7,509,579 |
| 5 | 5.50% | 1 in 144,415 |
| 4 | 6.25% | 1 in 2,180 |
| 3 | 6% | 1 in 96 |