Tri-State Lottery
The Tri-State Lottery is the original multi-jurisdictional lottery, offered in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. Five games are currently operated by the Tri-State Lottery: Megabucks Plus – Gimme 5 – Pick 3 – Pick 4 and Fast Play.
Games
Drawings for all Tri-State Lottery games are held in New Hampshire. Get odds and details of how to play for each lottery offered across the three states.
Megabucks
Megabucks (also known as Tri-State Megabucks) costs just $2 per game and offers participants the chance to win some incredible sums of money every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday night. All you need to do is pick five main numbers from 1 to 41 and a Megaball number from 1 to 6.
Gimme 5
Gimme 5 is the newest member of the Tri-State Lottery and offers a top prize of $100,000 in every draw! Match all five numbers drawn to earn the jackpot. Tickets cost just $1 and drawings are held five evenings a week, Monday through Friday.
Pick 3
Pick 3 features a top prize of $500. Drawings are held twice daily, with a Day and Night/Evening draw. You can choose from a variety of bet types, and you also get to choose how much to spend, with tickets available from as little as $0.50 up to $5.00 per bet.
Pick 4
Pick 4 is similar to the three-number equivalent of the game, with draws also taking place at 1:10 PM EST and 6:59 PM EST each day.
You can play by placing bets between $0.50 and $5.00, with larger wagers producing the potential for larger wins. There are nine exciting ways to win in each draw:
| Wager Type | Match | Prize (for a $1 bet) | Odds of Winning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight | Match all 4 numbers in exact order | $5,000 | 1 in 10,000 |
| 4-Way Box | Match all 4 numbers in any order (3 digits must be the same e.g. 1222) | $1,250 | 1 in 2,500 |
| 6-Way Box | Match all 4 numbers in any order (Two pairs of identical digits e.g. 1122) | $834 | 1 in 1,667 |
| 12-Way Box | Match all 4 numbers in any order (2 digits must be the same e.g. 1123) | $416 | 1 in 883 |
| 24-Way Box | Match all 4 numbers in any order (All 4 digits are unique e.g. 1234) | $208 | 1 in 417 |
| Front Pair | Match the first 2 numbers in order | $50 | 1 in 100 |
| Back Pair | Match the last 2 numbers in order | $50 | 1 in 100 |
| Middle Pair | Match the 2nd and 3rd numbers in order | $50 | 1 in 100 |
| Single Digit | Match one number in the correct position | $5 | 1 in 10 |
Fast Play
Fast Play differs from the other Tri-State lotteries as you don’t have to wait for a draw to take place, you can win instantly!
The exact games on offer can differ slightly between the three states, but they all work in the same way. Fast Play tickets work like a scratchcard, without the hassle of actually having to scratch-off the card. The winning numbers are printed above your numbers on the same ticket, if you’ve got a match then you can claim a prize – it’s that simple.
Detailed instructions are provided on all Fast Play tickets.
Claiming a Tri-State Lottery Prizes
You’ve won a Tri-State Lottery prize, now what? The claims process varies depending on the value of the win and the state you played from.
$499 or less
Prizes worth $499 or less can be claimed at any lottery retailer in Maine, New Hampshire or Vermont. So simply take your ticket back to where you purchased it, or any other lottery agent in the state to claim your prize.
$500 - $599
Prizes within this range can also be claimed at any lottery retailer in Maine or New Hampshire. However, in Vermont you will need to fill in a claims form or visit a People’s United Bank within the state in order to claim your prize. Claims forms are available from any authorized lottery retailer.
$600 or more
In Maine and New Hampshire, prizes worth more than $600 can either be claimed by mail or in-person at the Lottery head office. The Maine office is located in Hallowell and New Hampshire’s in Concord.
Similarly, in Vermont, larger prizes can also be claimed via mail or by visiting the Vermont Lottery Commission Headquarters in Berlin. If the prize is worth less than $5,000, there is also the option to claim at any People’s United Bank.
Tax
You are responsible for any applicable state or federal taxes on any prizes that you win that are worth more than $5,000. The federal government withholds 25 percent while Maine will withhold an additional five percent. Vermont will withhold six percent, but New Hampshire doesn't levy a state tax on lottery winnings.
Out of state players
If you play a Tri-State lottery whilst visiting the area and win a prize, you may need to go back to claim it or mail in the winning ticket along with a claim form.
History of the Tri-State Lottery
- 1985 - The Tri-State lottery began with the lauch of Tri-State Megabucks. Pick 3 and Pick 4 evening draws also begin later that year.
- 1990 - Tri-State Megabucks introduces a Wednesday draw as well as the Saturday draw.
- 2003 - The first Pick 3 and Pick 4 Midday draws took place in June.
- 2009 - Tri-State Megabucks rebrands as Megabucks Plus and introduces a $2 ticket price and larger prizes.
- 2013 - Gimme 5 launches with the first draw taking place on May 12th.
Since 1985, all three states have used the lottery games to help the local communities. New Hampshire dedicated 25% of lottery earnings to schools in 2016, and as of 2016, the Vermont Lottery had raised $26,410,147 for the Education Fund. Meanwhile, the Maine Lottery transferred over $18.8 million to their Outdoor Heritage Fund between 1996 and 2017 to aid conservation and wildlife projects.
Rules
If you want to play these great multi-jurisdictional games and redeem any prizes that you might win, you'll need to be at least 18 years old.
Any winnings worth more than $600 are reported to the IRS for tax purposes.
Has someone contacted you with "good news" about a big Tri-State Lottery win? Be careful - you may be the target of a lottery scam. Put down the phone, throw the letter away and read the scams page to learn more about protecting yourself against fraud.