Lotto America

Lotto America: Official Guide, Rules, Odds & How to Play

Main Numbers
5 from 1-52
Star Ball
1 from 1-10
Jackpot Odds
1 in 25,989,600
Ticket Cost
$1.00
Draw Schedule
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Draws every Monday, Wednesday & Saturday at 23:00 ET

What is Lotto America lottery?

Lotto America is a popular multi-state lottery game played in 13 US states. It was originally launched in 1988 and was reintroduced in 2017 with updated rules and larger jackpots.

Lotto America drawings are held every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 11:00 pm ET. Tickets cost $1.00 per play.

Did You Know?

Lotto America was originally the predecessor to Powerball! The game was reintroduced in 2017 with better odds and a starting jackpot of $2 million.

Participating States

Lotto America tickets are available in 13 states: Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, and West Virginia.

How to play Lotto America lottery?

Players pick five numbers from 1 to 52 for the white balls and one number from 1 to 10 for the Star Ball. You win the jackpot by matching all six winning numbers in a drawing.

The jackpot starts at $2 million and grows by a minimum of $50,000 each time it rolls over.

Step-by-Step Guide:

  1. Choose 5 main numbers from 1 to 52
  2. Choose 1 Star Ball from 1 to 10
  3. Add All Star Bonus for an extra $1 to multiply non-jackpot prizes
  4. Wait for the draw on Monday, Wednesday or Saturday at 23:00 ET
  5. Check your numbers and claim your prize!

Odds to win Lotto America jackpot

Lotto America offers better odds than many other multi-state lotteries while still providing substantial jackpots!

Winning Selections Odds Prize
Match 5 numbers + Star Ball 1 in 25,989,600 Jackpot!
Match 5 main numbers 1 in 2,887,733 $20,000
Match 4 numbers + Star Ball 1 in 110,594 $1,000
Match 4 main numbers 1 in 12,288 $100
Match 3 numbers + Star Ball 1 in 2,404 $20
Match 3 main numbers 1 in 267 $5
Match 2 numbers + Star Ball 1 in 160 $5
Match 1 number + Star Ball 1 in 29 $2
Match the Star Ball 1 in 17 $2

Overall odds of winning any prize: 1 in 9.63

All Star Bonus option multiplies non-jackpot prizes by 2X, 3X, 4X, or 5X, increasing prizes up to $100,000 for Match 5, $5,000 for Match 4 + Star Ball, $500 for Match 4, $100 for Match 3 + Star Ball, $25 for Match 3, $25 for Match 2 + Star Ball, $10 for Match 1 + Star Ball, or $10 for Match Star Ball.

Better Odds Advantage

Lotto America offers significantly better odds than Powerball or Mega Millions, with a 1 in 9.63 chance of winning any prize! This makes it an attractive option for players who want more frequent wins while still having a shot at multi-million dollar jackpots.

Lotto America Odds Calculations

Let's examine how the odds for Lotto America are calculated and why they're more favorable than other major lotteries.

In every Lotto America drawing, 5 white balls are drawn together with a single Star Ball, making it a total of 6 balls.

Main Balls Odds

There are 52 numbers to pick from for the main balls. None can repeat. The number of ways to choose 5 balls from 52 is:

\(\binom{52}{5} = \frac{52 \times 51 \times 50 \times 49 \times 48}{5 \times 4 \times 3 \times 2 \times 1} = 2,598,960\)

That means there are 2.6 million ways to pick 5 numbers from 52 without repeating.

Star Ball Odds

There are 10 numbers for the Star Ball. You pick 1, so there are 10 possible choices.

Overall Odds to Win Lotto America

Multiply the main and Star Ball combinations:

Total odds = 2,598,960 × 10 = 25,989,600

So your odds are 1 in 25,989,600!

Compared to Powerball (1 in 292 million) and Mega Millions (1 in 302 million), Lotto America offers dramatically better odds while still providing multi-million dollar jackpots!

Learn how to improve your odds of winning Lotto America with strategic play.

Winning vs Losing Combinations

After each Lotto America draw, the distribution of combinations is:

2,621,386
Winning Combinations
10.08%
23,368,214
Losing Combinations
89.92%

Winning Probability Calculations

In Lotto America, you pick 5 numbers from 1 to 52 and 1 Star Ball from 1 to 10. The number of combinations that win any prize after each draw is calculated as follows:

Total Number of Combinations

The total number of ways to choose 5 main numbers from 52 and 1 Star Ball from 10 is given by:

\( \binom{52}{5} \times \binom{10}{1} = 2,598,960 \times 10 = 25,989,600 \)
Winning Combinations Breakdown

Let's calculate all the winning combinations for each prize tier:

Prize Tier Winning Combinations Calculation
Match Star Ball only 2,598,960 \( \binom{51}{5} \times \binom{1}{1} = 2,598,960 \)
Match 1 main + Star Ball 1,151,550 \( \binom{5}{1} \times \binom{47}{4} \times \binom{1}{1} = 1,151,550 \)
Match 2 main only 162,150 \( \binom{5}{2} \times \binom{47}{3} \times \binom{9}{1} = 162,150 \)
Match 2 main + Star Ball 18,017 \( \binom{5}{2} \times \binom{47}{3} \times \binom{1}{1} = 18,017 \)
Match 3 main only 14,190 \( \binom{5}{3} \times \binom{47}{2} \times \binom{9}{1} = 14,190 \)
Match 3 main + Star Ball 1,577 \( \binom{5}{3} \times \binom{47}{2} \times \binom{1}{1} = 1,577 \)
Match 4 main only 585 \( \binom{5}{4} \times \binom{47}{1} \times \binom{9}{1} = 585 \)
Match 4 main + Star Ball 65 \( \binom{5}{4} \times \binom{47}{1} \times \binom{1}{1} = 65 \)
Match 5 main only 9 \( \binom{5}{5} \times \binom{9}{1} = 9 \)
Match 5 main + Star Ball 1 \( \binom{5}{5} \times \binom{1}{1} = 1 \)
Total Winning Combinations 2,621,386
Non-Winning Combinations
Total combinations - Winning combinations = 25,989,600 - 2,621,386 = 23,368,214
Conclusion

Therefore, there are 2,621,386 combinations (10.08%) that win any prize in each Lotto America drawing, while 23,368,214 combinations (89.92%) win nothing.

Probability Insight

Your chance of winning ANY prize in Lotto America is approximately 1 in 9.9, which is significantly better than Powerball or Mega Millions and much better than the jackpot odds of 1 in 25.9 million!

All Star Bonus Multiplier

Lotto America offers the "All Star Bonus" option for an extra $1 per play, which can multiply non-jackpot prizes:

2X
~1 in 3 draws
3X
~1 in 4 draws
4X
~1 in 6 draws
5X
~1 in 12 draws

Note: Lotto America starts with a $2 million jackpot and offers better overall odds than most multi-state lotteries. The All Star Bonus can significantly increase your non-jackpot winnings, making it an excellent value for just $1 extra.

Ready to Play Smart?

Use our advanced tools and predictions to maximize your chances!

Explore Winning Strategies

Notable Changes & History

November 2017 Relaunch

Lotto America was reintroduced on November 12, 2017, with significant improvements:

  • New Format: Changed from 6/52 to 5/52 + 1/10
  • Starting Jackpot: Increased to $2 million (from $250,000)
  • All Star Bonus: Introduced as multiplier option for $1 extra
  • Better Odds: Improved overall odds of winning any prize
2014 Game Suspension

The original Lotto America game was suspended to make way for new lottery games:

  • Final Draw: Original game ended after 26 years
  • Replacement: Hot Lotto became the primary game in participating states
1992 Format Change

Major format update to the original game:

  • Matrix Change: Updated number selection parameters
  • Expanded Reach: More states joined the lottery consortium
1988 Launch

Original Lotto America launched as the first multi-state lottery game:

  • Original Format: 6/52 matrix
  • Founding States:
    • Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oregon, Rhode Island, West Virginia, and Washington D.C.
  • Historical Significance: Served as the predecessor to Powerball

Source: Lotto America Official Site