Ohio Lottery: Everything to Know About the Lottery in OH (2024)

ByRichard Janvrin

January 30, 2024 03:03pm

Fact Checked byWes Roesch

The Ohio Lottery Commission runs the Ohio Lottery. It was created in 1973 after voters approved a constitutional amendment. The goal of the Ohio Lottery is to fund education programs throughout the state. Here, we'll cover the Ohio Lottery in more detail, including the available games, learn how to purchase a lottery ticket in Ohio, and more.

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The Most Popular Types of Ohio Lottery Games

Perhaps you're waiting for the NFL season to arrive; thus, your favorite Ohio sportsbooks are on hold, you will be pleased to know there is always the option of playing the lottery! You can access numerous games at the Ohio Lottery, including Scratch-Offs, Draw Games, EZPLAY, KENO, Touch & Win, The Lucky One, and Cash Explosion Show.

The most popular games include Scratch-Offs and Draw Games. The Draw Games feature in-state and multi-state games, which we'll discuss below.

Get to Know Ohio Draw Games

To date, the Ohio Lottery Commission has five Ohio-only draw games available. Below, we'll go over the top four of these, including information on prizes, any jackpot, how to play, and more.

Classic Lotto

With Classic Lotto, you'll pick six numbers from 1 to 49. The jackpot starts at $1 million and can increase if no winners are announced. Drawings are held on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. You'll win the jackpot if you get all six numbers correct.

Payouts are also available for getting three, four, and five numbers right. You'll win $2, $70, and $1,500, respectively. The overall odds of winning are 1 in 54.

Tickets cost $1.

Rolling Cash 5

Featuring daily drawings, the top jackpot prize with Rolling Cash 5 is $100,000, which increases with each drawing. There isn't a winner. To play, you'll select five numbers from 1 to 39.

You'll win the jackpot by getting all five numbers. There are prizes available for 4 of 5 ($300), 3 of 5 ($10), and 2 of 5 ($1).

The overall odds of winning are 1 in 9. To win the jackpot, the odds are 1 in 575,757.

Tickets to play also cost $1.

Pick 5

To play Pick 5, you'll start by selecting a five-digit number between 00000 to 99999. You'll win based on numerous outcomes, including a Straight, 120-Way Box, 60-Way Box, 30-Way Box, 20-Way Box, 10-Way Box, and 5-Way Box. These are known as "Boxed Bets."

There are also "Pair Bets" available.

These include:

  • First four numbers in exact order
  • Last four numbers in exact order
  • First three numbers in exact order
  • Last three numbers in exact order
  • First two numbers in exact order
  • Last two numbers in exact order

You can wager $0.50 or $1 on these games, which scale your prize and jackpot winnings.

Here's what each bet type means, according to the Ohio Lottery Commission¹:

  • STRAIGHT BET:If your chosen numbers are drawn inexact order, you win. Wager amounts are $0.50 and $1.
  • A 120-WAY boxed betoccurs when five (5) different numbers (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) are drawn.
  • A 60-WAY boxed betoccurs when a pair (2) of 1 number and three (3) different numbers (1, 1, 2, 3, 4) are drawn.
  • A 30-WAY boxed betoccurs when two (2) different pairs (2) of numbers and one (1) different number (1, 1, 2, 2, 3) are drawn.
  • A 20-WAY boxed betoccurs when three (3) of 1 number any two (2) different numbers (1, 1, 1, 2, 3) are drawn.
  • A 10-WAY boxed beoccurs when three (3) of 1 number and a pair (2) of a different number (1, 1, 1, 2, 2) are drawn.
  • A 5-WAY boxed betoccurs when four (4) of one number and a different number (1, 1, 1, 1, 2) are drawn.
  • Front Four- First four different numbers are in exact order (1, 2, 3, 4, X)
  • Back Four- Last four numbers are drawn in exact order (X, 2, 3, 4, 5)
  • Front Three- First three numbers are drawn in exact order (1, 2, 3, X, X)
  • Back Three- Last three numbers are drawn in exact order (X, X, 3, 4, 5)
  • Front Pair- First two numbers are drawn in exact order (1, 2, X, X, X)
  • Back Pair- Last two numbers are drawn in exact order (X, X, X, 4, 5)

Per the Ohio Lottery Commission, the probability of winning these games ranged from 1 in 100,000 to 1 in 100.

Pick 4

In addition to Pick 5, there's Pick 4 and Pick 3. The concept is the same looking at the Ohio Lottery website. Instead of five numbers with Pick 5, you'll pick four. You can win with Straight, 24-Way Box, 12-Way Box, 6-Way Box, and 4-Way Box outcomes.

Odds on these outcomes range from 1 in 10,000 (Straight) to 1 in 417 (24-Way Box).

Play Keno with the Ohio Lottery

The Ohio Lottery does offer KENO. To play Ohio KENO, you can do so by visiting retail locations or playing online. To start, you'll wager $1, $2, $3, $4, $5, $10, or $20. Next, you'll choose between 1 and 10 numbers from a pool of 80. You can add a Booster for an extra $1 for each $1 wagered.

You can play up to 50 consecutive drawings on one bet card.

Your KENO bet card will be based on the 20 numbers selected by the Ohio Lottery. The top prize for a 10 Spot Game is $100,000 when you match 10 numbers. The odds of winning range from 1 in 4 in 1 Spot Games to 1 in 16.63 in 2 Spot Games. A 10 Spot Game has average odds of 1 in 9.05.

Multi-Ohio Draw Games

The Ohio Lottery Commission also allows for Multi-State Draw Games. With these Draw Games, players from Cincinnati to Cleveland will compete against players in other states for massive jackpot prizes. Below, we'll look at the games offered in this category, discuss the jackpot, and all other details to start playing.

Ohio Powerball

First up, we have Ohio Powerball. At the time of this writing, the jackpot is $162 million. Drawings are held on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. To win the top prize, you must match all five numbers you choose from a pool of 1 to 69 and the Ohio Powerball number between 1 and 26.

Each ticket has two sets of numbers. You're allowed up to 10 plays per ticket.

In addition to the standard $2 ticket cost, you can add Power Play for $1 to multiply your winnings by two, three, four, five, or ten times.

Ohio Mega Millions

The other top prize in Multi-State Draw Game is Ohio Mega Millions. Similar to Ohio Powerball, you can win at Mega Millions in nine ways. The jackpot today is $150 million. Drawings occur every Tuesday and Friday.

To win, you must match five numbers chosen from a pool of 1 to 70 and the Mega Ball, which is a number from a pool of 1 to 25. A ticket for Ohio Mega Millions costs $2. Each ticket can be multiplied with Megaplier for an additional $1.

Try Instant Win Games

Now that we've covered Draw Games, let's check out Instant Win Games. The primary difference between these games is that Draw Games have a specific day or days when drawings occur. In contrast, Instant Win Games are things you can find out whether you've won or not on the spot.

Scratch-Offs are the primary example of this. Today, you can buy them for $50, $30, $20, $10, $5, $3, $2, or $1. The Ohio Lottery page has a complete list of the available options and the variety of Scratch-Offs.

Download the Ohio Lottery App

Yes, the Ohio Lottery has a mobile app for iOS and Android users. You can download the app from the respective store partners. You can scan tickets using the Ohio Lottery online mobile app to see if they've been on. You can also complete a sale for tickets the Online Lottery Ohio offers and get information about Scratch-Offs.

The goal of the mobile app is to continue providing citizens of Ohio an experience that allows them to enjoy the lottery whether they visit partners in person or online. You'll be able to sign up to play all of your favorite games on the mobile app, review your rewards, and even locate participating lottery partners from the app.

Its worth noting, the Ohio Lottery app is completely different from any Ohio sports betting app. This means you cannot use one for both. The Ohio Lottery app is easy to download and just takes a few minutes to set up.

How to Purchase Lottery Tickets in Ohio

Purchasing lottery tickets online or in person is easy, and we'll do it step-by-step.

  1. ✅ Decide which games you want to play.
  2. ✅ Use the "Find a Retailer" tool on the Ohio Lottery page or the mobile app to play in person.
  3. ✅ To purchase tickets online, create an account on the mobile app, deposit funds, and navigate the game page. You'll find games you can select and make a purchase on.
  4. ✅ Wait for the results.

Purchasing an Ohio Lottery ticket is easy, regardless of the method you want to play.

Are there any Promo Codes for the Lottery in OH?

The Ohio Lottery does not typically offer any promotions. Unlike the Ohio sportsbook promos available at nearly every operator, you won't be able to use any specific code to get a discount on a lottery ticket. That being said, there are some promotions for Second Chance tickets available if you're part of the rewards program.

History of the Ohio Lottery

As mentioned, the Ohio Lottery is run by the Ohio Lottery Commission. The Ohio Lottery was established in 1973. The goal of the lottery is to provide financial support to education, creating an easier life in school for kids and teachers alike.

The first game sold by the lottery commission was Buckeye 300, a $1 scratch-off game.

Over the years, the Ohio Lottery has contributed billions of dollars to education programs across the state.

Biggest Lottery Wins in Ohio

  • $270 million: This is the largest jackpot won in Ohio. It was a Ohio Mega Millions jackpot sold at a Giant Eagle supermarket in Mentor, Ohio.
  • $213 million: Mary Ann Thompson won the Ohio Mega Millions jackpot in March 2004. She opted for the cash sum, which was $107 million after taxes.
  • $209 million: In February 2008, the Davis Family won $209 from playing Ohio Powerball. They were from New Richmond.
  • $116 million: In June 2010, Robert and Marjorie Jackon won Ohio Mega Millions. The ticket sale was made in Ravenna.
  • $99 million: Interestingly, the family that won this prize was actually from Munford, Tennessee. However, they purchased the winning Ohio Powerball ticket in Sunbury, Ohio.

Everything About the Ohio Lottery FAQs

Yes, you can buy tickets online on the desktop site or mobile.

To cash a lottery ticket, there are multiple ways depending on how much you win. You can visit an Ohio Lottery retailer for winnings up to $599. For winnings beyond that, you can op to send winning tickets to the following address after filling out an Online Claim contact form.

Yes. If you win more than $100,000, you can opt to keep your name confidential forever.

This depends on the game. For example, with Powerball, citizens of the state of Ohio must purchase tickets by 10 p.m. ET, an hour before the 11 p.m. drawing.

In Ohio, the only games you'll find here are Classic Lotto, Rolling Cash 5, Pick 3, Pick 4, and Pick 5.

You have 180 days to claim your lottery winnings.

The tax rate on prize money won from the Ohio Lottery online and in-person is 4%, assuming you've made more than $600 doing it.

Odds for certain games, such as a 1 Spot Ohio Keno, have a 1 in 4 chance at winning. The chances of winning are wildly more intense with more money on the line.

Yes. You can scan your lottery tickets directly on the mobile app.

Author

Ohio Lottery: Everything to Know About the Lottery in OH (2)

Richard Janvrin

Graduating from the University of New Hampshire with a BA in Journalism, Richard has written for notable sports outlets such as Bleacher Report. Now with BetOhio.com, Richard is able to combine his sports and gambling interests to spend time exploring online sportsbooks and casinos.

Ohio Lottery: Everything to Know About the Lottery in OH (2024)

FAQs

Which lottery has the best odds of winning in Ohio? ›

Which Ohio lottery games have the best odds of winning?
  • Rolling Cash 5: As a daily draw game, Rolling Cash 5 offers some of the best odds for jackpot wins in Ohio, with odds of 1 in 575,757. ...
  • Classic Lotto: This Ohio-specific game has odds of 1 in 13,983,816 for hitting the jackpot.
Mar 21, 2024

How long does it take to get Ohio Lottery winnings? ›

How long does it take to receive my winnings? Your winnings will be mailed to you within 30 days.

How much does Ohio take from lottery winnings? ›

Of course, there are also state lottery taxes. There are several states that don't tax lottery winnings, but Ohio isn't one of them. Ohio takes another 3.99%, or roughly $30 million off the lump sum payout.

How does oh lottery work? ›

Ohio Powerball

Drawings are held on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. To win the top prize, you must match all five numbers you choose from a pool of 1 to 69 and the Ohio Powerball number between 1 and 26. Each ticket has two sets of numbers. You're allowed up to 10 plays per ticket.

What Ohio Lottery game wins the most? ›

Biggest lottery payouts

The top 10 lottery prizes in Ohio have all come from the multi-state games Powerball, introduced in 2010, and Mega Millions, available in Ohio since 2002.

Which scratch card wins the most? ›

Top 5 Scratch Cards with the Highest Return to Player
  • Witch Pickings Scratch (95.7%) Developed by NextGen, Witch Pickings Scratch is a simple, yet mesmerizing scratch card that's based upon their popular slot of the same name. ...
  • Merlin's Millions (95.17%) ...
  • Medusa Scratch (95.17%) ...
  • Ghost Pepper Scratch (94.48%)

Do you have to declare lottery winnings in Ohio? ›

If you are fortunate to win a significant lottery jackpot in Ohio it is your legal right to remain anonymous. The Buckeye state is one of the few states in the country to allow this.

Do you pay taxes on $1000 lottery winnings in Ohio? ›

Yes, gambling winnings are taxable on both the federal level and in the state of Ohio whether they are cash winnings or some other payment in kind. In Ohio it is treated as “Other Income” on Form 1040, Schedule 1 . Winnings are taxed at the same rates as regular income.

How much does a store get for selling a winning lottery ticket in Ohio? ›

1. You will earn 5.5% commission on every sale, and up to an additional 1.5% based on your cashing ratio. You will also receive a bonus for selling winning tickets for certain games. 2.

Do lottery winnings affect social security? ›

How About Your Retirement Benefits? Just like SSDI, social security retirement benefits are earned benefits. This means winning the lottery will have no impact on your retirement benefits. But it may impact your taxes on your benefits since lottery winnings have to be reported to the IRS.

How much does IRS take from lottery winnings? ›

For this, a tax calculator is an essential tool. Tax Tip: Before you receive one dollar, the IRS automatically takes 24% of your winnings as tax money. You're expected to pay the rest of your tax bill on that prize money when you file your return.

Do you have to report gambling winnings under $600? ›

Spoiler alert: all your winnings, big or small, cash or noncash must be reported to the IRS. Whether you're a seasoned or professional gambler or someone who simply got lucky at the bingo hall or in a fantasy league showdown, understanding the ins and outs of the gambling winnings tax is crucial.

Which Ohio Lottery has the best odds of winning? ›

Which Games Have the Best Lottery Odds in Ohio?
GameOverall Odds of WinningTop Prize
Rolling Cash 51 in 9Starts at $100,000
Mega Millions1 in 24Starts at $20 million
Powerball1 in 25Starts at $20 million
Classic Lotto1 in 54Starts at $1 million
1 more row

What to do if you win the lottery in Ohio? ›

Prizes up to $599 may be cashed at any Ohio Lottery Retailer location. Prizes up to $25,000 can be cashed by using the mobile cashing feature available through the mobile app or at one of the state's seven Racinos. Prizes up to $25,000 can be cashed via direct deposit by visiting any Ohio Lottery Regional Office.

Do Ohio Lottery scratch-off tickets expire? ›

The Ohio Lottery gives you a whopping 180 days from the end of sales or the drawing date (for drawing games) to claim your prize. Underline that, folks! That's plenty of time to dust off the ticket and strut into your nearest lottery retailer like you own the place (because, hey, maybe you do!).

What are the odds of winning the Ohio Rolling Cash 5? ›

Rolling Cash 5 is a daily draw game. The jackpot starts at $100,000 and grows every time there isn't a 5 of 5 winner. According to lottery officials, the odds of winning a Rolling Cash 5 jackpot are 1 in 575,757.

What is the Lucky One Ohio Lottery? ›

The LUCKY NUMBER bet type is comprised of one (1) number selected from one (1) to thirty-six (36). You may select your own number or use the auto pick feature. You win if your Lucky Number matches THE LUCKY ONE number drawn. To play the ODD/EVEN bet type, you may select either ODD or EVEN or use the auto pick feature.

Has Ohio ever had a Powerball winner? ›

In the 14-plus years that Ohio has participated in the Powerball lottery, only five jackpot-winning tickets have been sold in the Buckeye state, the last one on Wednesday, July 3 at the Huber Heights Walmart. The state has won only 1.2% of the jackpots, ranking 32nd nationally.

What's the best option for winning the lottery? ›

Annuity payments offer tax benefits and can prevent overspending lottery winnings. They provide guaranteed income, and can lead to more money in the long run. Ultimately, it depends on individual preferences and financial goals. The winner receives the entire value of the prize at one time.

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