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.
- ✅ Decide which games you want to play.
- ✅ Use the "Find a Retailer" tool on the Ohio Lottery page or the mobile app to play in person.
- ✅ 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.
- ✅ 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.
References
Author
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.
