The New York Lottery offers a variety of games that provide different methods for players to win prizes. The most popular lottery games in New York are draw games like Powerball, Mega Millions, and Lotto. These games have multiple ways to win prizes, from matching a few numbers to hitting the jackpot. Scratch-off instant games also offer immediate cash prizes. Understanding how each type of game pays out prizes can help New York lottery players make the most of their playing experience.
Powerball Payouts
Powerball is one of the biggest multi-state lottery games in the United States. To play Powerball in New York, players choose five main numbers between 1 and 69 and one Powerball number between 1 and 26. There are nine ways to win a Powerball prize:
- Match the Powerball only – $4 prize
- Match one number and the Powerball – $4 prize
- Match two numbers and the Powerball – $7 prize
- Match three numbers – $7 prize
- Match three numbers and the Powerball – $100 prize
- Match four numbers – $100 prize
- Match four numbers and the Powerball – $50,000 prize
- Match all five numbers – $1 million prize
- Match all five numbers and the Powerball – Jackpot prize
The Powerball jackpot starts at $40 million and continues to grow until a ticket matches all six numbers. If no ticket matches all six numbers, the jackpot rolls over to the next drawing. Powerball drawings take place every Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. EST.
Cash Value vs Annuity
For jackpot prizes in Powerball, winners have the choice between receiving their prize as an annuity paid out over 29 years or taking a reduced cash value lump sum. The advertised Powerball jackpot is the annuity amount. The cash value is typically about 60% of the annuity prize and is determined by Powerball officials shortly before the drawing.
Smaller Powerball prizes from $4 up to $1 million are paid out as a single lump sum cash prize. Taxes are withheld from Powerball prizes before payout depending on federal and state regulations.
Mega Millions Payouts
Mega Millions is another interstate lottery game popular in New York. Players choose five main numbers from 1 to 70 and one Mega Ball number from 1 to 25. The ways to win Mega Millions prizes are:
- Match the Mega Ball only – $2 prize
- Match one number and the Mega Ball – $2 prize
- Match two numbers and the Mega Ball – $10 prize
- Match three numbers – $10 prize
- Match three numbers and the Mega Ball – $200 prize
- Match four numbers – $500 prize
- Match four numbers and the Mega Ball – $10,000 prize
- Match all five numbers – $1 million prize
- Match all five numbers and the Mega Ball – Jackpot prize
Like Powerball, the Mega Millions jackpot starts at $40 million and keeps growing until someone wins. Drawings are held every Tuesday and Friday at 11:00 pm EST. Players can choose cash or annuity for the jackpot prize.
Megaplier
For an extra $1 per Mega Millions play, New York players can add the Megaplier feature which multiplied non-jackpot prizes. The Megaplier number drawn before each drawing is either 2x, 3x, 4x, or 5x. If a player wins a prize on a Megaplier play, their prize gets multiplied by that Megaplier number, increasing the payout.
New York Lotto
New York Lotto is the state’s exclusive in-state jackpot game. To play, choose six numbers between 1 and 59. Here are the New York Lotto prize levels:
- Match 3 numbers – Free $2 Quick Draw ticket
- Match 4 numbers – $15 prize
- Match 5 numbers – $601 prize
- Match 6 numbers – Jackpot prize starting at $2 million
Drawings are held every Wednesday and Saturday at 8:15 pm. As with Powerball and Mega Millions, players can choose cash or annuity for the jackpot. Lower tier prizes are paid as a lump sum cash amount.
Take 5 and Numbers
For Take 5, players pick five numbers between 1 and 39 with drawings daily at 11:21 pm. Match all five numbers to win the top prize, which starts at $50,000 and increases by $2,000 each day until won. Other Take 5 prizes are:
- Match 4 numbers – $200 prize
- Match 3 numbers – $20 prize
- Match 2 numbers – $3 prize
- Match 0 or 1 number – $1 prize
Numbers is a similar daily game where players choose three numbers between 0 and 9. Drawings are at 7:59 pm. The ways to win include:
- Match 3 numbers – Top prize starting at $4,500
- Match 2 numbers – $60 prize
- Match 1 number – $6 prize
- Match 0 numbers – $3 prize
Top prizes for Numbers and Take 5 are paid as annuities over 26 years. Smaller prizes are cash payouts.
Scratch-Off Games
Instant scratch-off tickets offer on-the-spot prizes of up to $6 million. Scratch the play area on the ticket to reveal symbols or numbers. Match the symbols or numbers to the legends on the ticket to see if you’ve won a prize. Scratch-off games range from $1 to $25 per ticket. Some things to know:
- Prizes less than $600 can be claimed at any New York Lottery retailer.
- Prizes up to $5,000 can be claimed at Customer Service Centers.
- Jackpot prizes over $5,000 must be claimed at a Lottery Claims Center.
- Unclaimed scratch-off prizes expire one year after the game ends.
How Lottery Winnings Are Taxed in New York
Lottery prizes in New York are subject to both federal and state taxes. Here’s how it works:
Federal Lottery Taxes
- Prizes up to $5,000 – 24% federal tax withholding
- Prizes $5,001 to $9,999 – 24% withholding on amount over $5,000
- Prizes over $10,000 – 37% withholding if over $5,000 and 30% on any amount over $150,000
Winnings also count as income so federal taxes may be owed beyond the withholding at filing time.
New York State Lottery Taxes
- Prizes up to $5,000 – 8.82% NY state tax withholding
- Prizes over $5,000 – 8.82% tax on entire prize amount
New York has one of the highest state tax rates on lottery winnings. Out-of-state residents are exempt from NY tax withholding. Like federal tax, state taxes may be owed beyond the withholding at tax time.
Unclaimed New York Lottery Prizes
For Powerball, Mega Millions, and New York Lotto, players have one year from the date of the drawing to claim their prize. Unclaimed prizes from those games are kept by the state where the ticket was purchased.
For scratch-off games, prizes expire one year from the official end of the game. Unclaimed scratch-off jackpots in New York go to the state Lottery Education Fund which benefits public schools.
According to New York Gaming Commission data, over $2.2 billion in lottery prizes went unclaimed between 2002 and 2021. The unclaimed funds make up a significant portion of the money the New York Lottery contributes to education each year.
Odds of Winning
The odds of winning a New York Lottery prize depend on the type of game played. Scratch-off games often have odds printed on the back of the ticket. Some approximate odds are:
- Scratch-off top prize: 1 in 100,000 to 1 in 2,500,000
- Take 5 top prize: 1 in 375,000
- Numbers top prize: 1 in 166,666
- New York Lotto jackpot: 1 in 45,000,000
- Mega Millions jackpot: 1 in 302,575,350
- Powerball jackpot: 1 in 292,201,338
Playing multiple tickets can improve a player’s chances. But the outsized odds of hitting the biggest lottery jackpots mean matching all the right numbers comes down partly to chance and luck.
Finding Winning Numbers
New York Lottery results are easy to find online or through mobile apps. Current jackpots and recent winning numbers for Powerball, Mega Millions, New York Lotto, Take 5, Numbers, and other games can be viewed at nylottery.ny.gov. Players can also sign up for emails and texts with drawing results.
Commercial websites like Lottery USA publish New York Lottery results soon after drawings alongside results for other state games. News sites in New York frequently report local jackpot winners and post lottery results.
Many lottery apps like Jackpocket let players view results, buy tickets, join lottery pools, and manage lottery clubs. Downloading an app provides a quick way to check numbers from anywhere.
How to Claim Prizes in New York
Claiming a New York Lottery prize involves a few simple steps:
- Sign the winning ticket – Sign your name on the back of the ticket to establish ownership.
- Determine the claim location – Smaller prizes can be claimed at retailers and regional centers. Jackpots must be claimed at one of the Lottery’s Customer Service Centers.
- Bring identification – Bring a valid government-issued photo ID and your Social Security card or tax documents with your SSN.
- Complete claim form – Fill out a claim form with contact details and tax information.
- Present ticket – Give the signed winning ticket toLottery staff to confirm the win.
- Decide payment method – Choose cash or annuity payment on applicable games.
- Submit paperwork – Sign ticket and claim form, W-2G tax form, and any other required documents.
- Receive payment – Prizes up to $600 are usually paid in cash immediately. Larger amounts are paid by check mailed in about 3 weeks.
Following the steps carefully ensures New York Lottery winners get to enjoy their prizes without delays.
New York Lottery Controversy
The New York Lottery has faced some controversies over its decades of operation, including:
- Low-income spending – Studies show those with lower incomes spend a greater share on lottery tickets, leading critics to argue the lottery preys on the poor.
- Education funding – Some argue Lottery funding decreases other state education dollars rather than increasing total funding.
- Retailer fraud – Employees at some NY retailers were found defrauding customers by falsely saying tickets weren’t winners and keeping prizes.
- Jackpot errors – Computer glitches have caused incorrect Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots to be announced on a few occasions.
While the Lottery provides entertainment for millions, its practices and impact remain controversial among some policymakers and analysts.
New York Lottery History
Key dates in New York Lottery history:
- 1966 – New York voters approve a lottery constitutional amendment after several failed attempts.
- 1967 – First New York Lottery tickets go on sale, with a 50 cent price and weekly drawings.
- 1971 – New York becomes a founding member of the Multi-State Lottery Association, launching nation’s first multi-state game.
- 1978 – State joins new 7-state Lotto America game, predecessor to Powerball.
- 1985 – Lotto is introduced as New York’s exclusive in-state jackpot game.
- 2002 – Video lottery terminals debut at licensed locations across the state.
- 2010 – Powerball adds Double Play drawing for second-chance winners.
- 2013 – Mega Millions replaces Lotto America as NY’s shared national jackpot game.
Today the New York Lottery offers nine multi-state games, eight draw games just for New York, and dozens of scratch-off varieties to give players plenty of opportunities to win.
Conclusions
The New York Lottery has numerous games that provide different ways for players to win, from $1 scratch-off prizes up to multimillion dollar jackpots. Understanding the prize payout structure of each game can help players pick the best options. Taxes take a significant cut of winnings in New York, so players should be aware of the implications. Controversy exists around aspects of the Lottery’s practices and impact on the state budget. But with a wide range of lottery games to choose from, New York residents can find an option that suits their playing style and preferences.