Quick Draw is a lottery game administered by the New York Lottery. It is a keno-style game where players pick numbers and can win prizes by matching some or all of the numbers drawn. Quick Draw drawings are held every 4 minutes from 6:00 AM to 2:00 AM daily. Players can purchase Quick Draw tickets at over 15,000 licensed retailers across New York as well as on the New York Lottery’s website and mobile app. With frequent drawings and the ability to play anywhere in New York, Quick Draw gives players many chances to win every day.
How to Play Quick Draw
To play Quick Draw, players fill out a play slip by choosing 10 numbers from 1 to 80 or having the lottery terminal randomly select the numbers by Quick Picking. Players can play from 1 to 10 panels on a play slip. Each panel costs $1 to play.
After filling out a play slip, players take it to a Quick Draw sales terminal located at lottery retailers. Players can also ask the clerk for a Quick Picks ticket, where the terminal will randomly generate the numbers. Players get a ticket with their 10 numbers for the next available drawing.
Drawings are held every 4 minutes daily. During each drawing, a host draws 20 winning numbers out of 80 numbered balls. To win a prize, players must match some or all of their numbers to the numbers drawn for that round.
Prizes
Quick Draw has fixed prize amounts for matching different numbers of winning numbers:
| Match | Prize |
| 10 numbers | $100,000 |
| 9 numbers | $5,000 |
| 8 numbers | $500 |
| 7 numbers | $100 |
| 6 numbers | $25 |
| 5 numbers | $10 |
| 4 numbers | $3 |
The top prize for matching all 10 numbers is $100,000. Matching just 4 numbers wins $3.
Players can win on multiple panels on a single ticket. For example, matching 5 numbers on one panel and 7 numbers on another panel on the same ticket means the player wins $10 plus $100.
Prizes up to $600 may be claimed at any New York Lottery retailer. Larger prizes must be claimed at one of the Lottery’s Customer Service Centers.
How Quick Draw Works
Quick Draw uses a ball drawing machine that randomly mixes numbered balls and selects winning numbers for each drawing. The drawing equipment is certified and tested regularly by the New York Lottery’s Draw Observation Committee to ensure fair outcomes.
Drawings are held every 4 minutes from 6:00 AM to 2:00 AM daily, for a total of 360 drawings per day. The drawing schedule is:
| Time | First Drawing | Last Drawing |
| 6:00 AM | 6:00 AM | 1:56 AM |
| 2:00 AM | 2:00 AM | 2:00 AM |
Each drawing randomly selects 20 winning numbers out of 80 possible numbers (balls numbered 1 to 80). The winning numbers are displayed in the terminal after each drawing and broadcast on monitors at lottery retailers.
Players have up to 7 days from the drawing date to claim Quick Draw prizes. Unclaimed prizes are contributed to the Lottery’s prize pools.
Odds and Probability
With 10 numbers picked from 80 numbers overall, the odds of winning each Quick Draw prize are:
| Prize | Odds |
| Match 10 numbers | 1 in 8,911,712 |
| Match 9 numbers | 1 in 144,415 |
| Match 8 numbers | 1 in 3,385 |
| Match 7 numbers | 1 in 200 |
| Match 6 numbers | 1 in 32 |
| Match 5 numbers | 1 in 8.5 |
| Match 4 numbers | 1 in 2.3 |
With odds like these, players can expect to win at least a small prize fairly often. The overall odds of winning any prize are 1 in 8.31.
Some savvy players use statistics to analyze patterns and trends in Quick Draw results to try to improve their chances. However, each drawing is random and independent, so there’s no guaranteed strategy for picking better numbers.
Where the Money Goes
Quick Draw tickets sales contribute to various public benefits in New York via the Lottery. In the 2021 fiscal year, the New York Lottery provided over $3.6 billion in revenue to help support education across the state.
Around 50% of Quick Draw sales go to paying out prizes. Another roughly 10% goes toward retailer commissions and vendor fees. The remaining funds go to education aid, expenses, and profit. By law, the New York Lottery contributes net revenue to education.
The funds support various education initiatives, including public K-12 schools, community colleges, pre-K programs, and more. So when New Yorkers play Quick Draw for fun, they are also helping students get access to better education.
How to Play Smart
Quick Draw’s frequent drawings give players plenty of chances to win every day. Here are some tips for smart play:
– Stick to your budget. Decide ahead how much you can afford to spend on Quick Draw tickets each day or week. Don’t chase losses by spending more than you planned.
– Try Quick Pick. Letting the computer randomly generate your numbers can improve your odds versus picking sentimental numbers.
– Use a balanced number selection. Avoid picking all high or low numbers or numbers in a pattern. Mix it up for a better shot at matching more numbers.
– Play multiple panels. Playing 10 panels buys you 10 chances to win for each drawing. More panels mean more opportunities to get lucky.
– Go big on big prizes. Focus your panels on hitting either 8, 9, or 10 numbers. Though the odds are long, the payoff is more worthwhile.
– Review the stats. Check the statistics pages on the Lottery’s website to see which numbers get picked the most or least often. It may help influence your choices.
– Sign up for subscriptions. Subscribe to have your numbers automatically entered in every drawing. It is easy to set up and can prevent missing drawings.
Are There Any Drawbacks?
Quick Draw is intended as entertainment. However, there are a few risks to be aware of:
– It’s easy to overspend. With a new drawing every 4 minutes, players may feel compelled to play more often than they can afford. Set a budget and stick to it.
– Odds of losing are high. While there are occasional big winners, most drawings result in losing tickets for the majority of players. Never expect to profit long-term.
– It can become compulsive. Players who enjoy Quick Draw should watch for signs of unhealthy gambling habits. Take breaks periodically.
– Results are totally random. There are no number picking strategies that can consistently improve your odds despite claims some sources make.
– Retailers benefit more. Retailers earn a commission on every ticket sold, so they make money from Quick Draw consistently. Players only win occasionally.
– It targets low-income areas. Studies show lottery outlets are more concentrated in poorer neighborhoods. Quick Draw’s accessibility may exploit vulnerable groups.
– Jackpots keep growing. As more people play jackpot games, the Lottery keeps increasing jackpots to unreasonable levels that feed unrealistic hopes.
While Quick Draw is mostly harmless entertainment if played responsibly, players should go in with eyes open about the reality of lottery games. Most players end up helping fund education more than benefiting themselves.
Quick Draw vs. Other Lotteries
How does Quick Draw compare to other lottery games available in New York and nationally?
New York Lotto
– Drawings: 2x a week
– Play style: Pick 6 numbers from 1-59 or Quick Pick
– Odds of winning jackpot: 1 in over 45 million
– Jackpot: Starts at $2 million, grows until won
– Other prizes: Match 3 to 5 numbers for smaller fixed prizes
New York Lotto has much longer odds but offers much larger jackpots. Quick Draw provides more instant gratification and better odds of winning a small prize. Playing Lotto is focused on the life-changing jackpot.
Powerball
– Drawings: 2x a week
– Play style: Pick 5 numbers from 1-69 plus 1 Powerball from 1-26
– Odds of winning jackpot: 1 in 292 million
– Jackpot: Starts at $40 million, rolls over until won
– Other prizes: Match fewer numbers to win smaller prizes
Powerball has astronomical odds but features giant jackpots frequently over $100 million. The two games have very different prize structures given Powerball’s focus on its jackpot.
Mega Millions
– Drawings: 2x a week
– Play style: Pick 5 numbers from 1-70 plus 1 Mega Ball from 1-25
– Odds of winning jackpot: 1 in over 300 million
– Jackpot: Starts at $20 million, increases each drawing until won
– Other prizes: Prizes from $2 million down for matching fewer numbers
Mega Millions is also centered around its enormous jackpots. Like Powerball, players only dream of winning the jackpot while settling for smaller prizes. Quick Draw offers significantly better odds.
History of Quick Draw
Quick Draw has an interesting history as one of the New York Lottery’s longest-running games:
– Introduced in September 1990 as the Lottery’s first Keno-style game
– Drawings initially every 5 minutes; changed to every 4 minutes in 1993
– Generated over $230 million in revenue within its first 5 years
– Has produced 4 jackpot winners since launch
– Game modified in 2013 to pick from 80 numbers instead of 75
– New random number generator machines installed in 2014
– Ticket price increased from 50 cents to $1 in 2016
– Generated record $1.4 billion in sales in 2021 fiscal year
Over 30 years, Quick Draw has become a highly profitable game for the New York Lottery. Its frequent drawings and overall simplicity have made it popular among players seeking regular entertainment and chances to win.
Fun Facts About Quick Draw
Some interesting facts about New York’s Quick Draw game:
– It has produced over 1000 winners of $10,000 or more since its creation.
– The overall odds of winning a prize are better than 1 in 8. Much better odds than huge national lotteries.
– The most frequent Quick Draw numbers picked are: 31, 41, 49, 61, 66, 67, 68, 69, 71, 72.
– November 15, 2021 was the date of Quick Draw’s biggest ever jackpot win of $5.5 million.
– 28 is the Quick Draw number that has been picked the least overall since the game began.
– The record number of winners on a single day was over 5,000 winning tickets on December 25, 1990.
– Quick Draw typically averages over 230,000 winning tickets cashed in per month.
– The game has raised over $35 billion for New York education funding through the years.
– December 31 is the most popular day for people to purchase Quick Draw tickets.
For a game designed to provide amusement, Quick Draw has delivered plenty of entertainment and opportunities to players over the past three decades while generating massive funds for educational programs in New York.
Playing Quick Draw Online
The New York Lottery offers the ability to play Quick Draw online via mobile app or computer:
– Players can sign up for an account on the lottery website or via mobile app
– Must be a New York resident and 18 or older to play
– Can add funds and manage account online to purchase Quick Draw tickets
– Tickets for upcoming drawings can be purchased online up to 7 days in advance
– Winnings are deposited directly into online account; can request transfer to bank account
– Live drawing results can be viewed online right after each round
– Subscription option to have same numbers automatically entered in every draw
Online play makes Quick Draw even more readily accessible to New Yorkers. Players can enjoy the game anywhere as long as they are within the state borders when playing and purchasing tickets.
Conclusion
Quick Draw is one of the New York Lottery’s simplest offerings, but also one of its most popular. The keno-style game gives players an easy and low-cost way to enjoy lottery excitement while providing steady funding for state education. While it is primarily intended as entertainment, responsible players should approach Quick Draw with a budget and educated perspective about lottery games’ overall odds and realities. With prudent play, Quick Draw can be a fun diversion without breaking the bank. For New Yorkers looking for regular chances at winning, Quick Draw delivers ongoing excitement all day long.
