Wisconsin offers a variety of lottery games for residents and visitors to play. The Wisconsin Lottery was created in 1988 to provide property tax relief for Wisconsin residents. Since then, the Wisconsin Lottery has grown to offer a wide selection of lottery games, including instant scratch games, lotto games, and multi-state games.
Instant Scratch Games
The Wisconsin Lottery offers over 100 different scratch-off instant games throughout the year. New instant games are constantly introduced, while older games are retired as they sell out. Scratch games offer top prizes ranging from $1,000 up to $5 million. Some of the current instant scratch games available from the Wisconsin Lottery include:
- $1,000,000 Cash Blowout
- $2,000,000 Taxes Paid
- Diamond Dazzler
- Money Munch Mania
- Winter Bucks
Scratch tickets can be purchased for prices ranging from $1 up to $30 per ticket. Higher priced tickets generally have larger top prizes. Tickets can be purchased at Wisconsin Lottery retailers throughout the state.
Lotto Games
The Wisconsin Lottery offers a variety of lotto style draw games with jackpot prizes. Tickets can be purchased for the next drawing at Lottery retailers. Wisconsin’s lotto games include:
- Megabucks – Megabucks has twice weekly drawings on Wednesday and Saturday evenings. Tickets cost $1 per play. The starting jackpot is $1 million, increasing by a minimum of $50,000 each drawing until there is a winner. Megabucks has produced jackpots over $30 million.
- SuperCash! – SuperCash! drawings are held every Thursday. Tickets are $1 per play. The starting jackpot is $100,000 and increases by $25,000 each drawing until there is a winner. SuperCash! also has a chance to win $5,000 for matching 2 numbers plus the SuperCash! ball.
- Badger 5 – Badger 5 drawings take place daily. Tickets cost $1 per play. The jackpot starts at $10,000 and increases by a minimum of $1,000 until there is a winner. Badger 5 also has prizes from $3 up to $5,000 for matching 2, 3, or 4 numbers.
- Powerball – Powerball is a multi-state jackpot game with drawings on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday evenings. Tickets are $2 per play. The starting Powerball jackpot is $40 million and continues increasing until there is a winner. Powerball jackpots frequently climb into the hundreds of millions of dollars.
- Mega Millions – Mega Millions is played in multiple states with drawings held Tuesday and Friday nights. Players choose 5 numbers from 1 to 70 plus a Mega Ball from 1 to 25. Tickets cost $2 per play. The starting Mega Millions jackpot is $40 million, rolling over until there’s a winner. Mega Millions jackpots often reach astronomical levels, sometimes over $1 billion.
Wisconsin’s All or Nothing Game
Wisconsin’s All or Nothing is a daily lottery drawing game introduced in 2014. Players can win the $50,000 top prize by matching all 12 numbers drawn or $5,000 for matching 11 numbers. Tickets are $5 per play. Twice daily All or Nothing drawings take place at 1:25 PM and 10:25 PM.
Multi-State Lottery Games
In addition to Powerball and Mega Millions, Wisconsin participates in these multi-state lottery games:
- Lucky for Life – Lucky for Life has drawings twice weekly on Monday and Thursday nights. Players choose 5 numbers from 1 to 48 and a “Lucky Ball” from 1 to 18. Top prizes are $1,000 per day for life or a lump sum cash option.
- Lotto America – Lotto America drawings are held Wednesday and Saturday nights. Tickets cost $1 per play. The starting jackpot is $2 million and increases until there’s a winner. Lotto America has produced jackpots over $20 million.
Wisconsin Lottery Retailers
Lottery tickets can be purchased at over 3,000 retailers throughout Wisconsin. You can find Lottery retailers in grocery stores, gas stations, convenience stores, restaurants, and many other locations. Use the Wisconsin Lottery retailer finder to locate retailers selling lottery tickets near you.
Playing the Lottery Responsibly
The Wisconsin Lottery wants customers to play responsibly. Lottery games are solely intended for recreational entertainment. The Lottery recommends setting a budget and sticking to it. Only use discretionary income, not rent or grocery money, when playing lottery games. If gambling becomes a problem, call the Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-GAMBLE-5.
Wisconsin Lottery Benefits
The Wisconsin Lottery was created to generate funds for property tax relief for state residents. Since 1988, the Wisconsin Lottery has contributed over $9 billion to fund programs that benefit education, state parks, veterans services, and more.
Some key facts about the Wisconsin Lottery:
- Over $1 billion in lottery ticket sales annually
- More than $800 million in prizes paid to players each year
- Around 50% of lottery revenue goes towards prizes
- Lottery sales provide over $200 million in property tax relief per year
Playing the lottery in Wisconsin helps fund important state programs while also giving you a chance to win big jackpots and prizes. It’s entertainment that also benefits the community.
Odds of Winning Wisconsin Lottery Prizes
Like any other lottery, the odds of winning a big jackpot in the Wisconsin Lottery are quite long. However, smaller prizes have more reasonable odds. Here are the overall odds of winning lottery prizes in Wisconsin:
| Lottery Game | Prize | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Powerball | Jackpot | 1 in 292,201,338 |
| Mega Millions | Jackpot | 1 in 302,575,350 |
| Megabucks | Jackpot | 1 in 6,991,908 |
| Badger 5 | Jackpot | 1 in 169,911 |
| SuperCash! | Jackpot | 1 in 1,626,312 |
| All or Nothing | Top Prize | 1 in 575,757 |
| Scratch Game | $100 Prize | Varies by game |
As you can see, your odds of hitting a huge multi-state or Megabucks jackpot are extremely long. However, smaller prizes in Wisconsin’s state lottery games have more reasonable odds. Scratch ticket odds also vary based on the price point and design of the game.
Unclaimed Wisconsin Lottery Prizes
Every year, some lottery prizes in Wisconsin go unclaimed because players lose or forget to check their tickets. Unclaimed jackpots, including Megabucks and Powerball prizes, are kept by the Wisconsin Lottery to fund future prizes and operations. However, unclaimed scratch ticket prizes can eventually revert to the state budget after a period of time.
For scratch tickets, players have 180 days from the game’s end sale date to claim prizes. Unclaimed scratch ticket prizes remaining after this period are turned over to Wisconsin’s General Fund. In Fiscal Year 2022, over $3.7 million in unclaimed scratch ticket prizes were transferred to the state’s General Fund.
Wisconsin Lottery Jackpot Winners
The Wisconsin Lottery has created many big jackpot winners over the years. Here are some of the notable large lottery prizes won in Wisconsin:
- In June 2022, a Plymouth resident won a $316.3 million Powerball jackpot. It was the 2nd largest lottery prize ever won in Wisconsin.
- A Milwaukee man won a $768.4 million Powerball prize in March 2019, the largest lottery jackpot ever won in Wisconsin.
- In August 2006, an Iowa couple claimed a $208 million Powerball prize from a ticket purchased at a Hudson, WI gas station.
- A $22.2 million Megabucks jackpot was awarded to a Eagle River man in September 2005.
- In June 1999, a $141.4 million Powerball ticket was sold in Muskego, at the time the largest Wisconsin lottery win.
These winners all chose the cash option when claiming their prizes. After state and federal tax withholding, they took home millions in lump sum payments. The standard 25% federal tax withholding and state tax rates reduce the final cash payment on large jackpot prizes.
Buying Lottery Tickets Online
The Wisconsin Lottery does not currently offer online sales of lottery tickets or subscription services. All lottery tickets must be purchased in-person at licensed Lottery retailers. Some neighboring states do allow online ticket sales and lottery subscriptions. There has been debate on allowing online lottery ticket sales in Wisconsin, but no laws have been passed to authorize this.
Winner Privacy in Wisconsin
Wisconsin lottery winners can choose to remain anonymous. Wisconsin law allows lottery jackpot winners to request that their name and likeness not be released publicly. Many recent big jackpot winners in Wisconsin have chosen to keep their identities private.
To maintain anonymity, a trust instead of an individual must claim the prize. The Wisconsin Lottery will promote the winning location but not identify the winner if they wish to remain anonymous.
Gambling Disorders
For most, playing the lottery is harmless entertainment. But some individuals have trouble controlling their gambling habits, even when it leads to financial ruin. Compulsive gambling is a disorder that affects the brain similar to drug or alcohol addiction. Symptoms include mood swings, lying about gambling activities, debt accumulation, and loss of control.
Get help for problem gambling issues by calling the Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling Help Line at 1-800-GAMBLE-5. Speaking with a counselor and developing healthy coping methods is important. Treatment options include therapy, medication, 12-step programs, self-exclusion from gambling venues, and more. Overcoming a gambling disorder is challenging but very possible with the right help.
Wisconsin Lottery Scandals
On rare occasions, fraud scandals have occurred involving lottery insiders. In 1987, just before the Wisconsin Lottery launched, three numeric sealed balls were found to be light weighted while testing lottery equipment. Additional security procedures were implemented to prevent tampering.
In another incident, a 1992 investigation found that seven store clerks had been scanning packs of scratch tickets to identify winning tickets. While extremely difficult, the plastic security coating could sometimes be peered through. The lottery added additional security features to prevent this issue.
A clerk at a Milwaukee liquor store was caught attempting to cheat lottery customers in 2002. He would secretly scan scratch ticket packs, replacing winning tickets with losing ones to sell from the altered packs. The scheme was uncovered when regular players began complaining of improbable losing streaks.
The Future of the Wisconsin Lottery
The Wisconsin Lottery will likely continue adapting to new technologies and distribution methods preferred by consumers. Possible changes that could occur in the future include:
- Introducing mobile apps to check tickets via scanning
- Online and mobile sales of lottery tickets
- Self-service lottery vending machines
- Expanded use of digital playslips and touch screen terminals
- Interactive games combining lottery, social gaming, and entertainment
Despite changing times, the Wisconsin Lottery’s mission will continue to be providing entertaining games and generating funds to support good causes that benefit all Wisconsin residents.
Conclusion
The Wisconsin Lottery offers fun and excitement to players while also benefiting important state programs and services. Available lottery games include scratch tickets, state lotto drawings, and huge multi-state jackpot games. Some Wisconsin residents have won massive Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots over the years. Responsible play is encouraged when trying your luck. Remember to play just for entertainment, not as a way to make money or recoup losses. With prudent play, the Wisconsin Lottery provides engaging games and helps lottery proceeds contribute to the greater public good.
