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FAQsFrequently Asked Questions - Powerball
Lotto Cash5 Scratch General/Other About the Lottery MyLottery Second-Chance Drawing
When can I purchase Powerball tickets?
Powerball tickets are available for sale at 4:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday and at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday. Sales are suspended at each evening at 11:59 p.m for system balancing. On Wednesday and Saturday drawing nights sales are suspended at 7:30 p.m. and resume at 4:30 a.m. after system balancing has concluded.
What states, other than Colorado, participate in Powerball? There are 31 participants in Powerball. They are: Arizona, Connecticut, D.C. Lottery, Delaware, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, U.S. Virgin Islands, Vermont, Washington D.C., Wisconsin, and West Virginia. Power Play is a way to pump up your Powerball winnings. For $1 more per board, you can multiply your winnings by 2, 3, 4 or 5 times. At the time the Powerball numbers are drawn, a wheel containing the numbers 2-5 will be spun to determine which multiplier will be applied that night. If you match at least the Powerball, your winnings will be multiplied by that number. (Power Play will not, however, multiply the jackpot amount.) For example, if you purchase the Power Play option and hit five numbers, but not the Powerball, and the Power Play number is 5, you would win $1 million instead of $200,000. Imagine that…$1 million without hitting the jackpot! Ask the clerk for Power Play when you buy your next Powerball ticket.
Are subscriptions available for Powerball? No. Subscriptions are not available for Powerball, Lotto or Cash 5. However, advanced play tickets can be purchased at Lottery retailers for upcoming consecutive drawings for each of these products.
Do I have to match the numbers in the exact order drawn?
No. The tickets print the numbers in numerical order. You can match the numbers drawn in any order.
Can I buy Advance Play tickets for Powerball at my favorite Lottery retail locations? Advance Play is now available at Lottery retail locations throughout Colorado. You can purchase up to 26 advance plays for Powerball.
What is the percentage of people who choose quick picks versus those who pick their own numbers?
In Colorado, about 80% of purchases are computer picks.
How can I find winning Powerball numbers?
1. Current winning numbers and access to past winning numbers can be found on the home page of the site (http://www.coloradolottery.com).
At what prize amount do Powerball jackpot begin? The Powerball jackpot starts at $15 million, and increases from there according to sales if no one matches all 6 numbers.
When did Colorado join Powerball? The Colorado Lottery began ticket sales for Powerball on August 2, 2001, with the first drawing taking place on August 4, 2001. Powerball tickets can be purchased at all Colorado Lottery Lotto and Cash 5 retailers. The tickets are printed through the same terminals.
What does the cash value equal for Powerball? The Powerball jackpot is the estimated value of the annuity, which is paid over 30 years. Winners also have the option of choosing the cash value, which for Powerball is approximately 50 percent of the annuitized value.
What is the Match 5 Bonus Prize and how does it work?
When the Powerball jackpot reaches the largest previous Powerball jackpot amount, the amount of the jackpot prize will increase by no more than $25 million per draw. Any jackpot prize money collected in excess of the increased jackpot amount will be placed into a Bonus Prize pool and will accumulate until there is a jackpot winner. At that time, the money in the Bonus Prize pool will be divided equally among all winners of the Match 5 prize. If there are no Match 5 winners, the Bonus Prize will be divided equally among all winners of the Match 4 + Powerball ($10,000) prize. The Bonus Prize will be paid in one lump cash sum.
How can I find winning Lotto numbers?
1. Current winning numbers and access to past winning numbers can be found on the home page of the site (http://www.coloradolottery.com).
Lotto tickets are available for purchase at 4:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday. and at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday and are suspended at 11:59 p.m. for system balancing. On Wednesday and Saturday drawing nights, sales are suspended at 7:30 p.m. Tickets may be purchased on Wednesday and Saturday drawing nights after the game balances and drawing has been certified until 11:59 p.m.
Can I buy Colorado Lottery tickets by phone, mail, or on the Internet
The Colorado Lottery currently does not offer an online or mail-in subscription service to our Jackpot games: Powerball, Lotto and Cash 5. We do, however, offer the option to purchase Advance Play through our retailers. Simply complete a play slip for the boards you'd like to play (numbers you'd like to play per draw), and then check the Advance Play box on the edge of the play slip. The retailer will ask you how many draws (game drawings) you'd like to play, and charge you accordingly. You can also request Advance Play with your Quick Picks. Just tell teh clerk how many drawings you'd like to buy. You can play up to 26 draws for Powerball and Lotto, and up to 78 draws for Cash 5 (13 weeks). The Colorado Lottery recently conducted a market test to determine the viability of an online subscription program. We are reviewing the information gathered to determine whether or not this is a program we should pursue.
Are subscriptions available for Lotto?
The Colorado Lottery currently does not offer an online or mail-in subscription service to our Jackpot games: Powerball, Lotto and Cash 5. We do, however, offer the option to purchase Advance Play through our retailers. Simply complete a play slip for the boards you'd like to play (numbers you'd like to play per draw), and then check the Advance Play box on the edge of the play slip. The retailer will ask you how many draws (game drawings) you'd like to play, and charge you accordingly. You can also select Advance Play for your Quick Picks. Just tell the clerk how many drawings you'd like to purchase. You can play up to 26 draws for Powerball and Lotto, and up to 78 draws for Cash 5 (13 weeks). The Colorado Lottery recently conducted a market test to determine the viability of an online subscription program. We are reviewing the information gathered to determine whether or not this is a program we should pursue.
Can I buy Advance Play tickets for Lotto at my favorite Lottery retail locations? Advance Play is now available at Lottery retail locations throughout Colorado. You can purchase up to 26 advance plays for Lotto.
Lotto winning numbers are picked by a stand-alone computer (a computer that is not connected to any network) that is locked in a secure room in a building located some distance away from the Lottery offices. The numbers are drawn using a random number generator based on quantum vision technology. Quantum vision technology basically means the computers use decaying radiation as part of the random generation process instead of a computer chip. For each Lotto drawing, two “test” drawings are held to ensure everything is in working order. After the two test drawings, the real drawing is held and the numbers entered into the Lottery’s system, which runs the numbers selected by the computer against all of the tickets purchased to determine if there is a winner. In order to ensure the integrity of each drawing, an independent certified public accountant (auditor), citizen witness and a member of the Lottery’s security team are present for the entire process. In addition, an independent company, Gaming Laboratories (GLI), performs audits and test drawings to ensure everything is working properly and the games are fair. You are welcome to witness a drawing to see how it is done. If you would like to set up a time to witness a drawing, or would like more detailed information about random number generation or quantum vision technology, please contact Kristen Shew at 303-759-6846.
Where do I find Lotto Prize Payouts?
Click here for Lotto payout information.
At what prize amount do Lotto jackpots begin? The Lotto jackpot usually starts at about $1 million annuity value and increases after each drawing that no ticket matches all 6 numbers drawn.
Why doesn't the Lottery pay out more for smaller prizes in Lotto drawings? Research shows players want a growing Lotto jackpot, therefore Lotto jackpots increase according to ticket sales. All Lotto games are traditionally driven by jackpot size and not the size of the smaller prizes. It is for this reason that we offer Cash5 which has more mid-range prizes.
How can I find winning Cash 5 numbers?
1. Current winning numbers and access to past winning numbers can be found on the home page of the site (http://www.coloradolottery.com).
When can I buy Cash 5 tickets?
Cash 5 tickets can be purchased at 4:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday and are suspended at 7:30 p.m. Sales resume until 11:59 p.m. after system balancing. On Sunday sales begin at 8:00 a.m. and are suspended at 11:59 p.m.
Are subscriptions available for Cash 5?
The Colorado Lottery currently does not offer an online or mail-in subscription service to our Jackpot games: Powerball, Lotto and Cash 5. We do, however, offer the option to purchase Advance Play through our retailers. Simply complete a play slip for the boards you'd like to play (numbers you'd like to play per draw), and then check the Advance Play box on the edge of the play slip. The retailer will ask you how many draws (game drawings) you'd like to play, and charge you accordingly. You can also select Advance Play for your Quick Picks. Just tell the clerk how many drawings you'd like to purchase. You can play up to 26 draws for Powerball and Lotto, and up to 78 draws for Cash 5 (13 weeks). The Colorado Lottery recently conducted a market test to determine the viability of an online subscription program. We are reviewing the information gathered to determine whether or not this is a program we should pursue.
Can I buy Advance Play tickets for Cash 5 at my favorite Lottery retail locations? Advance Play is now available at Lottery retail locations throughout Colorado. You can purchase up to 78 advance plays for Cash 5.
Cash 5 winning numbers are picked by a stand-alone computer (a computer that is not connected to any network) that is locked in a secure room in a building located some distance away from the Lottery offices. The numbers are drawn using a random number generator based on quantum vision technology. Quantum vision technology basically means the computers use decaying radiation as part of the random generation process instead of a computer chip. For each Cash 5 drawing, two “test” drawings are held to ensure everything is in working order. After the two test drawings, the real drawing is held and the numbers entered into the Lottery’s system, which runs the numbers selected by the computer against all of the tickets purchased to determine if there is a winner. In order to ensure the integrity of each drawing, an independent certified public accountant (auditor), citizen witness and a member of the Lottery’s security team are present for the entire process. In addition, an independent company, Gaming Laboratories (GLI), performs audits and test drawings to ensure everything is working properly and the games are fair. You are welcome to witness a drawing to see how it is done. If you would like to set up a time to witness a drawing, or would like more detailed information about random number generation or quantum vision technology, please contact Kristen Shew at 303-759-6846.
How can I find out how many top prizes remain in a Scratch game? You can find this information on the Colorado Lottery's Web site in the Scratch game top prizes remaining section or you can ask any Colorado Lottery retailer for a Scratch Game Top Prizes Remaining report, which is available on their terminal.
Why isn't new winner information available on your web site?
Information on "Winners" can be found listed under the "Winners" Section.
Where do I find Second Chance Drawing information?
If Scratch game probability is 1 in 4, why don't I win if I buy four tickets? The probability on winning Scratch games vary. If the probability of winning in a game is 1 in 4, this doesn't necessarily mean that if four tickets are purchased, one would be a winner. Probability is based on the total number of tickets available for sale in a game, not on an individual purchase.
How are Scratch tickets distributed?
Our Scratch tickets are produced and distributed in a completely random, double-blind system. First, prizes are scattered randomly throughout the entire run of the ticket. No one at the Lottery, or the printer, knows where the winning tickets are placed - that is generated through a random number generation system. Next, the tickets are shipped to our warehouses for distribution. Tickets are randomly pulled from the entire ticket run and shipped to random retailers. There is no rhyme or reason to the ticket distribution. So, randomly placed prizes are randomly distributed to random retailers. We have no way of knowing where the winning tickets are shipped or where they will show up. The reason it seems as though some locations have more winners is simply a matter of sales - if more tickets are purchased in the Denver Metro Area, it would follow that a commensurate number of winners would be located in the Denver Metro Area - and those retailers who sell a lot of tickets will have a greater likelihood of getting a pack with a winner in it just because they sell that many more tickets and have to replace them with new packs of tickets.
We’re sorry to hear that didn’t have better luck with your ticket purchases. Please keep in mind that odds listed on our tickets apply to the entire universe of tickets, not individual purchases. The odds also include break-even prizes. Your non-winning tickets may be eligible for one of our second-chance drawings, which provides another shot at the top prize. For a listing of games that include second-chance drawings and information on how to enter, follow this link or paste it into your browser: https://www.coloradolottery.com/index.cfm/ID/55/Second-Chance-Drawings/
Can citizens receive sample void Scratch tickets from the Lottery? No. Ticket printing costs prevent the Lottery from making sample or void tickets available to players.
Why aren't winning numbers updated within a specific time period on the web site? Although the Colorado Lottery has the initial winning number information within minutes of each drawing, we do not post the information until it has gone through a verification process. Only then is the information posted.
How can I claim a Lottery prize?
The Lottery offers players a number of ways to claim prizes. You can mail the signed ticket to the Lottery's Pueblo Headquarters with a Lottery claim form, or in person at any one of the Lottery's four claims centers. Winning Powerball and Lotto jackpot prizes must be claimed at either the Lottery's Pueblo headquarters or Denver claims center. Click the link below for information on how to claim and to access the Lottery's claim form.
How long do I have to claim/redeem a winning ticket?
Colorado Lottery tickets (Powerball, Lotto, Cash 5 and all Scratch games) can be redeemed up to 180 days after the drawing date for on-line games or the announced end of game for each Scratch game. Information on game-end dates for Scratch games can be found by clicking on the link below: http://www.coloradolottery.com/index.cfm/ID/56/Drawing-and-End-Dates/
What happens if I lose a winning ticket?
Losing a Lottery ticket is like losing cash. Protect yourself by signing the back of your ticket and filling in your address. Unless signed, anyone who has the ticket can file a claim.The Colorado Lottery is not responsible for lost or stolen tickets. Yes. You do not have to be a citizen of the United States to purchase Colorado Lottery tickets.
We suspect that you tried to cash your ticket during one of our draw breaks. We suspend the selling and cashing of jackpot tickets on the nights of our drawings in order to rebalance our system. For Powerball, tickets cannot be sold or validated on Wednesdays and Saturdays, beginning at For Lotto, tickets cannot be sold or validated Wednesdays and Saturdays, beginning at For Cash 5, tickets cannot be sold or validated Monday through Saturday, beginning at We suggest cashing your ticket outside of these time periods to avoid any problems. If you did have problems cashing a ticket and it wasn’t during a draw break, let us know, and we’ll investigate the problem.
I received an email saying that I won the Lottery. Is this legitimate?
No. It is a common scam. In Colorado, people who have won $599 or more must come to a Lottery office to claim their prize. Here are three things that you should do upon receipt of these kinds of emails: 1 - Do not reply to these emails 2 - Delete them without opening them and 3 - Add the address to your junk mail listing Remember, it's a good rule of thumb to keep your bank account information and your mother's maiden name secure. And you should never send money to these people. For more information on lottery scams, click on the link listed below: http://www.coloradolottery.com/index.cfm/ID/95/Security-Tips/
What happens to the annuitized jackpot when a winner dies? Payments of the remainder of the prize goes to the estate of the deceased winner.
What is the percentage of Federal and State withholding taxes that are deducted from my prize? Current tax withholding for U.S. citizens for prizes over $5,000 is 25% Federal and 4% State, for a total of 29%.
What happens to prizes that go unclaimed? Unclaimed prizes of any amount, whether $1 or more than $1 million, eventually are allocated to the Lottery's proceeds beneficiaries: Conservation Trust Fund, Colorado Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation, Great Outdoors Colorado and School Health and Safety.
Where would I find a listing of the most often picked numbers for Lotto, Powerball or Cash 5?
The Colorado Lottery web site has a Number Frequency section listed under Numbers Fun for Lotto. Here’s the link to that information: http://www.coloradolottery.com/index.cfm/ID/45/Numbers-Frequency/ For Powerball, you should visit the Powerball Web site. Here’s the link for that information: http://www.powerball.com/powerball/pb_frequency.asp At this time, we don’t offer a most often picked numbers database for Cash 5. We’ll post something on our Web site, should it become available.
How are the drawings conducted for Powerball, Lotto, Cash 5?
The winning numbers for our in-state online games are generated from Automated Drawing Machines (ADM), which are a stand alone PCs that do not connect to any other computer system including the Internet. This PC uses a Random Number Generator (RNG) to select the winning numbers. This RNG uses a software program that limits the range of numbers available (1-32 for Cash 5 and 1-42 for Lotto) and also eliminates the possibility of duplicate numbers being drawn in a single drawing (i.e. Cash 5 winning numbers cannot include two “22”s in the set of 5 drawn numbers).
The winning numbers for Powerball are generated using ball drop machines at the MUSL draw site in
Both the ADM and the ball drop machines are inspected by third-parties and certified by auditors prior to use.
Is it possible to purchase Colorado Lottery tickets online or through the mail?
The Colorado Lottery currently does not offer an internet or mail-in subscription service for any of our jackpot games: Powerball, Lotto or Cash 5. We do, however, offer the option to purchase up to 13 weeks in advance with our Advance Play feature, available through our retailers. Simply complete a play slip for the boards you'd like to play (numbers you'd like to play per draw) and then check the Advance Play box on the edge of the play slip. The retailer will ask you how many draws (game drawings) you'd like to play, and charge you accordingly. You can also ask the clerk for Advance Play Quick Picks. Simply tell the clerk how many drawings you would like to play. You can play up to 26 draws for Powerball and Lotto, and up to 78 draws for Cash 5 (13 weeks). The Colorado Lottery recently conducted a market test to determine the viability of a subscription program. We are reviewing the information gathered to determine whether or not this is a program we should pursue.
Can I buy tickets on the Internet?
Colorado Lottery tickets can only legally be purchased at a Colorado Lottery sales terminal within the borders of Any Internet lottery site that purports to sell Powerball tickets, or “shares” of Powerball tickets to purchasers or to run a “service” for you, is operating illegally. They are not authorized by the Multi-State Lottery Association or by any
How can I claim a prize for a Colorado Lottery ticket if I live outside the state?
To claim a prize from out of state, fill out the claim form found by
Can I charge the purchase of Lottery tickets? According to the Colorado statute, tickets must be sold on a cash-only basis. The Lottery has interpreted "cash-only" to include checks, money orders and debit cards. Each individual Lottery retailer may have a different policy regarding accepting checks and debit cards for purchase. It is up to the retailer to determine which method of payment they will accept.
Can minors purchase Lottery tickets and/or claim prizes? Tickets can be purchased as gifts for people under 18-years-old, but not by minors themselves. Anyone under the age of 18 must have received the ticket as a gift to claim the prize.
How are the proceeds from the Colorado Lottery distributed?
Currently, Colorado Lottery proceeds are distributed according to the will of the voters through a 1992 amendment to the state constitution. That amendment provided a formula to phase out Lottery funding of the State Capital Construction Fund and to introduce a new proceeds recipient, the Great Outdoors Colorado Trust Fund (GOCO).
How do I go about recommending a project for Lottery funding?
The place to start is with the public agency that will be receiving the Lottery funds. This will typically be a local parks and recreation service provider, such as your city or town, your county, and/or your park and recreation district. Sometimes it may be Colorado State Parks or the Colorado Division of Wildlife.
How can I contact my local parks and recreation services provider? Local governments are listed in the blue pages of your telephone directory. The Colorado Municipal League, Colorado Counties, Inc. and the Special District Association also provide links to some local agencies' Web sites.
Where can I find out about Lottery job opportunities?
Below is a link to the state Web site, where you can find all job openings, including any available at the Lottery, as well as the application form. If there are job openings at the Lottery, the positions are listed under the Department of Revenue. www.gssa.state.co.us/announce/Job+Announcements.nsf/$about?OpenAbout
How do I unsubscribe from your email alerts?
Log onto MyLottery using your current user ID and password. This can be done from the home page link or by clicking on the MyLottery link in the horizontal navigation at the top of the page. After you log in you can access a link called "Unsubscribe" that can be found in a box on the right side of the page. That will take you to a personalized page that tells you what you are currently receiving and also includes two links. The first allows you to change your email preferences, the other allows you to unsubscribe from all lottery emails. If you want to unsubscribe you should click that link.
I forgot my password, how do I retrieve it?
Go to the MyLottery homepage by following this link: https://www.coloradolottery.com/index.cfm/ID/118/Login/ At the bottom of the Log In box, you’ll see a link titled “Forgot Password.” Just click on that link and provide your email address, and your password will be sent to you.
How do I stop receiving text messages from you?
When you receive your next text message, respond by texting "unsubscribe", that will take your phone off the mailing list. Or log into your MyLotter account and update your profile to remove the option to recieve messages to your phone.
Why am I not getting my email alerts that I signed up to receive?
You should check your spam filters to ensure that emails from the Lottery aren’t being prohibited from reaching you. Then, make sure you add MyLottery [Mylottery@coloradolottery.com] to your "Safe Senders" list and to your address book. We tend to have problems with Comcast and We do send out an email with the numbers drawn after every draw for Powerball, Lotto and Cash 5 - but only to persons who have signed up to receive them. If you stopped receiving them, it is likely because your Internet provider has blocked us. When we are aware of an If you are not getting our email and try to sign up again, you will either succeed in signing up again or you will be told that you are already signed up. If you can sign up again, that means that our system has dropped you from the list because your We do not send out spam. You must sign up to receive our emails. Every email contains a link that allows you to drop off the list.
We offer a variety of second-chance drawings, mostly for our Scratch games. Most of our drawings require Internet registration, while a few can be entered through the mail. Follow this link or paste it into your browser and it will provide you with a list of games that include second chance drawings and how they can be entered: To enter the online drawings, look for the Second Chance Entry Form Access link on the upper right hand corner of the page and click on the bar that says "Log In as Guest." That will take you to our online entry form. Simply fill it out, being sure to indicate (from the drop down menu at the bottom of the page) which game you're entering a ticket for. If you're entering a drawing that requires a mail-in entry, fill out the back of the ticket and send it to the P.O. Box listed on the second chance drawing homepage.
How are second-chance drawings conducted?
The drawings vary depending on if it is for mail-in or Internet entry.
All of our drawings are public events. The only thing we ask is if someone plans to attend they let us know in advance to allow our front desk, or warehouse staff (depending on the drawing type) to be expecting them.
Where is the number on the ticket to enter the second-chance drawing? Please scratch all of the latex off the front of your ticket. We suspect you just haven't uncovered the code yet. The 22-digit code “floats” in the play area between the top of the ticket and the bottom of the ticket, but should be revealed once you have scratched the whole ticket. If you scratch the whole ticket and still don’t find a number, you can bring your ticket to our office, or fax a copy of it to us at 303-759-6847.
How will I be notified if I win a second-chance drawing?
Our drawing manager’s first point of contact with winners is typically by phone. She will also try sending an email if she is unable to reach someone by phone. Finally, she will send a certified letter through the mail to notify an individual whose name has been drawn as a winner. We make every effort to contact the person whose name was drawn and we have 15 working days to make contact before moving on to alternates. Winners, once contacted, have 15 working days to claim a second-chance drawing prize.
In order to be eligible to enter a non-winning scented crossword ticket into our system, the entry box located above the prize key must contain the words “entry, entry, entry.” If you don’t see those words, then your ticket is not eligible for entry, even if it is a non-winning ticket. This rule is explained on the back of our scented crossword tickets as well under the game information for the Coffee Crossword game, located here: http://www.coloradolottery.com/index.cfm/ID/62/FeaturedGameID/146
Where can I find a list of second-chance drawing winners?
The winners of our second-chance drawings can be found by following this link or pasting it into your browser: http://www.coloradolottery.com/index.cfm/ID/61/Past-Winners/
If you’re interested in a recent drawing and don’t the winner posted, that usually means that we’re still in the process of contacting that individual or that individual has not yet claimed his or her prize. We will not post the winner’s name until the prize has been claimed. We appreciate your patience through that process. |
 Director, Jack A. Boehm |
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