History
Prior to the Tri-State compact, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont individually operated online games, including pick-3 and pick-4 games. Maine currently offers a poker-style game that is drawn every few minutes.
Maine (a MUSL member from 1990 to 1992) returned to MUSL in 2004. All three lotteries offer Powerball. The three states also participate in the 46-jurisdiction Mega Millions. Vermont joined on January 31, 2010, Maine joined on May 9, 2010. Maine and New Hampshire also offer MUSL's Hot (similar to Mega Millions or Lucky for Life), which is offered by 14 lotteries. Vermont ended sales of Hot Lotto in May 2014 (Hot Lotto ended on October 28, 2017, while a new version of Lotto*America debuted on November 12, 2017. New Hampshire joined Lotto America in January 2018).
Tri-State games are not directly part of MUSL. The Iowa-based organization assists with multi-jurisdictional games. Powerball is operated by MUSL, while Mega Millions is not. Mega Millions′ draws are held in Georgia, Lucky for Life draws are held in Connecticut, where the game began in 2009 as Lucky4Life, and Powerball draws are in Florida; the first two games use traditional drawing machines and numbered balls, while Lucky for Life uses an RNG, since mid-2021. Lucky for Life became a "quasi-national" game in January 2015; as of September 2017 it was available in 24 states and the District of Columbia.
In 2010 Mega Millions′s moved to a higher starting jackpot, and a potential second prize of $5,000,000 if its Megaplier is activated. Mega Millions basic plays remain at $2.
The Gimme 5, began on May 12, 2013. Gimme 5 draws 5 of 39 numbers; the top prize is $100,000 split among plays matching all five numbers.
Megabucks, whose original version began in 1985, became Megabucks Plus in July 2009, doubling the cost of a ticket to $2. In the late 2010s, Megabucks Plus switched back to the name Megabucks. Megabucks is a double-matrix game like Powerball, Mega Millions and Lucky for Life; players select five numbers out of a field of 1 to 41, and a "Megaball" from a field of 1 to 6.
Tri-State drawings are held in New Hampshire. These drawings use "classic" numbered balls and drawing machines, except for raffles. [2]
New Hampshire and Vermont allow subscription play for Megabucks and Mega Millions; in the case of New Hampshire, it does not have a residency requirement for subscription play.
In the United States, lotteries are run by 48 jurisdictions: 45 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) is an American non-profit, government-benefit association owned and operated by agreement of its 34-member lotteries. MUSL was created to facilitate the operation of multi-jurisdictional lottery games, most notably Powerball.
The Oklahoma Lottery is an American lottery that is operated by that state's government. The Lottery, which began ticket sales on October 12, 2005, is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL).
The Maine Lottery is run by the government of Maine. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL), whose flagship game is Powerball. It was founded in 1974 after being approved through a voter referendum.
The New Hampshire Lottery was established in 1964, making it the third-oldest lottery in the United States, and the oldest in the contiguous United States. New Hampshire's lottery games include Lucky for Life, Mega Millions, Powerball, Tri-State Megabucks Plus, and numerous scratch tickets. All New Hampshire Lottery games require players to be at least 18 years old.
The Idaho Lottery began play on July 19, 1989, and is run by the government of the state of Idaho. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL). Fifty percent of all net funds is given to public schools, while the remainder is pledged to the Permanent Building Fund, which is used as a financial resource for the state's colleges and universities.
The North Dakota Lottery is run by the government of North Dakota. The Lottery began in 2004, following voter approval of an initiative constitutional amendment in 2002, Measure 2, which amended Article XI, Section 25 of the North Dakota Constitution to allow for the state to join a multi-state lottery "for the benefit of the State of North Dakota." In-state games were not allowed; 63 percent of voters supported the measure.
The South Dakota Lottery is run by the government of South Dakota. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL). The Lottery is headquartered in Pierre; it is a self-funded endeavor. The minimum age to buy tickets is 18; however, video lottery players must be at least 21.
The West Virginia Lottery is run by the government of West Virginia. It was established in 1984 via a voter referendum. It is a charter member of the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL). The Lottery offers games such as Lotto America, Powerball, Mega Millions, and scratch tickets. West Virginia has reinterpreted the amendment to its Constitution that permitted its lottery to include casinos, and thus the West Virginia Lottery Commission also regulates slot machines, which are marketed as "video lottery" and available at several hundred businesses; and five "lottery table games" casinos.
The Connecticut Lottery Corporation, also called the CT Lottery, is the official lottery in Connecticut. It was created in 1971 by then-Gov. Thomas Meskill, who signed Public Act No. 865. The first tickets were sold on February 15, 1972. The Connecticut Lottery offers several in-house drawing games; Connecticut also participates in Mega Millions and Powerball; each are played in 44 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The Tennessee Lottery is run by the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation (TELC), which was created on June 11, 2003, by the Tennessee General Assembly. TELC derives its legal authority from the Tennessee Education Lottery Implementation Law, which the General Assembly passed following a November 2002 amendment to the state constitution establishing the lottery and approved by 58 percent of the voters.
The Arizona Lottery is a state agency of Arizona in the southwest United States. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL). Lottery draw games include Mega Millions, Powerball, The Pick, Triple TwistFantasy 5, and Pick 3. A variety of instant scratch tickets, or Scratchers, are also offered.
The Delaware Lottery is run by the government of Delaware. Its creation was authorized by the state legislature on May 31, 1974. Its "traditional" games include Play 3, Play 4, Multi-Win Lotto, Lucky For Life, Lotto America, Mega Millions, and Powerball. Delaware also offers Keno, sports betting, and video lottery.
The Missouri Lottery is the state-run lottery in Missouri. It is a charter member of the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL). As of 2022, the lottery offers Powerball, Mega Millions, Cash4Life, Lotto, Show Me Cash, Pick 4, Pick 3, Cash Pop, Club Keno, scratchers, and pull-tabs. The minimum age to buy a ticket is 18.
The Rhode Island Lottery is run by the government of Rhode Island. The modern form of the Rhode Island Lottery was inaugurated in 1974, following a constitutional amendment passed in 1973. It is a charter member of the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL). Rhode Island Lottery games include Mega Millions, Powerball, Wild Money, keno, and scratch tickets. Rhode Island also offers video lottery, which includes the multi-jurisdictional MegaHits game.
The Illinois State Lottery is an American lottery for the U.S. state of Illinois, operated by Camelot Illinois.
The Wisconsin Lottery is run by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue and was authorized in 1988 by the state legislature. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL). Its games consist of Mega Millions, Powerball, Megabucks, Supercash!, Badger 5, Pick 3, Pick 4, All or Nothing, and scratch games. Since its founding, it has generated $4.6 billion for property tax relief for state residents.
The Colorado Lottery is run by the state government of Colorado. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association(MUSL).
Lotto America is an American multi-state lottery game that began in 2017. It is operated by the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL). It takes its name from the original Lotto America, offered from 1988 to 1992. Lotto America was re-launched by 13 state lotteries on November 12, 2017, as a replacement for the scandal-tarred Hot Lotto game; each of the 13 members of Lotto America offered Hot Lotto when it ended on October 28, 2017.
The Vermont Lottery began fiscal operations as an enterprise fund in October 1977, following a 1976 referendum, and the enactment of Public Act No. 82 by the 1977 General Assembly. It is run by the Vermont Lottery Commission, which is headquartered in Berlin. Along with Maine and New Hampshire, Vermont is a member of the Tri-State Lottery.
