Ohio Lottery Information (2024)

The Ohio Lottery offers a wide selection of games, including Ohio Classic Lotto with Kicker, Powerball, Mega Millions, Lucky for Life, Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 5 and Rolling Cash 5.

Find out more about what's on offer in the Buckeye State, including a draw schedule, plus information on claiming prizes and the history of the Ohio Lottery.


Mega Millions

Ohio Lottery Information (1)

Next Estimated Jackpot:

$226 Million


Buying Tickets

You can purchase Ohio Lottery tickets from over 9,000 authorized retailers across the state. You can also order tickets online via courier services such as Jackpot.com. Your tickets are then purchased on your behalf, with scanned copies uploaded to your player account. If you're visiting from another part of the USA, you'll need to make sure you claim any winnings before you return home.

Ohio Lottery Drawing Schedule

Check the timetable below to find out the closing times for ticket sales and the next drawing day for your favorite OH games:

GameDraw DaysDraw Times*Ticket Sales Close At*
PowerballMonday, Wednesday & Saturday10:59 PM10:00 PM
Mega MillionsTuesday & Friday11:00 PM10:45 PM
Lucky for LifeDaily10:38 PM9:30 PM
Lotto with KickerMonday, Wednesday & Saturday7:05 PM7:00 PM
Pick 3Daily12:29 PM & 7:29 PM12:25 PM & 7:25 PM
Pick 4Daily12:29 PM & 7:29 PM12:25 PM & 7:25 PM
Pick 5Daily12:29 PM & 7:29 PM12:25 PM & 7:25 PM
Rolling Cash 5Daily7:05 PM7:00 PM
*Times are shown in EST. Ticket sales for the Saturday evening Pick 3, Pick 4 & Pick 5 drawings are open until 7:45 PM.

Game Information

In addition to Powerball and Mega Millions, residents of Ohio and surrounding states can play a number of fun home-grown games:

Classic Lotto & Kicker

Classic Lotto is a draw game that offers big jackpots every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday evening at 7:05 PM. The top prize starts at $1 million and can roll over by at least $100,000 per drawing until a player matches all six numbers drawn. Tickets cost just $1 and players select six numbers from 1 to 49 or use an Auto Pick to create a random entry. Jackpot winners can opt for 30 annual payments or a lump-sum amount.

Kicker is played alongside Classic Lotto for an additional cost of just $1 and gives players the chance to win up to $100,000. A six-digit number is generated on the night of the draw and players must match it in exact order to win the top prize.

Pick 3

Ohio Pick 3 is drawn twice daily. Sunday to Friday the draws are held at 12:29pm and 7:29pm EST, the Saturday midday draw is also held at 12:29pm but the Saturday evening draw occurs slightly later around 7:30 to 8pm EST in order to be broadcast during the Cash Explosion television show.

Pick 4

Ohio Pick 4 is also played two times daily, with the Midday and Evening draws held alongside the Pick 3 drawings. Players can choose from Straight or Box wagers, with entries costing as little as $0.50.

Pick 5

Ohio Pick 5 has the same draw times as the other Pick games, with Midday and Evening draws held seven days a week. The game offers the chance to win up to $50,000 on a $1 bet.

Rolling Cash 5

Rolling Cash 5 is a fun and easy game that offers a starting jackpot of $100,000. Like many other Match 5 games in the United States, players play $1 and select five numbers from 1 to 39. Drawings are held daily around 7:05 PM.

Other Games

Other Ohio Lottery games include a choice of EZPlay options and Keno. If you want to play right away without waiting for a drawing to take place, why not try the instant games sold at authorized retail locations? These scratchcards cost anywhere from $1 to $30 per ticket and offer an amazing variety of fun cash prizes.

Claiming Prizes

All Ohio Lottery prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the date of the relevant draw, the date of game closure for instant games, or date of purchase for EZPLAY prizes.

If you win a prize on Powerball, Mega Millions, Classic Lotto or Rolling Cash 5, your winnings can be redeemed after 6:00 AM the day after the drawing.

Winners can claim prizes under $5,000 by mail - see below for details.

Prizes worth $599 or less can also be claimed from any authorized retailer.

Prizes worth between $600 and $5,000 may be claimed using a Pay to Bearer certificate, which can be obtained from any authorized retailer. You can then use a claim form to have your winnings paid to you.

Prizes worth more than $5,000 must be claimed at one of the following regional lottery centers:

  • Brooklyn Heights (Cleveland)
  • Toledo
  • Dayton
  • Cincinnati
  • Columbus
  • Athens
  • North Canton
  • Youngstown
  • Lorain

Federal withholding taxes of 25 percent apply to larger prizes, with the state of Ohio adding their own tax of four percent to larger winnings.

Claim a prize by mail

Prizes below $5,000 may be redeemed via mail. Sign and print your name on the back of the ticket and send to the address below.

If you won over $600, you'll need to send the following:

  1. Completed original ticket
  2. Completed claim form
  3. Copy of photo ID, e.g. driver's license, verifying your current address

Send to:

The Ohio Lottery
The Lausche Building - Room 452
615 West Superior Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44113

History of the Ohio Lottery

Voters approved a constitutional amendment in May 1973 establishing the current Ohio Lottery, with ticket sales for the first game, called Buckeye 300, starting in August 1974. In 1983, profits from ticket sales began to be transferred to education. Ohio Lotto started that same year.

The Ohio Lottery joined Mega Millions in 2002 and Powerball in April 2010. More than $32 billion has been allocated to educational initiatives in the state since the Ohio Lottery began, providing valuable funds for K-12 and special education as well as vocational programs.

Rules

You must be at least 18 years old to play Ohio Lottery games.

Ohio Lottery Information (2024)

FAQs

Do you pay taxes on $1000 lottery winnings in Ohio? ›

Yes, gambling winnings are taxable on both the federal level and in the state of Ohio whether they are cash winnings or some other payment in kind. In Ohio it is treated as “Other Income” on Form 1040, Schedule 1 . Winnings are taxed at the same rates as regular income.

Do you have to tell if you win the lottery in Ohio? ›

Read about important legal considerations if you have been fortunate enough to win the lottery. If you are fortunate to win a significant lottery jackpot in Ohio it is your legal right to remain anonymous.

How do I know if my name was called on Cash Explosion? ›

Announced contestants will be contacted by a Cash Explosion® Team Member via phone, email or USPS, usually within a week of the announcement date. It is important to make sure your My Lotto Rewards account information is accurate and up to date.

How much does Ohio take from lottery winnings? ›

Of course, there are also state lottery taxes. There are several states that don't tax lottery winnings, but Ohio isn't one of them. Ohio takes another 3.99%, or roughly $30 million off the lump sum payout.

Do seniors pay taxes on lottery winnings in Ohio? ›

The state individual income tax applies to every individual, trust and estate residing in Ohio, earning or receiving income in Ohio, or other wise having nexus with Ohio. The tax also applies to winners of Ohio lottery prizes.

Do lottery winnings affect social security? ›

Do lottery winnings count as earned income for Social Security purposes? Lottery winnings are not considered earned income, no matter how much work it was purchasing your tickets. Therefore, they do not affect your Social Security benefits.

How long does it take to get lottery winnings in Ohio? ›

PICK 3, PICK 4, PICK 5 and KENO prizes may be collected the day of the drawing. CLASSIC LOTTO, MEGA MILLIONS, POWERBALL and ROLLING CASH 5 prizes may be collected after 6 a.m. the day after the drawing.

Does Ohio release lottery winners names? ›

The winner's name has not been released and may never be. Ohio lottery winners have a legal right to remain anonymous.

Who can take your lottery winnings in Ohio? ›

(1) A lottery prize award shall be claimed by the holder of a winning ticket, or by the executor or administrator of the estate or the trustee of a trust, of a deceased holder of a winning ticket, in the manner prescribed in rule 3770:1-8-02 of the Administrative Code.

How does the Ohio Lottery contact you if you win a drawing? ›

Unless you specifically entered a promotion or second-chance drawing sponsored by the Ohio Lottery Commission, you will never be contacted by us informing you that you have won a prize. Be sure you are on the Ohio Lottery's office social channels when talking about the lottery online.

What is the most someone has won on Cash Explosion? ›

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Terri Waddell's Cash Explosion fleece jacket is the only visible indication she won $520,000 on the game show. Waddell may be the only contestant to have that staff item because the Ohio Lottery ran out freebies to give her.

Where is the Ohio Lottery show filmed? ›

Cash Explosion, (or simply C.E. since 2017) known as Cash Explosion: Double Play from 1989 until 2012, is the official Ohio Lottery TV game show, which is broadcast on television stations throughout Ohio. The show originated in Cleveland and is now taped by Mills James Productions in Columbus, Ohio.

How much will I pay in taxes if I win a million dollars? ›

What are the lump sum lottery winnings after taxes? The federal tax on the lottery is determined by the federal marginal rates, which is 37 percent in the highest bracket. In practice, there is a 24 percent federal withholding of the gross prize, plus the remaining tax, based on your filing status.

Do you have to pay taxes on a 1000 dollar lottery ticket in Ohio? ›

Federal tax is not being withheld from the top prize of $1,389 on the $1,000 Tax Free scratch-off. Winners instead receive an additional $333.44 which is for you to pay at the time you file your federal tax return. You will receive a W-2G from the Ohio Lottery next year to file with your federal tax return.

How much does a store get for selling a winning lottery ticket in Ohio? ›

What are my commissions and any additional bonuses? Most new Lottery retailers will see an increase in store merchandise sales once they begin selling Lottery tickets. Lottery retailers will also earn 5.5% on each ticket sale and up to 1.5% on cashing winning tickets, for an average of 6.2%.

Is $1000 gambling winnings taxable? ›

All gambling winnings are taxable including, but not limited to, winnings from: Lotteries. Raffles. Horse races.

How much money can you win gambling without paying taxes in Ohio? ›

Ohio Sports Betting Tax FAQs

Yes, you have to pay taxes on sports betting winnings in Ohio. Although winnings of $5,000 or more will automatically have 24% set aside for federal tax purposes, all combined winnings, minus losses, for the year should be reported as income on federal and state tax forms.

How much prize money can you win before paying taxes? ›

If you win at a sportsbook or casino, they are legally obligated to report your winnings to the IRS and to you if you win up to a certain amount ($600 on sports, $1,200 on slots, and $5,000 on poker).

How much tax do you pay on a $1000 lottery ticket in Mass? ›

For prizes of more than $600, 5% is withheld and sent to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. For prizes $5,000 and greater, 24% of the prize is withhel... Does the Lottery send me a withholding statement (W-2)? The Massachusetts State Lottery will provide a withholding statement (W2G) on all prizes over $600.

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