The Louisiana Lottery is a state lottery operated by the Louisiana Lottery Corporation. It was established in 1991 after voters approved an amendment to the state constitution allowing a government-run lottery. The Louisiana Lottery launched its first scratch-off ticket sales on September 6, 1991.
The Louisiana Lottery has a relatively brief but interesting history. It was established after decades of failed attempts to legalize a lottery in the state. Prior to 1991, Louisiana was one of only a handful of states that did not have a lottery. Supporters pushed for a lottery as a way to generate revenue for the state without raising taxes. After years of debate, legislators crafted a lottery bill and put it before voters. The constitutional amendment to allow a state-run lottery passed with over 60% approval in 1990.
The Louisiana Lottery Corporation launched its first scratch-off ticket game less than a year later in 1991. The lottery started with relatively modest offerings but quickly expanded its portfolio of draw and scratch games. It held its first lotto drawing in 1993. Over the years, the Louisiana Lottery introduced popular multi-state games like Powerball and Mega Millions. It also rolled out new instant ticket games, progressive jackpot games, and promotions to keep players engaged.
Today, the Louisiana Lottery offers a wide selection of lottery games with prizes ranging from $1 up to multimillion dollar jackpots. Lottery revenue supports public education, helping to fund scholarships, school supplies, and construction projects. Over its 30-year history, the Louisiana Lottery has awarded over $4.4 billion in prizes to players and generated more than $3.7 billion for K-12 public education in the state.
Games Offered
The Louisiana Lottery offers a variety of games for players to try their luck. The major games include:
Powerball: This is one of the biggest national lottery games in the US. Players pick 5 numbers from 1-69 and 1 Powerball number from 1-26. Drawings are held twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The starting jackpot is $40 million and continues growing until there is a winner. Some of the largest Powerball jackpots have exceeded $1 billion.
Mega Millions: This is the other major national jackpot game, played in multiple states. For Mega Millions, players choose 5 numbers from 1-70 and 1 Mega Ball number from 1-25. Drawings are held Tuesdays and Fridays. The starting jackpot is also $40 million. In October 2018, a ticket in South Carolina won a record $1.537 billion Mega Millions jackpot.
Pick 3: This Louisiana-only game has players pick 3 numbers from 0-9. There are multiple ways to play and win, including straight (exact order), boxed (any order), front pair, or back pair. Drawings are daily. Prizes start at $500 for a $1 straight bet.
Pick 4: Similar to Pick 3, but players choose 4 numbers from 0-9. Also has straight, boxed, front pair, and back pair options. Drawings are daily as well, with a $5,000 top prize for a $1 straight bet.
Easy 5: Players pick 5 numbers from 1-37, with drawings held nightly. Various prize levels based on how many numbers matched.
Lotto: Pick 6 numbers from 1-42 for a chance at a jackpot starting at $500,000. Drawings held Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Where Proceeds Go
The Louisiana Lottery contributes proceeds from ticket sales to the state in several ways. The Lottery is a significant source of revenue for the state, providing over $600 million per year on average to the state treasury and good causes.[1]
By law, Lottery proceeds are allocated as follows:
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35% towards K-12 public education, to be used for textbooks, computers, and other support for schools. This funding goes into the State Lottery Proceeds Fund.
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34% towards college scholarships and grants, through programs like the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS). This funding goes to the Lottery Proceeds Fund.
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15% to the Lottery Revenue Fund to help pay for the costs of operating the Lottery.
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The remaining 16% goes to the state general fund to support a variety of programs and services.
In the 2020 fiscal year, the Louisiana Lottery transferred over $182.5 million to K-12 education and $176.4 million to higher education through TOPS and other programs.[2] Since inception in 1991, the Lottery has brought in over $4.4 billion for K-12 schools and $3.8 billion for higher education in Louisiana.[3] These funds help provide critical resources and financial assistance for students across the state.
The Louisiana Lottery takes pride in generating proceeds that support valuable public programs and services in the state. While bringing fun and entertainment through its games, the Lottery also fulfills an important role as a significant source of education funding in Louisiana.
[1] https://louisianalottery.com/
[2] https://louisianalottery.com/media/press-releases/lottery-transfers-359-million-to-state-treasury-in-fy-20
[3] https://louisianalottery.com/media/press-releases/louisiana-lottery-tops-8-billion-for-education-in-state
Odds and Prizes
The odds of winning any prize in the LA Lottery depend on the type of game played. For the LA Lottery’s biggest game, Powerball, the odds of winning the jackpot prize are 1 in 292 million. The odds of winning any prize in Powerball are 1 in 24.9.
For the LA Lottery’s Mega Millions game, the odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 302 million, while the odds of winning any prize are 1 in 24.
Some of the largest Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots won in Louisiana include:
- $191.1 million Powerball jackpot won in Oct 2015 by a winner in Eunice
- $50.5 million Powerball jackpot won in Feb 2020 by a winner in Lafayette
- $15.5 million Mega Millions jackpot won in March 2019 by a winner in Baton Rouge
The odds are more favorable for winning smaller prizes in the LA Lottery’s daily games like Pick 3 and Pick 4, where the chances can be as high as 1 in 500. These games have top prizes ranging from $2,500 to $5,000.
For scratch-off instant games, the odds of winning prizes printed on the tickets range from 1 in 4.35 to 1 in 3.5, offering players the best odds of winning. Top scratcher prizes in LA have reached as high as $1 million.
While the chances of winning a huge jackpot remain slim, the LA Lottery provides players a variety of games with different prize structures and odds. Historically, the lottery has awarded jackpots as high as $191 million and thousands of smaller prizes each week.
Retailers
Lottery tickets in Louisiana can be purchased from a variety of different retailers. The most common places to buy lottery tickets are:
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Convenience Stores – Small corner stores and gas stations are the most prevalent lottery retailers in the state. You can find lottery ticket machines at most convenience stores, making it easy to quickly purchase tickets. Popular convenience store chains that sell lottery tickets include Circle K, 7-Eleven, RaceTrac, and many more.
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Grocery Stores – Major supermarket chains like Albertsons, Kroger, Rouses, and Winn-Dixie have lottery ticket kiosks inside their stores. Buying lottery tickets while grocery shopping is a convenient option.
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Big Box Stores – Large retailers like Walmart and Target have started selling lottery tickets in recent years. At these stores you can usually find self-service lottery machines near the registers.
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Tobacco & Liquor Stores – Many smoke shops, liquor stores, and tobacco outlets offer lottery ticket sales. These types of specialty retail stores cater to an adult demographic who are likely to also enjoy playing the lottery.
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Independent Retailers – Small independent gas stations, convenience stores, tobacco shops, and liquor stores across the state also participate in lottery ticket sales. These local retailers help expand the lottery’s reach.
In addition to physical ticket sales, the Louisiana Lottery also enables online play through its webs…
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