BATON ROUGE – The Louisiana Lottery Corporation reported more than $9.7 million in winning tickets for its draw-style games during February highlighted by two Lotto jackpot-winning tickets totaling $3,635,110. Also during February, scratch-off players claimed more than $15.6 million in cash prizes.
February’s draw-style game winnings included 92 Lotto match-5 prizes totaling $93,301, helping to bring Lotto’s monthly total winnings to $4,115,494. Pick 3 winning tickets totaled $2,551,200 and Pick 4 winning tickets totaled $1,757,500. Two players won Easy 5 jackpot prizes totaling $156,390, which brought the game’s monthly total winnings to $292,140, with an additional $121,770 won on ezmatch, an instant-win option available for an additional $1.
There were 23 Powerball match-4 prizes totaling $2,300 and 71 Powerball match-3 + PB prizes totaling $7,100. There was also one Mega Millions with Megaplier match-4 + MB prize worth $40,000, one Mega Millions match-4 + MB prize worth $10,000 and 23 Mega Millions match-4 prizes totaling $11,500.
“More than 22,000 Power Play purchasers won an extra $247,397 in addition to their regular Powerball prizes for a total of $347,236 in winnings,” Lottery President Rose Hudson said. “Also, more than 17,000 Megaplier purchasers won a bonus total of $172,582 in addition to their regular Mega Millions prizes for $248,992 in total winnings.” The $1 Power Play option offers Powerball players the chance to increase any nonjackpot winnings. The $1 Megaplier add-on multiplies nonjackpot Mega Millions prizes by a multiplier number selected during the drawing.
In total, draw-style game winnings from drawings held in February were $9,761,761. Lottery draw-style game players have 180 days from the date of the drawing to claim the winnings from those tickets.
“We encourage players to sign the back of their tickets immediately after purchasing and to check them promptly after the drawing. Even if a ticket does not win the jackpot, it could have won another prize,” Hudson added.
In addition to $15,604,031 in scratch-off cash prizes paid during February, players also claimed $2,750,447 worth of free-ticket prizes. According to Lottery policy, scratch-off games are closed when all top prizes are claimed, and scratch-off players have 90 days from the official game closure date to redeem a winning ticket. A list of current scratch-off games, prizes remaining and claim deadlines can be found on its website, www.louisianalottery.com/scratch-offs.
In response to the pandemic, Lottery claims offices are open to the public by appointment only. Player prize payment options currently available can be found on the Lottery’s website at www.louisianalottery.com/claim.
While actual game performance and the amount of prizes claimed will vary from month to month, the Lottery allocated nearly 54.3% of sales to fund prizes in fiscal year 2020. Thirty-five percent of sales was transferred to the state treasury for the Minimum Foundation Program that funds K-12 public education in Louisiana. Retailers were paid 5.6% compensation and 5.1% was used to operate the Lottery.
Hudson reminded ticket purchasers to play responsibly, encouraging anyone who has a gambling problem, or friends and family of anyone with a gambling problem, to call toll-free 1-877-770-7867 for help. Ticket purchasers must be at least 21 years of age.
https://louisianalottery.com/article/1686/lottery-drawings-produce-9-7-million-in-winnings-in-february-while-scratch-off-winners-claim-15-6-million