How to play New York Lotto | FAQs

Here’s a list of FAQs about the New York Lotto lottery game. If you can’t find the answers here, you can also get in touch with our Customer Experience Team with your questions!


What is the New York Lotto?

The New York Lotto is one of New York’s favorite local lotteries. The New York Lottery donates a large volume of lottery proceeds to aid and support education in the great state of New York. This game was first started in 1978 and is one of the most popular choices for many players in New York!


What is New York Lotto draw time?

The draws take place every Wednesday and Saturday at 8:15 pm.


What is NY Lottery strategy?

You can join New York Lotto in just a few easy steps. Select six numbers between 1-59, and complete as many entries as you wish. In case you don’t have your lucky numbers, you can use the ‘Quick Pick’ button to have the system randomly choose the numbers for you. After all 6 numbers have been drawn, a bonus seventh number is selected. You don't have to pick it, but this number allows you to win a second tier prize.


How do I know if I am a New York Lotto Winner?

You can compare your numbers with the winning combination on our New York Lottery results page, which is updated after every draw. But if you win, you will immediately receive an email notification. If you are unsure whether you’re one of the lucky winners, you may contact a member of our Customer Experience Team who will be more than happy to answer your questions.


What are the NY Lotto payouts and odds of winning?

There are 5 different prize tiers in New York Lotto draws, with specific prizes for each tier. If there is more than one winner for the jackpot, the prize is divided between the winners.
You can find the different New York Lottery prize tiers, the odds of winning and the estimated prize amount for each specific tier in the table below:

MatchPrizeOdds of Winning
6Jackpot1:45,057,474
5 + BonusSecond Prize1:7,509,579
5Third Prize1:144,414.98
4Fourth Prize1:2,179.85
3Fifth Prize1:96.17

For each draw, 40% of sales is allocated as prize money. The Jackpot is 75% of this amount. The second prize is 7.25% of this amount. The third prize is 5.50% of this amount. The fourth prize is 6.25% of this amount. The fifth prize is 6% of this amount.

Overall NY Lottery odds of winning are 1 in 92.05.