Virginia Lottery
The Virginia Lottery has been providing excitement and opportunity for residents since its inception. With a wide range of games and significant winnings, the lottery is a popular pastime in the state. Discover the history, popular games, and important details about playing the Virginia Lottery.
Virginia Lottery Games & Results
Virginia Lottery History
The Virginia Lottery was established in 1987 after a successful statewide referendum. The first tickets were sold in 1988, and since then, the lottery has contributed billions of dollars to public education in Virginia. The lottery offers a variety of games including scratchers, daily draws, and multi-state games like Powerball and Mega Millions.
Most Popular Virginia Lottery Games
The Virginia Lottery features several popular games that draw in players from all over the state. The most popular of these include:
Pick 3 & Pick 4
These daily draw games are a staple of the Virginia Lottery. Pick 3 and Pick 4 offer multiple ways to win with various play types, such as straight, box, and combo, allowing players to choose how they want to play and win. The draws are held twice daily, giving players more chances to win. With relatively good odds and the ability to win up to $5,000 in Pick 4, these games are among the most favored by regular lottery players.
Cash 5
Cash 5 is another daily draw game that has captivated Virginia Lottery enthusiasts. With a progressive jackpot that starts at $200,000 and increases until it's won, the game offers enticing prizes for a relatively low cost. Players pick five numbers from 1 to 45, and those who match all five numbers win the jackpot. Additionally, Cash 5 has multiple prize tiers, so even if you don't hit the jackpot, you can still win smaller prizes for matching two, three, or four numbers.
Powerball & Mega Millions
These nationally recognized games are renowned for their enormous jackpots, often reaching hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars. Powerball and Mega Millions draws attract a wide range of players, from occasional participants to avid lottery enthusiasts. The massive jackpots and the frequent occurrence of large wins make these games extremely popular. Players select five numbers from a larger pool plus an additional number (the Powerball or Mega Ball), and matching all the numbers results in winning the jackpot. Even if players don't win the jackpot, these games offer substantial secondary prizes, adding to their appeal.
Virginia Lottery Games With The Best Odds
Pick 3: Players choose three digits, with several ways to play including straight (exact order), box (any order), and combo (all possible combinations). The odds of winning a straight prize in Pick 3 are 1 in 1,000, while box and combo play types offer even better odds.
Pick 4: Similar to Pick 3 but with four digits, Pick 4 offers even more ways to win. The straight play odds are 1 in 10,000, but other play types like box and combo make it easier to win smaller prizes. The potential to win up to $5,000 makes Pick 4 highly attractive.
Cash 5: The overall odds of winning any prize in Cash 5 are 1 in 11.44, making it one of the more accessible jackpot games. To win the jackpot, players must match all five numbers, with odds of 1 in 1,221,759. Despite the large numbers, these odds are considerably better compared to national games like Powerball and Mega Millions.
You can check the odds of winning for other Virginia games in the table below:
| Game | Odds Of Winning Jackpot | Odds Of Winning Any Prize |
|---|---|---|
| Powerball | 1 in 292,201,338 | 1 in 24.87 |
| Mega Millions | 1 in 302,575,350 | 1 in 24 |
| Cash4Life | 1 in 21,846,048 | 1 in 8 |
| Cash 5 | 1 in 1,221,759 | 1 in 11.44 |
Learn About Lottery Games
Before diving headlong into purchasing Virginia Lottery tickets online, it is essential to understand how lottery games work and what your odds of winning are.
Understanding lottery odds, jackpots, and rules helps you make informed decisions before making your picks. Thankfully, a wealth of information is available on Jackpot.com, covering various lottery games in Virginia and other states. Familiarizing yourself with the basics of lottery systems and how they function can go a long way in helping you develop an effective playing strategy.
Resources For Responsible Gambling
It's important to play responsibly and within your means. If you or someone you know needs support or guidance, there are various responsible gambling resources available to help you stay in control and enjoy the game safely.
Can you claim the lottery winning anonymously in Virginia?
In Virginia, lottery winners cannot remain completely anonymous. However, winners of prizes $10 million or greater can request that their identity be kept confidential. This law aims to protect the privacy and safety of major prize winners while maintaining transparency.
When can you buy lottery tickets in Virginia?
In Virginia, lottery tickets can be purchased most times throughout the day. That being said, most games require that a ticket be purchased at least 15 minutes before the given game’s drawing - for Mega Millions that is 10:45 pm EST, for example.