Pa Lottery
It was created by the Pennsylvania Legislature on August 26, 1971 and that October, Henry Kaplan was appointed as its first Executive Director. The Lottery premiered on March 7, 1972.
Lottery proceeds
By state law, at least 40 percent of lottery proceeds is required to be paid as prizes and at least 30 percent is required to fund programs.
Currently, the Pennsylvania Lottery exceeds these requirements, for 55.1% is paid as prizes, 34.5% is paid to programs, 8.0% is paid as retailer and vendor commissions, and 2.4% is consumed as operating expenses.
For the 2003-2004 fiscal year, approximately $2.37 billion in gross revenue was acquired through proceeds and interest. Approximately $1.306 billion was paid as prizes, $817.8 million was paid to programs, $189.6 million was paid as retailer and vendor commissions, and $56.9 million was paid to advertising and operations.
The gross revenue for fiscal year 2003-2004 represents an increase of approximately 40.6% in sales over the past five years (since fiscal year 1998-1999).
The Pennsylvania Lottery is the only lottery in the United States that exclusively targets all of its proceeds to programs for older residents. Since the beginning of the Lottery in 1972, more than $14.6 billion has been contributed to programs.
Such programs include:
Property tax and rent rebates
Shared/Free Ride Program
PACE (Pharmaceutical Assistance for the Elderly)
PACENET (Enhanced Tier PACE)
52 Area Agencies on Aging
650 Senior Community Centers
Hot Meals Program
Home-delivered meals
The Pennsylvania Lottery website contains more detailed information about its lottery proceeds and associated programs. Current online games
The Pennsylvania Lottery currently has several online (lottery terminal) games in operation.
Daily Number
The Daily Number is a three-digit game, drawn twice a day (at 1:10 p.m.
ET, the midday Daily number results can be seen at the Lottery's website after 1:35 PM ET and the nighttime Daily Number drawing takes place during the live televised drawings at 6:58:50 p.m. Additionally, tickets can be purchased up to seven days (one week) in advance.
The Daily Number can be played in five basic ways:
Big 4
Big 4 is a four-digit game, drawn twice a day (at 1:10 p.m.
ET, the midday big 4 numbers can be seen at the Lottery's website after 1:35 PM ET and the nighttime big 4 drawing takes place during the live televised drawings at 6:58:50 p.m. Additionally, tickets can be purchased up to seven days (one week) in advance.
Big 4 can be played in two basic ways:
Cash 5
The Cash 5 is a game which consists of five numbers, from 1 to 43 (previously 1 to 39).
It is drawn once a day during the live televised nighttime drawings at 6:58:50 p.m. The starting jackpot for each drawing is $125,000 (Previously starting at $100,000), unless there was no jackpot winner for the previous drawing, in which case, the jackpot increases.
The Cash 5 jackpot is paid in cash (never in annuity).
The Cash 5 has four available prize amounts:
NOTE: As of February 1, 2008, Pennsylvania Cash 5 had its matrix changed to pick-5-of-43. The starting jackpot has been increased to $125,000.
MATCH 6
The MATCH 6 is a game which consists of six numbers, from 1 to 49.
It is drawn once a day during the live televised nighttime lottery drawings at 6:58:50 p.m. Therefore, not only can a player win by matching three through six of the six numbers drawn (called the "base play"), but a player can win additional prizes by matching three through six numbers on each of the two additional lines, or combine the numbers on all three lines, as well (called the "combined play").
The approximate overall probability of winning is 1 in 6.27.
Mix & Match
Mix & Match is game that involves selecting five numbers from 1 to 19, as well as the order that they will be drawn. The jackpot starts at $50,000 (lump sum), and is won by matching all 5 numbers in the order they are drawn.
The jackpot has a minimum value of $10,000 to a single winner, although sales often bring the top prize to single winner higher than that. It is the only Pennsylvania Lottery game that uses a computer to draw winning numbers, instead of numbered balls.
Overall odds of winning are 1 in 5.45.
Odds are rounded.
Powerball
Powerball is a multi-state game operated by the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL). Pennsylvania joined the then-10-year-old game in 2002; its first participating drawing was on June 29.
The addition of Florida will usher in a new double matrix.
Quinto
Quinto is Pennsylvania's newest numbers game; it began August 26, 2008. It is played in a similar fashion as Daily Number and Big 4, and drawn twice daily (at 1:10 p.m.
ET with the other evening games during the live televised nighttime drawings), seven days a week. Odds and payouts for Quinto:
The payout percentage is 50.04% (slightly higher on "box" wagers).
Additional information regarding Quinto is available at licensed Pennsylvania Lottery retailers and at this link.
Other Online Games
Millionaire Raffle
The Millionaire Raffle is the only online game shown on the nightly broadcast that uses a computerized random number generator.
As of this writing, there have been 6 Millionaire raffles, each run as one-time special events.
The first Millionaire raffle was held on December 31, 2005. This resulted in a total payout of $5 million USD.
A second Millionaire Raffle was held on July 4, 2006.
It had a total of 7,777 winners: 5 winners of $1 million, 5 winners of $100,000, 200 winners of $1,000, and 7,567 winners of $100.
The 5th edition of the Millionaire Raffle drawing was held on December 29, 2007 during the live 6:59 PM ET nighttime TV drawings show. In all, there was a total of 6,000 winning tickets sharing $5,089,200 in prize money.
Some of these games include (in order of introduction):
(Wild Card) Lotto
Lotto was the third game offered by the Pennsylvania Lottery, and replaced the traditional "passive draw" games. The first version ran from April 16, 1982 until February of 1988. The game was played by selecting 6 numbers from a field of 40.
The remaining prize categories were decreased as a result.
On September 11, 1998, the final Wild Card Lotto jackpot took place after 16 years. The game, along with Keystone JackPot, was replaced with Super 6 Lotto.
Super 7
Super 7 was a jackpot game similar to keno, introduced on August 14, 1986.
The game was originally played by selecting seven numbers from a field of 80, with each selection costing $1.
If all of the seven numbers on a player’s ticket matched any seven of the 11 drawn, they would win a jackpot that would be paid over a course of several years.
The original odds were as follows:
On April 10, 1991, the game’s format was changed. Players still selected 7 numbers on their ticket.
The prize structure from 4/10/91 to game’s end are as follows:
On July 10, 1993, drawings were moved from Wednesday night to Saturday night.
On October 28, 1995, the lottery held the final Super 7 draw, to be replaced by Keystone JackPot.
Hearts & Diamonds
Hearts & Diamonds began on October 5, 1994.
The game involved selecting 5 playing cards from a field of 26 (containing each card from the Heart and Diamond suits, hence the name).
Players could not make their own selections; instead all plays were done by quick-pick. The game was also the first game in PA to be drawn by computer as opposed to mechanical ball machines, which would later be employed to draw the midday numbers.
The prize structure went as followed:
Sales ended for Hearts & Diamonds on March 10, 1996.
Keystone JackPot
Keystone JackPot went on sale on October 29, 1995, replacing Super 7.
If a player matched the first six numbers and the Key Ball, they would win a jackpot that was paid over 26 annual payments. Tickets cost $1 each.
The prize structure went a follows:
Keystone JackPot underwent no changes during the games history, and the final drawing was held September 5, 1998, being replaced by Super 6 Lotto.
Super 6 Lotto
Super 6 Lotto began on September 6, 1998, replacing two games, Wild Card Lotto and Keystone JackPot.
Players selected 6 numbers from a field of 69, each selection costing $1, and for each selection, players received two additional quick picks, for a total of 3 plays for a dollar.
If a player matched all six numbers, they would win a jackpot that would paid in 26 annual payments or, if selected at the time of purchase, a single lump sum. Super 6 was replaced by MATCH 6 lotto, which is still on sale.
Lucky For Life
Lucky for Life first went on sale on September 30, 2004, and the first drawings were held October 2 of that same year.
Lucky For Life was played by picking 6 numbers from a field of 38, and each selection cost $2.
Players could win by matching 3 or more numbers on their ticket to those drawn, or they could win at the time of purchase by way of the game’s instant win feature, or a combination thereof. Claiming a higher prize, however, requires a standard claim form to be filed with a lottery retailer.
Tickets sales showed a heavy bias towards tickets purchased containing all combinations of 4s and 6s.
The lottery was fixed by Perry and Fred Luman, who managed to switch the normal ping pong balls with ones weighted with latex paint for all numbers except 4 and 6. Later viewing of the drawing tapes by the FBI conclusively showed that only the numbers 4 and 6 were light enough to enter the tube to be drawn.
Perry, in conjunction with Peter Margos, Jack Margos, Jerry Hammer and 5 other men were either convicted or entered plea-bargains for their involvement.
The 2000 film Lucky Numbers, starring John Travolta and Lisa Kudrow, was loosely based on Perry’s story.