Florida Lotto is a pick-6-of-53 game, drawn Wednesdays and Saturdays during a live broadcast at 11:00 p.m. ET. Tickets can be purchased until 10:40 p.m. Eastern Time on the night of the draw. Tickets purchased after 10:40 p.m. will be held for next draw.
How to Play Florida Lotto?
The Florida Lottery has a variety of both draw and scratch-off games, but Florida Lotto with XTRA is a top favorite. The XTRA will multiply your prize money in the event your tickets have winning numbers.
Once you have your playslip, choose six numbers from 1 to 53 and then mark the XTRA box found on the left side of the playslip. XTRA will apply to all panels and Advance Play as well as Quick Pick boxes that are marked on the playslip. XTRA costs $1 more per play.
Florida Lotto with XTRA tickets cost $2 each - $1 for the game itself and an additional $1 for the XTRA multiplier.
It is very simple & easy to play Florida Lotto. First you need to buy a lottery ticket from a retailer or Play Online. Then select six different numbers from 1 to 53.
Try selecting both small and bigger numbers. Tens of thousands of players keep entering 1,2,3,4,5,6 in the lottery tickets weekly . Avoid this technique as it won't add a single dollar to your savings, play smart. Florida Lottery players may also choose to have their numbers generated randomly by the computer - called a Quickpick . Having filled your lottery ticket, keep it in a safe place and remember to check your lottery numbers after the lottery draw. Millions of lottery winnings have never been claimed simply because lottery players forget to check their lottery numbers.
Players win by matching three, four, five, or, for the jackpot, all six numbers. The top prize normally starts at $3 million, however, it may be decreased to $2 million, if the state suffered from a hurricane or other natural disaster. All prizes must be claimed within 180 days after the draw.
A single ball machine is used for the lottery draw with balls ranging from 1 to 53. Players win prizes by matching 3 or more numbers with the six numbers drawn. Anyone who matches all six numbers in any order wins or shares the jackpot. When you match 3, 4 or 5 numbers, you win smaller prizes. You may choose to receive your top prize either in 30 annual payments or around a half of it paid immediately in cash. Smaller prizes are paid out in cash straightaway.
Buying Florida Lottery Tickets
Millions of players are enjoying playing the lottery online due to its ease and convenience. If you want to play the Florida Lottery and don't live there, no problem. You can get online and buy the tickets of your choice. The website will send an agent to purchase the tickets you have chosen and they will then be kept in a secure place until the drawing.
If you win a prize, the site will let you know right away.
It couldn't get any easier!
Florida Lotto Payouts and Odds
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Match
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Prize
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Odds
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Jackpot
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1 in 22,957,480
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|
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$5,007
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1 in 81,410
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|
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$71
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1 in 1,416
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$7
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1 in 71
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General odds of getting any lottery prize are 1 in 67.
There are numerous Florida Lotto billboards throughout the state and along the major highways; they are all maintained manually, hence, jackpots are not always up-to-date. As with the rest of lottery games, minimum age to play Florida Lotto is 18.
Florida Lottery History
The largest Florida Lottery jackpot was taken in September, 1990, when six lottery winners shared $106,500,000, each claiming a $17,750,000 lottery winning. The largest lottery winning granted to a single player, however, was awarded to Sheelah Ryan of Winter Springs who won $55,160,000 in September 1988. Read more...
Originally played on Saturday nights only, Florida Lotto started on April 29, 1988, with the first drawing held on the 7th of May, 1988.
Unlike Powerball, a single ball machine was purchased for the lotto draws with balls initially ranging from 1 to 49. Drawings were held every Saturday night at 11:00 P.M. EST.
The biggest and most recent change was introduced in October, 1999, when four more numbers were added to the set to make a total of 53 lottery balls. Another addition was a Wednesday night drawing. To compensate for the second weekly drawing, the minimum jackpot was decreased from $6,000,000 to an annuitized $3,000,000.
Florida Lottery Payouts: Immediate Cash or Annual Payments?
Can't decide how you want your winning? That's fine. With Florida Lottery you have 60 days to decide whether you want the entire winning as an annuity paid out over a 30-year period, or roughly half the amount paid immediately in cash. Appropriate federal income taxes will be withheld from your lottery winning regardless of the payment option chosen.