Time for some myth busting in our special series Lottery Myth vs. Fact.

So, the jackpot is $550 million, and you want in! But, so do players in other Mega Millions states. Should you play?

It’s a common misconception that odds are worse when more people play or when jackpots are big, but it’s not true.

The odds of each of our jackpot games are the same for each drawing no matter the size of the jackpot or how many people play.

The odds are based on the game’s matrix, which is determined by the total numbers a player is allowed to select from the total numbers in the game.

Let’s use Classic Lotto as an example. Classic Lotto has a matrix of 6 numbers out of 49 numbers. The odds of selecting the exact six numbers drawn out of all the combinations of 6 numbers out of a field of 49 numbers is 1 in 13,983,816. These odds are the same for the starting jackpot of $1,000,000 as they are when the jackpot reaches $10,000,000.

Your odds also remain the same regardless of how many tickets are sold. Whether 5 people buy tickets or 5 million people buy tickets, your odds of winning never change.
 
 

We’re giving you another way to claim your winnings over $5,000. Now you can fill out your claim completely online and submit it for payment. All you need is a computer or smartphone and a MyLotto Rewards account.
 
Click here to watch our step-by-step video to see how to do your online claims.

Here’s how it works. You will need to log in using your MyLotto Rewards account or create an account to access the claim form.
 
Once you’re logged in, click on claiming then claim forms and scroll to the bottom of the page to enter your winning ticket serial number.
 
The information from your MyLotto Rewards profile including your name, address and phone number will auto-fill the fields of the claim form.  
 
Then attach a copy of your winning ticket, signed file claim receipt and a copy of your drivers license to the claim.
 
Hit submit and you’re done! Our claims office will have your claim for review and payment.
 
The online claim system is not available for Mega Millions, Powerball or Classic Lotto jackpot prizes, annuity prizes or vouchers. For those types of claims, contact a regional office to make an appointment.
 

Welcome back to our Lottery Myth vs Fact series of posts!

Today we’re tackling a common myth among players that winning scratch-offs are only found in the front of a pack of tickets.

The fact is that winning scratch-offs are randomly generated throughout the entire run of tickets printed for a game.

You might find a winner at the beginning of the pack, in the middle, or at the back.

You can look closer by also examining the odds.

Odds for winning any prize in a game are determined by taking the total number of tickets printed for the game divided by the total number of winning tickets.

We’re talking millions of tickets. So, your odds of winning any prize are the same whether you buy a ticket at the beginning of the game, the middle of the game or at the end of the game.

Check out our video explaining the odds here!

It’s hard to believe that we’re already two weeks into August. What better way to ease that surprise than with Winner Wednesday? Keep reading to see this week’s winners!

Lacretia White found some buried treasure this week. She won $500 playing Treasure Hunt! Lacretia purchased her winning ticket at Convenient Food Mart in Euclid. She plans to use her winnings to pay for some car repairs.

Tori Opp and her husband Jayvid are celebrating a very special win this Winner Wednesday. They won $20,000 playing $1,000,000 Black Titanium. The winning ticket was purchased at Al’s Convenience Store in Tiffin. When asked about the big win, Tori said, “Our ticket of choice is actually the $10 Cashword. I’m not sure why we bought the Black Titanium that day, but I’m glad we did! My husband’s grandma recently passed away and we always enjoyed playing Ohio Lottery scratch-offs with her. We definitely think she was with us that day!” They don’t have any plans for the winnings yet, but they are going to save up for a rainy day.

Chels Marie scratched her way to a blowout win. She won $10,000 playing Ohio Cash Blowout! Chels purchased her winning ticket at BP in Fremont. She plans to use her winnings to help her brother with college.

Dawn Knox McCament played a $10 scratch-off and won big. She won $2,500 playing Ohio Millions! Dawn purchased her winning ticket at Town Center Market in Mt. Vernon. She plans to use her winnings to pay some bills and save.

Vicky Scribner is celebrating an extravagant win this week. She won $10,000 playing $100 Million Cash Extravaganza! Vicky purchased her winning ticket Marathon Food Center #237 in Albany.

Brad Alwood has 20,000 reasons to celebrate this week. He won $20,000 playing 40^th Anniversary Millions! Brad purchased his winning ticket at Kroger in Reynoldsburg. He plans to use his prize for some fun with his wife and son.

Congratulations, winners! Keep sending us your wins on social media (after you cashed them of course!) with the hashtag #IWonTheOHLottery!
 

It feels inevitable that at some point you will receive a scam message. Whether it’s a phone call or message on social media, scammers are out there trying to get your information.

We have recently been informed of a new scam on Facebook. A Facebook account using our logo has been reaching out to players letting them know they “won.”

After the initial message, the scammer will typically ask for personal or banking information. In this case, people were asked to call the “claim office” and were given a phone number. Keep in mind that scammers are trying to obtain your personal information, so do not make that call.

If you receive a Facebook message that you are unsure of, check the verification of the account. All of our social media accounts are verified, so look for the blue check mark. You can also find our official accounts here:

• Our official Facebook handle is @OhioLottery
• Our official Twitter handle is @OHLottery
• Our official Instagram handle is @OHLottery

Remember - if you didn’t enter a contest or buy a ticket, you’re not a winner.

Protect your personal information and never share it.

If you ever have a question about an email or call you receive claiming that you have won a large prize, contact our customer service line at 1-800-686-4208. You can find additional Security Awareness tips on our website.
 

Last week our Virtual Treasure hunt took our treasure hunters from one corner of the state to the other in search of fun Ohio destinations. The final treasure hunt led to Cedar Point.

Congratulations to Roberta Barber! She won a $200 gift certificate for Cedar Point and $50 in Treasure Hunt Scratch-Offs! Tiffany Amber, Kim Delaney and Laretha Williams all won $50 in Treasure Hunt Scratch-Offs.

Positioned at 41.4822 N, 82.6835 W, Cedar Point is a coaster enthusasts dream! From record breaking roller coasters to a stroll on the beach, there's fun for everyone. Click here to learn more about Cedar Point. 

Thank you for participating in our Virtual Treasure Hunt! Like our Facebook page and follow us for more fun social promotions.

 

There's just one day left in our Virtual Treasure Hunt! Yesterday, our hunters traded their maps for safari gear. They followed the coordinates straight to The Wilds!

Congratulations to treasure hunter Andrea R. Pannell! She won a $200 gift card for The Wilds and $50 worth of Treasure Hunt Scratch-Offs. Kachira Johnson, Mary Marys Famble, and Bobby Click all won $50 worth of Treasure Hunt Scratch-Offs

The Wilds is a private, non-profit conservation center located on 10,000 acres of reclaimed mine land in rural southeastern Ohio. You can visit the Wilds and see exotic animals, go for a zipline safari or book an overnight stay and enjoy the scenery. Click here to learn more about the Wilds.

Get ready for today's Virtual Treasure Hunt! Visit our Facebook page and watch for the treasure map post, search the coordinates and comment with the location for your chance to win.

 

The Virtual Treasure Hunt continues!

Yesterday's coordinates led our treasure hunters straight to Hocking Hills. 

Located at 39.4237 N, 82.5379 W, you'll find hiking trails, caves, kayaking and other adventures in Hocking Hills. Click here to learn more about everything Hocking Hills has to offer!

Congratulations to Nell Givethanks who won a $200 destination package to Hocking Hills and $50 in Treasure Hunt Scratch-Offs! Connie Krehel, Vicky Howard Black and Barb Burns Virgili Toth all won $50 in Treasure Hunt Scracth-Offs.

Where will the Virtual Treasure Hunt lead you to next? Follow us on Facebook and watch for the next treasure map and comment the location associated with the coordinates listed for your chance to win!

The Virtual Treasure Hunt continues!

Yesterday's coordinates led our treasure hunters to King's Island.  Positioned at 39.3452 N, 84.2691 W, King’s Island is one of Ohio’s awesome amusement parks with roller coasters and fun for everyone!

Congratulations to Chris Walter who won a $200 destination package for King's Island and $50 worth of Treasure Hunt Scratch-Offs. Dan Arnold, Kristen Wengerd and Holly Grover all won $50 worth of Treasure Hunt Scratch-Offs.

From big thrills to little thrills, Kings Island has it all! Click here to learn more about King’s Island and plan your next visit.

Where will the next hunt take you? Like our Facebook page and watch for the next coordinates in our Virtual Treasure Hunt and your chance to win! 

Did you find the treasure that’s positioned at 41.857887 N 80.965938 W?  It's the Lodge at Geneva-on-the-Lake.

Congratulations to our winners! Josh Gardner won a $200 gift certificate to use at the lodge and $50 worth of Treasure Hunt Scratch-Offs.  Daphne Adams Sillett, Amy Renner and Danielle Cover all won $50 worth of Treasure Hunt Scratch-Offs!

Maybe you didn’t win the prize package, but you can still check out what the Lodge at Geneva-on-the-Lake has to offer. Known as Ohio’s Wine Country Resort, you could visit one of the many local wineries or get your adrenaline going at one of the many outdoor activities on Lake Erie. Click here to learn more about Geneva-on-the-Lake.

The virtual treasure hunt continues today on our Facebook page. Don't forget to like our page and watch for the next coordinates and your chance to win!
 

There are some retailers who say they’re the luckiest.  There are players who say their retailer is the luckiest. The truth is, your odds are the same no matter where you play.

There is a correlation between the number of tickets sold and the number of winners. A retailer that has a high volume of sales will naturally have more winning tickets.

Retailers in metropolitan areas may sell more tickets simply because there’s a larger population and more people buying tickets.

For example, if Cuyahoga County sells 15 percent of our tickets for a specific game, they have 15 percent of the winning tickets for that game.  

Check out the map below to see the average scratch-off sales per retailer per week by county.

Bottom line, no matter where you buy, every ticket has an equal chance of winning.