When you think of treasure hunts, you probably think pirates, sandy beaches and a treasure chest, right?

Not for this treasure hunt! We’ve taken the fun of our $5 Treasure Hunt scratch-off virtual by hosting a treasure hunt on our Facebook page, no shovels required.

Starting August 3, look for our Facebook posts with the coordinates of a fun Ohio destination. All you have to do is search the coordinates to find the destination, then share the destination name in the comments of the Facebook post.

Every day we’ll draw one winner who will receive $50 in Treasure Hunt scratch-offs and a destination package for the featured coordinates. Three winners will receive $50 in Treasure Hunt Scratch offs.

This promotion runs August 3 through August 7 with daily posts. Like the Ohio Lottery on Facebook and watch for the treasure hunt post each day.

Good luck!
 

Classic Lotto came through for one very lucky player who won the $3.5 million jackpot in last night’s drawing. The winning ticket was sold at Get Go, located at 1711 Corporate Woods Circle in Uniontown.

The lucky ticket holder chose their own numbers to win. This is the third Classic Lotto jackpot winner this year. 

On May 6 a $13.1 million Classic Lotto jackpot was sold at Kroger Company in Centerville. The ticket was claimed by The 18.96 Passive Trust, Jonathan C. Dehmlow, trustee. The second Classic Lotto jackpot was hit May 30 for $1.9 million and was sold at Meijer Inc in Hamilton. The ticket was claimed by John Senger of Hamilton.

The winner has not yet come forward to claim. Odds of winning the jackpot prize are 1 in 13.98 million.
 

Even though we won't physically be at the fair, we've teamed up with the Ohio State Fair for a game of BINGO!

All you have to do is follow the Ohio State Fair on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter and watch for the downloadable BINGO board starting July 29 through August 9, 2020. 

You could win great prizes from the Ohio Lottery and the Ohio State Fair, inlcuding tickets to the 2021 Ohio State Fair, Ohio Lottery Scratch-Offs and Ohio Lottery merchandise.

Click here and select Contests Giveaways and Rules to learn more about the promotion and the fair's online experience!

 

Wednesday is here, and that means winner celebrations! Keep reading to see who’s winning in Ohio this Winner Wednesday.

Shelly Simpson has 15,000 reasons to smile this Winner Wednesday. She won $15,000 playing Decade of Dollars. Shelly purchased her winning ticket at Circle K on Rt. 45 in Salem. She plans on using her prize to put in a new roof.

Mike Stalk is shining like a diamond after his recent win. He won $500 playing $300 Million Diamond Dazzler. Mike purchased his winning ticket at Speedway on Bellefontaine Ave. in Marion.

Jennifer Ludwig has 500 reasons to celebrate this week. She won $500 playing Grand Diamond Dollars. Jennifer purchased her winning ticket at Shell on Tiffin Ave. in Findlay. She celebrated her win with the girls who sold her the winning ticket and gave them all a tip.

Zach Freshwater raced his way to a big win. He won $50,000 playing Fastest Road to $1 Million. Zach purchased his winning ticket at Kroger Market Place in Centerville. He plans to pay off some debt and save his winnings.

Matt Kiser has a lot to celebrate this Winner Wednesday. He won $1,000 playing Cash Celebration. Matt purchased his winning ticket at Sunoco Gas Station in Piqua. He plans on using his winnings to purchase a new kayak and saving what’s leftover.

Anthony Washock scratched his way to a big win. He won $1,000 playing 40^th Anniversary Millions. Anthony purchased his winning ticket at Painesville Food Mart, located at 1860 N. Ridge Rd. in Painesville. He plans on saving his prize for a rainy day.

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

Whether you’re searching for money bags on a treasure hunt or looking for some Mega Millions in the hot summer sun, we’ve got you covered with our newest Ohio Lottery Scratch-Offs out July 21.

Start with Money Bags. This $1 scratch-off has a top prize of $1,000.

The newest $2 scratch-off is Ohio Lottery Mega Millions. You might win the top prize of $2 million! Or reveal a MEGA symbol and win two Mega Millions auto pick tickets with Megaplier. That's a $6 value. If you win, scratch the Megaplier box for a chance to multiply your total prize won!

Match the summer heat with our $2 scratch-off Some Like it Hot! If any one of your numbers match either of the winning numbers, you win the prize shown below your matching numbers. Reveal a flame symbol and win all ten prizes shown!

The $5 Scratch-Off Treasure Hunt has a top prize of $150,000! First, scratch all of your coordinates to reveal 12 grid locations. Then scratch the corresponding grid locations on the Treasure Hunt grid. Reveal three identical symbols and win the prize shown in the prize legend for that symbol! 

Ohio Millions is a $10 scratch-off with a $1,000,000 top prize. If any one or more of your numbers match any of the winning numbers, you win the prize shown below your matching numbers. Multiply your prize when you reveal a 10X, 25X or 50X symbol!

Want more choices? Click here to see all of the Ohio Lottery Scratch-Offs available now.
 

If there's one thing you can count on, it's that you'll encounter a scam at some point. Sometimes it's a phone call. Sometimes it's a social media message. Sometimes it's an email.

Most recently, players have alerted us about an email they received stating they won $1.5 million in the Powerball Lottery.

The email then asks the recipient to reply with their full name, address and phone number to make their claim.

These kind of email scams are common, and they're a first step for a criminal trying to get your personal information, so don't fall for it!

We have also been made aware of an Instagram account posing as the Ohio Lottery. The account sent private messages to players saying that they "are one of the lucky selected fans!" 

The account will proceed to ask for bank account information. These messages are scams. The scammer is looking to obtain your bank account information. Protect your private information and don't respond to these messages. 

Always remember that if you didn't enter a contest or buy a ticket, you're not a winner.

Also, never share your personal information, including banking information.

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.




 



 

If you’re a fan of our Ohio Lottery draw games, you’ve seen the nightly Ohio Lottery drawings with the bouncing numbered balls.

But not all players are convinced that the numbers are random. Some believe the drawings are rigged.

We’re going to bust that myth with some drawing facts.

The numbers are drawn randomly using ball drawing devices that are tested and certified by the Auditor of State and independent third parties.

Before the drawings take place, the machines are tested for randomness. Even the balls used for the drawing are selected randomly from several sets.

Click here to watch a video about the drawing process and let our draw staff walk you through the process from top to bottom.

All Ohio Lottery drawings are open to the public. You can make an appointment to visit the drawing and watch the process for yourself by calling our security office.
 

It’s hard to believe, but the Ohio Lottery is coming up on its 46th anniversary! Back on August 13, 1974, our first ticket went on sale. Buckeye 300 cost 50 cents to play and had a top prize of $300,000! 

The first Buckeye 300 drawing  was held on August 22, 1974. The drawings were held on a portable stage in a different city each week. This game had a top prize of $300,000, and secondary prizes of $60,000, $30,000, and $15,000 respectively. Buckeye 300 also gave players who won $20 on the ticket an opportunity to enter a drawing for a $1-million top prize. 

Players could win by matching 5 sets of 3-digit numbers to the numbers drawn. Three of the numbers on the ticket were in blue boxes, and two were in green boxes.  

Since Buckeye 300, we have expanded our game catalog. Ohio Lottery offers a variety of scratch-off games and draw games, as well as Mega Millions and Powerball. Learn more about our games here.  

We want Ohio Lottery players to have fun while sticking to limits when it comes to gambling, which is why responsible gambling initiatives are so important to us. Back in March, we launched a new awareness campaign and website called Keep It Fun, Ohio.  

The goal of Keep It Fun, Ohio is to teach Ohioans ways to keep gambling within limits and how to spot a gambling problem. Some tips found on the website include: 

• Set limits on how much time and money you will spend gambling 

• Spend only what you can afford to lose 

• Gamble for fun, not to solve financial problems or avoid depression 

The website is also home to the Keep It Fun Costulator, which calculates how much you’re spending on gambling. Visitors to this website will also find a direct line to help those struggling with a gambling addiction. 

Anyone who gambles can develop a problem. If you have a gambling problem or suspect a loved one has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-589-9966 or visit www.gamblinghelpohio.org. 

Ohioans are winning every day with the Ohio Lottery! Lottery players across the state win an average of almost $6 million* a day.  

Ohio Lottery players racked up more than $2 billion* in prizes last year. From scratch-offs to draw games, there are significant winnings to be had all over the state! 

Scratch-offs pay out more than $3 million* every day. KENO pays out more than $5 million* every week.  

Isn’t it time you got in on the action? 

Click here to learn more about all of our game options.  

*Rounded averages from FY20 

There are almost 10,000 retailers statewide offering Ohio Lottery games, and those retailers get more money put directly in their pockets, thanks to bonuses and commissions.  

Selling Ohio Lottery games helps bring more customers through retailers’ doors. Last year, retailers were paid $233 million* in bonuses and commissions.  

Many Ohio Lottery retailers are small, locally owned and operated businesses, so customers who make Ohio Lottery purchases are contributing directly to local communities.  

Click here to find a retailer near you.  

*Rounded averages from FY 20 

 

Each month, the Ohio Lottery contributes 100% of profits generated from the sale of Ohio Lottery games to the Lottery Profits Education Fund.

For almost 46 years, the Ohio Lottery has supported education by offering Ohioans entertaining gaming experiences, with a goal of maximizing profits for use in public schools, K-12. 

Primary and secondary education is funded by state, local and federal sources. A team player in that effort, the Ohio Lottery contributes about 10% of annual school funding.

Over these many years, Ohioans who enjoy our games have allowed us to contribute more than $26 billion to the Lottery Profits Education Fund.  

We also champion teachers and students through the Ohio Lottery’s Partners in Education Program, allowing all those with a stake in our schools to acknowledge students and teachers in their community. They do the hard work.

There are many working parts to make education work.  Raising funds is our charge, and we salute the community-wide effort to support students and teachers throughout Ohio.
 

It’s time to celebrate! In collaboration with lotteries across North America, the Ohio Lottery is celebrating the second annual Lottery Week beginning July 13.

Lottery Week recognizes lotteries across the United States and Canada for their collective contributions to the communities they serve and the positive impacts they make.

On average, about 95% of funds generated from traditional U.S. lottery games goes directly back into the economy through prizes, public beneficiaries and retailer commissions. 

In fiscal year 2019, U.S. lotteries generated $25.1 billion for their respective good causes and transferred about $5 billion to their approximately 216,000 retailer partners.

We're excited to highlight those numbers and share with you some in-depth information about the impact the Ohio Lottery is making in the Buckeye State for retailers, players and Ohio schools.

We'll celebrate July 13 through July 17, and you get to participate to win prizes to celebrate with us!

Each day we'll post daily trivia questions on our Facebook and Instagram channels that highlight the numbers we’re proud of like our contribution to education, prizes paid out to players and the commissions earned by retailers.

All you have to do is post the answer in the comments of the post. We’ll conduct a drawing of all those who participate in the trivia posts on Instagram and Facebook to win a book of $2 Powerplay Cashword Scratch-Offs each day.

Be sure to like our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram so you can join in the fun! Watch for the first Lottery Week post on July 13!

Wondering how Lottery Week began? It evolved from an idea implemented with great success by the Massachusetts Lottery in 2018. Declaring July 17, 2018 as the official National Lottery Day, Massachusetts offered consumers and retailers a special day of lottery promotions and celebrated the provision of billions of dollars in local aid provided since the state’s Lottery was created in 1972.
 

Time for some myth busting in our special series Lottery Myths versus Lottery Facts. We're debunking some of the most commonly shared myths about lottery games.

Today we're talking scratch-off odds and the myth that the odds stated on tickets are wrong.
 
We hear this a lot from players on social media. It usually goes like this. “Hey Ohio Lottery! I bought three tickets and the odds say they’re 1:3, so why didn’t I win? The odds are bogus!”

Let’s talk about why they’re not.

Odds are calculated by taking the total number of tickets divided by the number of winning tickets.

Take the popular $500,000 Cashword ticket for example. Four million tickets were printed and there are 1,083,564 winning tickets, making the odds one in 3.69. But that doesn’t mean every third ticket is a winner.
 
Click here to watch the video about scratch-off odds to learn more!

Thank you very much, good luck,” says PK Patel to one of his customers. It’s been a busy morning for PK, owner of Willo Food Mart in Willoughby. He serves a loyal base of Lottery customers who especially enjoy the Numbers games – Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 5, and scratch -offs. 

On a recent day, one of his regulars called out to PK from the Lottery play area.  “Call the ambulance,” he said.  

PK, understandably concerned, left his spot behind the counter and came right over.  Luckily, it wasn’t a health problem.  The customer showed him his $30 scratch-off, Extreme Million. He had just won the game’s $1-million prize.  

“He was so happy. I was shouting,” said PK.

PK has worked hard to improve sales and the customer experience at his store.  He knows he is fortunate and has had a little luck of his own.  In addition to the $1-million winner he sold in June, he sold two tickets winning the $50,000 Pick 5 prize in March and had a $20,000 Million Dollar Cash Bonanza winner this past January.

He says that the Lottery is good for his business.  “It’s really important because most (players) are regular customers and they buy other store products.”