Tri-State Lottery

Tri-State Lottery refers to games offered specifically by the Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont lotteries. It was the first multi-jurisdictional lottery, with its initial drawing (of the-then Megabucks) on September 14, 1985. The compact includes four games: Megabucks Plus (drawn Wednesdays and Saturdays); Pick 3 and Pick 4 (both have "day" and "night" drawings daily, including Sundays) and Fast Play (terminal-generated "instant" tickets).

Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont offer individual instant (scratch) games, although the lotteries are working on a joint instant game, which would be similar to Midwest Millions, a MUSL-sponsored instant game in Iowa and Kansas. (The Fast Play games often are not simultaneously available in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.)

Prior to the Tri-State compact, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont individually operated online games, including pick-3 and pick-4 games. The most recent online games offered by any of the three lotteries, but outside the compact, were Lotto Vermont and New Hampshire Cash Lotto in the 1990s.

With Maine (a Multi-State Lottery Association member from 1990-1992) returning to MUSL in 2004, all three lotteries offer Powerball. Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont also participate in the 44-jurisdiction Mega Millions, which New Hampshire and Vermont joined on January 31, 2010, as part of both major games' cross-sell expansion. (Maine joined Mega Millions on May 9, 2010.) Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont also offer MUSL's Hot Lotto (played similar to Mega Millions or Powerball), which is offered in 15 jurisdictions. These three games, just as in Megabucks Plus, have a progressive jackpot; winners can choose between annuity payments or a cash option. (Tri-State games are not directly part of MUSL, although the Iowa-based organization assists with multi-jurisdictional games. Hot Lotto and Powerball are operated by MUSL, while Mega Millions is not. Hot Lotto is drawn in Iowa, while Mega Millions′ draws are held in Georgia, and Powerball draws are in Florida.)

A game, to be known as Gimme5, is expected to begin on May 12, 2013, the day of the Hot Lotto format change (see below.) Gimme5 will draw 5 of 39 numbers; the top prize, under normal conditions, will be $100,000.

Megabucks, whose original version began in 1985, became Megabucks Plus in July 2009, doubling the cost of a ticket, to $2. Megabucks Plus draws five numbers from one field, and a sixth number from the second, as in Hot Lotto, Mega Millions, and Powerball. (In the spring of 2013, Megabucks Plus is expected to be changed to a multi-line pick-5 game; like with Hot Lotto below, the game is expected to drop its annuity, as plans are to make its top prize $100,000 cash.)

The Hot Lotto game (available in 15 jurisdictions, including Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont) will be changed on May 12, 2013; it will feature a revised double matrix (which will add 8 "white balls" to the current 39, but leave the number of "Hot Balls" at 19), and utilize a "taxes-paid" format (the advertised jackpot amount will be after withholdings, rather than the traditional American practice of "before withholdings.")

Tri-State drawings are held in New Hampshire. These drawings use "classic" numbered balls and drawing machines, except for raffles.

New Hampshire and Vermont allow subscription play for Megabucks Plus (as well as for Hot Lotto and Mega Millions); in the case of New Hampshire, it does not have a residency requirement for subscription play.

Famous quotes containing the word lottery:

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    Benjamin Harrison (1833–1901)