| WHEN, WHERE, AND HOW TO PLAY THE LOTTERY |
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| Q: When are winning numbers drawn?* |
| A: It depends on the game. Not a day goes by when
thousands of people aren't winning the Lottery. After all, there are Lottery drawings
seven days a week. So how do you know when to watch the drawing for the game you've
played? Here's the weekly schedule of Lottery Drawings:
MULTI-MATCH: Drawings every Wednesday and Saturday night.
(Final Lotto drawing was held February 1, 2006)
PICK 3, PICK 4: Midday
and Evening Drawings Monday through Sunday.
BONUS MATCH 5: Evening Drawings seven nights a week.
MEGA MILLIONS: Drawings every Tuesday and Friday nights.
SCRATCH-OFF GAMES: Play and win anytime of day every day! Many Lottery Retailers
are open 24 hours.
Winning Midday numbers are selected live on WBAL-TV
11 weekdays (Monday through Friday) at 12:27 p.m and broadcast on
Maryland Public Television (MPT) Sunday through Friday at 12:34 p.m.
Sunday MIDDAY drawings are selected live on WBAL-TV 11 at 12:28 p.m. Saturday MIDDAY drawings
are not televised.
Winning Evening
numbers are selected live on WBAL -TV 11 and Maryland Public Television
(MPT) evenings Monday through
Saturday at 7:56 p.m. Sunday evening drawings are selected live on WBAL-TV 11 at
8:10 p.m. and rebroadcast on Maryland Public Television (MPT) at 8:58
p.m.
Winning
Multi-Match numbers are selected live on WBAL-TV at 11:22 p.m. and
rebroadcast on Maryland Public Television (MPT) at 11:58 p.m.
Lottery drawings are monitored by a
certified, independent, auditing firm. Winning numbers are published in
newspapers and are posted at all Lottery Retailers. You can also call
one of the following numbers:
IN - STATE CALLS
410-230-8830
(Baltimore Metro area) |
*All drawing times noted are approximate. |
| Q: Where can you play the Lottery? |
| A: Just about anywhere! It's never been easier to
play the Lottery. Because there are Lottery Retailers all over the state. However, if you
want to play Multi-Match, Pick 3, or Pick 4, or Mega Millions look for a Lottery
Retailer who's "on-line". "On-Line" means a retailer that has a
Lottery computer to input your numbers. |
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| Q: How will you be paid? |
| A: All winning tickets up to $600 can
be cashed at Lottery
Retailers.
Winning tickets must be redeemed within 182 days from the date
of the drawings or the expiration of the game for scratch-offs.
All winning tickets up to $600 can be cashed at any Lottery Retailer or
the Maryland Lottery Claim Centers in Baltimore, at Montgomery Park or Lanham.
All winning tickets up to $5,000 can be cashed at any Lottery Agent+ or the Maryland
Lottery Claim Centers in Baltimore, at Montgomery Park or Lanham.
All winning tickets over $5,000 can be
claimed at the Maryland Lottery Claim Centers in Baltimore, at
Montgomery Park or Lanham
All winning tickets over $25,000 can be
claimed at the Maryland Lottery Claim Centers
and will be paid at a later date after validation by the Comptrollers
Office.
All other tickets must be redeemed at one of our Maryland Lottery Claim Centers.
See maps and directions to the Claim Centers nearest you.
Players who win larger prize amounts are encouraged to claim their
winnings at the Maryland Lottery Headquarters in Baltimore, at
Montgomery Park.
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|
SCRATCH-OFFS |
| Q: Why do so many people play Lottery
Scratch-Off games? |
| A: You can win cash on the spot. If you're itching
to win instant cash, all you've got to do is scratch. Because with the Maryland Lottery's
Scratch-Off games, you can scratch off the surface of your ticket and see if you've won.
Scratch-Off tickets make great gifts any time of the year. Best of all, for just $1 you
can choose from a variety of games. And since we're always introducing new games, the
excitement never ends. Check the individual ticket for specific game details. And start
scratching your way to instant winnings!
With instant ticket validation, you can redeem your winning ticket up to $600 at any
agent location, up to $5,000 at any Agent+. |
|
PICK 3/PICK 4 |
| Q: How do you play Pick 3 & Pick 4? |
| A: Straight, boxed, or paired, it's up
to you. Pick the right numbers in Pick 3 and you could win up to $500 on a $1
straight bet. Or play Pick 4 and you can win up to $5,000 on a $1 straight bet. Best of
all, you can play both games seven days a week!
Just stop by your nearest Lottery Retailer and for as little as $. 50, you can play
your favorite number straight or boxed. Play it straight and you win if your numbers
exactly match the winning numbers. Play it boxed and you win if your numbers match the
winning numbers in any order. In Pick 3, you can play only two number as a front or back
pair. If you can't decide on which numbers to play, you can have the Lottery's computer
"Quik Pik" your playable numbers for you. |
| Q: Can you buy tickets for future
drawings? |
| A: Absolutely. In fact, you can
purchase a ticket for up to 7 consecutive drawings in advance. If you win during that week
you don't have to wait until the end of the week to cash in. Just go to any Lottery
Retailer, cash in your winner, and pick up a replacement ticket for the remaining days. |
| Q: If I win the
Multi-Match, Mega Millions, or
other multi-year prize; what happens to my winnings if I die? |
| A:
You can, and should name a
beneficiary when you claim your jackpot prize. Before you claim your prize, you
should know that there may be tax and/or estate consequences related to how a lottery
prize is claimed and whose name(s) appear on the ticket and Claim Form. However, the
Lottery cannot advise about how to claim a prize or whom to designate as a
beneficiary(ies). You may wish to consider seeking advice from a professional advisor of
your choice, before you submit your claim. Once you submit your Claim Form for
processing, the Lottery cannot change ownership of the prize, we can only change your
beneficiary designations.
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MEGA
MILLIONS |
| Q:
What states are members of Mega Millions? |
| A:
There are twelve: California, Maryland, Michigan, Massachusetts, Virginia, New
Jersey, New York, Illinois, Georgia, Ohio, Texas, and Washington State. For
more information, please click on the Mega Millions icon on our Home
Page. |
| Q:
How do I contact
the Lottery? |
A: You can reach the
Lottery through e-mail.
If your questions were not answered or you
would like to leave us your feedback, email us at
paffairs@msla.state.md.us. PLEASE NOTE:
You MUST leave your e-mail address somewhere in your message. We want to respond to
all inquiries. But unless you leave your e-mail address in the body of your message
we have no way of responding to your message.
For the Baltimore area, Customer Service is
410-230-8730.
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| Q:
Where can I find important
tax information? |
A:
On-line.
For information on Lottery prizes and your Maryland tax obligations
visit:
http://taxpros.marylandtaxes.com
For information on Lottery prizes
and your Federal tax obligations visit:
http://www.irs.gov/
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