______________


Frequently Asked Questions
____________________________

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 Monday and Thursday night.

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.

POWERBALL: Drawings every Wednesday and Saturday 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.
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 evenings Monday through Saturday at 7:56 p.m.  Sunday evening drawings are selected live on WBAL-TV 11 at *8:22 p.m. Sunday evening drawings May occur between 8:22 pm and 8:30 pm.

Winning Multi-Match numbers are selected live on WBAL-TV at 11:22 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.

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.

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.

MEGA MILLIONS
Q: Mega Millions is played in what states?
A: Mega Millions is now played in: Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington, D.C., West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
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.

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/
POWERBALL
Q: Powerball is played in what states?
A: Powerball is now played in: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, U.S. Virgin Islands, Washington, Washington, D.C., Wisconsin and West Virginia.

Q: Is Powerball replacing Mega Millions?

A: No. Marylanders will now be able to play BOTH games.

What can I win playing Powerball?

Powerball jackpots start at $20 million; a second-tier win is $200,000; a third-tier win is $10,000. Just like Mega Millions, the jackpot increases after every drawing if no one wins. And, just like Mega Millions, the amount increases depending upon sales of the game.

Q: Are subscriptions, future plays, or multi-draws available?

A: Currently in Maryland, subscriptions are available only for Mega Millions and Multi-Match.You can, however, purchase future plays and multi-draws for Powerball when the game goes on sale on January 31, 2010.

Click Here to Download a complete list of Powerball Frequently Asked Questions!

(Requires Adobe Acrobat. Click on the link below to download your free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader)

After downloading the Adobe Acrobat application file, run the application from the folder that you saved it in to install it on your system.