The Maine Lottery is run by the government of Maine. It is a member of the

Multi-State Lottery Association The Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) is an American non-profit, government-benefit association owned and operated by agreement of its 34 member lottery, lotteries. MUSL was created to facilitate the operation of multi-jurisdictional lottery ...

(MUSL), whose flagship game is

Powerball Powerball is an American lottery game offered by 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It is coordinated by the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL). From its inaugural drawing on April 19, 1992, unti ...

. It was founded in 1974 after being approved through a voter referendum. Maine originally joined MUSL in 1990, before the

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...

-based organization began Powerball; Maine pulled out two years later, when Powerball was introduced. Maine did not rejoin MUSL until 2004. (Powerball drawings moved to

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

in 2009, although MUSL headquarters remain in

). MUSL's smaller jackpot game ''

Hot Lotto Hot Lotto was a multi-state lottery game administered by the Iowa-based Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL), which is best known for operating the Mega Millions and Powerball games. Hot Lotto began sales on April 7, 2002; its first drawing ...

'' is Maine's first continuing draw game to have its winning numbers drawn via

random number generator Random number generation is a process by which, often by means of a random number generator (RNG), a sequence of numbers or symbols that cannot be reasonably predicted better than by random chance is generated. This means that the particular out ...

(RNG) instead of using traditional lottery balls. An agreement was reached on October 13, 2009, for Mega Millions and Powerball to be available through any US lottery. Maine began sales of

Mega Millions Mega Millions (originally known as ''The Big Game'' in 1996 and renamed, temporarily, to ''The Big Game Mega Millions'' six years later) is an American multi-jurisdictional lottery game; as of January 30, 2020, it is offered in 45 states, the Di ...

on May 9, 2010, after most lotteries began offering both games on January 31, 2010. The ''Portland Press Herald'', on March 31, 2010, reported that the Supplemental Budget had passed; it included a provision to require Maine to join Mega Millions on May 9, 2010. WCSH-TV (NBC) in

Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...

reported that Gov. Baldacci signed the Supplemental Budget on March 31, 2010. Currently, 46 lotteries offer Mega Millions and Powerball. Since rejoining MUSL in 2004, Maine has not sold a Powerball jackpot ticket; it sold its first Mega Millions jackpot ticket in January 2023. Maine's largest lottery prize was from '' Lotto*America'' during its first incarnation with MUSL. All of Maine's draw games are shared with other lotteries; its "smallest" online games are those offered by the Tri-State Lottery; whose drawing games, also available in

Vermont Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...

and New Hampshire, are always drawn in

New Hampshire New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...

. Maine also offers scratch tickets.

Current Draw games

In-house Tri-State games

Drawings for these games, played in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, are held in New Hampshire:

Pick 3

Pick 3 is drawn twice daily, including Sundays. Prizes and options vary.

Pick 4

Pick 4 is drawn in conjunction with Pick 3.

Gimme 5

Gimme 5, began on May 12, 2013. Gimme 5 draws 5 of 39 numbers; the top prize is $100,000 split among plays matching all five numbers. Drawings takes place on Monday through Friday (originally was on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays).

World Poker Tour Featuring ''All In''

World Poker Tour is drawn nightly and offers 2 chances to win for only $2. Every ticket can win twice per day; instantly and in the nightly drawing. The top prize in the instant game is $5,000(for the Royal Flush combination), and the top prize in the nightly drawings is $100,000(for matching all 5 cards). For an extra $1 per Hand, the "ALL IN" feature pays bigger prizes on the top 5 instant win hands and includes a chance to win the progressive jackpot. Nightly drawings are held every night after 9:05pm.

Megabucks

Megabucks Plus has a similar format as Mega Millions or Powerball. As ''Megabucks'', begun in 1985, it was a "classic"-style six-number game until July 2009. Every Wednesday and Saturday, five "regular' numbers are drawn from a pool of 1 to 41, and one from a second pool, of one to six. Games are $2 each; the minimum jackpot is $1,000,000(annuitized with a cash option.) In the late 2010s, Megabucks Plus switched back to the name as Megabucks.

Multi-jurisdictional games

Hot Lotto

''Hot Lotto'' is played the same as ''Mega Millions'' or ''Powerball'', except players choose 5 of 47 "white ball" numbers, and 1 of 19 "Hot Ball" numbers. Games are $1 each; if the ''Sizzler'' option is activated (its games are $2) non-jackpot prizes are tripled. (The ''Sizzler'' option was added in 2008.) Maine, which joined ''Hot Lotto'' in 2009, was its newest member until Tennessee joined in 2013. Jackpots are all-cash, and "taxes-paid" (although winners are subject to income taxes.) As of 2017, thirteen other states also offer the game. The game will be replaced by the new version of Lotto America on November 12, 2017. Maine was also a part of the original Lotto America before it became Powerball, which Maine waited till 2004 to join.

Lucky for Life

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...

's in-state draw game ''Lucky4Lìfe'', which began in 2009, became a regional game three years later. Now called ''Lucky for Life'', it replaced the Tri-State game ''Weekly Grand Extra.'' The third version of the game began on September 17, 2013. As with the first multi-state ''Lucky for Life'', first prize is $1000-per-day-for-life (split by multiple winners); the current game has a second prize of $25,000-per-year-for-life. For the first time, a winner of a "lifetime" (first- or second- prize) has the option of choosing cash. The current version, which began on January 27, 2015, is offered by 22 lotteries plus the

District of Columbia ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

. Players choose 5 of 48 white balls, and a "Lucky Ball" from 18 green balls in the second machine.

Mega Millions

Maine joined Mega Millions on May 9, 2010, several months after U.S. lotteries, which initially could offer either Mega Millions or Powerball, could add the other game. Mega Millions plays are $2 each; with ''Megaplier'', $3. Jackpots begin at $20 million. Mega Millions' most recent format change was in October 2017.

Powerball

Powerball jackpots begin at $40 million(annuitized), and increase by at least $10 million if not won. Games cost $2 each; with ''Power Play'', $3. There are nine prize levels; second prize is $1,000,000(cash) in a $2 game; if ''Power Play'' was selected, $2,000,000. Maine had been a MUSL member from 1990 to 1992, offering Lotto*America; Maine opted out of MUSL when Lotto*America was replaced by Powerball.

Instant Tickets/Fast Play

Maine offers scratch-off tickets with price points of $1, $2, $3, $5, $10, $20, and $25. Maine also offers ''Fast Play'' terminal-generated "instant tickets". ''Fast Play'' tickets are part of the Tri-State compact.

References

External links

* {{authority control State lotteries of the United States

Lottery A lottery is a form of gambling that involves the drawing of numbers at random for a prize. Some governments outlaw lotteries, while others endorse it to the extent of organizing a national or state lottery. It is common to find some degree of ...

Economy of Maine Gambling in Maine