Ohio Lottery
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| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | May 1973 |
| Jurisdiction | Ohio |
| Headquarters | 615 W. Superior Ave. Cleveland, OH 44113 |
| Employees | 324 |
| Agency executives |
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| Website | www |
The Ohio Lottery is run by the Ohio Lottery Commission. Its games include Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 5 ("numbers games"), Keno, Classic Lotto, Powerball, Mega Millions, and scratch tickets. The Lottery's slogan is "Take a chance on education. Odds are, you'll have fun!"
The Lottery's director is Dennis Berg; previous directors include Mike Dolan and Tom Hayes.
As with most US lotteries, Ohio Lottery players must be 18 or older.
In 1971, State Senator Ron Mottl began a campaign to begin a lottery in Ohio. In 1973, the creation of the Ohio Lottery Commission was approved by voters; the Lottery began in August 1974 with the game Buckeye 300. Its first online game, The Numbers (now "Pick 3"), began in 1979.
In July 1983, the Ohio General Assembly began earmarking Lottery profits for education. It was made permanent in 1987 when voters approve a constitutional amendment to make Lottery profits a supplement revenue stream for education.
The Ohio Lottery is run by the Ohio Lottery Commission. The Ohio Lottery Commission is made up of a Director and nine members appointment by the Governor of Ohio. The Director of the Lottery reports directly to the Governor.
On December 3, 1979, The Numbers became the first Ohio online game where players could choose their number(s). On August 16, 1999, Pick 3 expanded to twice-daily draws. Sunday drawings were added on May 20, 2007.
On April 9, 1981, Pick 4 was added; it began as a once-a-week game, gradually expanding to twice-daily and Sunday draws as well.
On August 12, 2012, Pick 5 was added; it is played twice daily in conjunction with the other "numbers" games. The game is played much like Pennsylvania's Quinto, in that Pick 5 has straight and box wagers.
Keno is played at Ohio Lottery retailers that have a monitor. Keno was initially limited to retailers which have a liquor license allowing consumption of alcoholic beverages on the premises, thus making it available mostly in restaurants and bars. Keno to Go was added on April 9, 2012, which allows players to buy tickets at any Ohio Lottery retailer. Drawings are four minutes apart. Minimum play is $1.
On October 4, 2004, Rolling Cash 5 replaced Buckeye 5. The 5-of-5 prize in Buckeye 5 was changed to a jackpot that begins at $100,000. Since May 20, 2007, Rolling Cash 5 has been drawn nightly. The game draws from a 39-ball pool.
In 2009, the Connecticut Lottery began Lucky4Life, a draw game which featured a "lifetime" top prize. Numerous changes include a new name Lucky for Life, an extra number to be matched, expansion to 16 states and the District of Columbia (as of November 15, 2015 with Ohio joining), two lifetime prize tiers, and a cash option in lieu of a lifetime prize. Games are $2 each. Top prize is $1,000-per-day for life; second prize is $1,000-per-week.
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