Rhode Island Lottery

The Rhode Island Lottery (or The Lot) is run by the government of Rhode Island. It is a charter member of the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL). Rhode Island Lottery games include Mega Millions, Powerball, Wild Money, keno, and scratch tickets. Rhode Island also offers video lottery, which includes the multi-jurisdictional MegaHits game.

The minimum age to play the Rhode Island Lottery is 18.

Begun in 1976, it was the first Rhode Island Lottery game where players could select their numbers. Nightly, four sets of balls numbered 0 through 9 are drawn. Prizes and options vary. Rhode Island, unusually, does not draw a three-digit number separately; however, players can choose "first three" or "last three".

"Midday" drawings for The Numbers Game have been added.

Wild Money is drawn Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. It draws 5 balls numbered 1-35, with an "Extra Ball" drawn from the remaining 30. The "Extra Ball" is used to determine some of the prizes, but not the jackpot, which starts at $20,000. Games are $1.

Keno is played at retailers equipped with a special monitor. Drawings are four minutes apart during Keno hours. Prizes and options vary.

Bingo drawings take place every 8 minutes. Retailers are equipped with a monitor displaying the drawings. 30 numbers are drawn. Players must match the called numbers to their numbers on the display to create Bingo patterns. The object is to match one of the Rhode Island Lottery Bingo patterns.

Rhode Island joined Mega Millions on January 31, 2010; it was part of the cross-sell expansion that took place on that date. (Most U.S. lotteries with either Mega Millions or Powerball joined the other on that date; the agreement was finalized on October 13, 2009.)

Mega Millions is drawn Tuesdays and Fridays; its starting jackpot is $15 million. Games are $1 each, or $2 if the "Megaplier" multiplier is activated.

Rhode Island was among the seven founding members of MUSL, formed in 1987. Its best-known game, Powerball, began in 1992. Games are $2 each; a PowerPlay game is $3. The "PowerPlay" option began in 2001. Jackpots start at $40 million; it is drawn Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Powerball has undergone several format changes. The first was in 1997, which introduced its cash option. Its current format began in 2015. Power Play winnings again are determined by a random multiplier.

Rhode Island's largest lottery prize was $336,400,000 (annuity value) for the February 11, 2012 drawing; the cash option was chosen.

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