FAQs
Get the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about playing the lottery in New York, covering a variety of topics. For more information about a particular lottery, go to the individual game sections.
+
You can play games throughout the week in New York. Here's a summary of the draw days and times for each lottery.
- Powerball – Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 PM
- Mega Millions – Tuesday and Friday at 11:00 PM
- Lotto – Wednesday and Saturday at 8:15 PM
- Cash for Life – Daily at 9:00 PM
- Numbers – Daily at 2:30 PM and 10:30 PM
- Take 5 - Daily at 2:30 PM and 10:30 PM
- Pick 10 – Daily at 8:30 PM
- Win 4 - Daily at 2:30 PM and 10:30 PM
- Quick Draw and Money Dots – Every four minutes
+
Here is when ticket sales close for each lottery. For Quick Draw and Money Dots, sales cut off just before the next draw takes place and there is a draw break between 3:30 AM and 4:00 AM.
- Powerball – Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:00 PM
- Mega Millions – Tuesday and Friday at 10:00 PM
- Lotto – Wednesday and Saturday at 8:00 PM
- Cash for Life – Daily at 8:45 PM
- Numbers – Daily at 2:15 PM and 10:20 PM
- Take 5 - Daily at 2:15 PM and 10:20 PM
- Pick 10 – Daily at 8:00 PM
- Win 4 - Daily at 2:15 PM and 10:20 PM
+
You have to be at least 18 years old to buy lottery tickets in New York.
+
Lottery courier services such as Jackpot.com give you a way to order your tickets online. Once you have chosen your numbers, the courier will go out to the retailer on your behalf and buy your tickets. A photo of your ticket will then be uploaded to your account as proof of purchase, and any prizes will be paid out to you automatically.
+
If you win a prize, you have one year from the draw date to come forward and claim it.
+
The process for claiming prizes depends on how much you win, but for payouts of up to $600 the simplest way is to just visit a New York Lottery retailer or mail in your winning ticket. Go to the How to Claim page to learn more.
+
No. All lottery prizes must be claimed in the same state where the ticket was purchased. Only a few of the games offered in New York – Powerball, Mega Millions and Cash for Life – are available in other states, but you still can’t claim prizes in a different jurisdiction to the one you played in. The claim period also differs from state to state.
+
Prize money that is not claimed is returned to the prize pool and is also used for special promotions. Any money that does not go back to players in this way is used to benefit New York’s education system.
+
Yes. Federal, state and local income taxes are withheld from prizes of more than $5,000 in New York. Go to the Tax page to find out more details.
+
The New York Lottery uses the money it raises from ticket sales to pay out prizes, cover operating costs and pay retailer commissions. All of the profit is given to public education in the Empire State.
+
No. The name of a big winner is regarded as public information, so if you win the New York Lottery is compelled to release your name and city of residence.
+
The biggest jackpot ever won in New York was a Mega Millions prize worth $476 million. It was paid out to Johnnie Taylor from Queens in April 2023. Go to the Winners page to find out more about the biggest jackpots.
+
If you lose your ticket, you won’t be able to claim any prizes it might have been due. Lottery tickets are regarded as bearer instruments, so it is your responsibility to keep them safe. You should make sure you sign the back of any ticket you buy so that nobody else can claim a prize with it.
+
Yes, the New York Lottery offers a wide variety of Scratch-Offs, with prices ranging from $1 to $30 and prizes that can be worth $10 million or more.