The Washington D.C. Lottery is known primarily as the DC Lottery and offers a ton of games for people in the DMV area. The lottery for the District of Columbia started in 1982 and has awarded upwards of $5 billion in prizes, plus contributed ample monies to the District’s General Fund.
The General Fund is used for essential services in the District, which aids citizens with various needs, including education, recreation and parks, public safety, housing, and senior citizens.
Not only does the DC Lottery offer the traditional draw games and Scratchers, but iLottery is also available for players, including e-Instant Games.
DC Lottery Games
For being less than 69 square miles in size, the District of Columbia is spoiled by everything that the DC Lottery has to offer. There are nine draw games, including Powerball, Mega Millions, and Lucky For Life. Keno is also among the offerings, as well as Fast Play Games and Scratchers.
The iLottery allows for the purchase of many of these games on the website or through the DC Lottery App. The iLottery also features e-Instant Games, that are a cross between slot machines and Scratchers that you can play with the tap of a finger or the click of a mouse.
With the embrace of online lottery technology, it is also worth noting that Jackpocket is an approved retailer of the DC Lottery.
DC Lottery Draw Games
Powerball
The DC Lottery has been part of the Powerball drawing since the beginning in 1988. Back then, it was called Lotto America, but was renamed Powerball in 1992. The District of Columbia joined Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oregon, Rhode Island, and West Virginia as flagship members.
Powerball is drawn Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET. Each ticket costs $2, with an optional $1 add-on for the Power Play, a multiplier of non-Jackpot prizes, and another optional $1 add-on for the Double Play, which is a secondary drawing held after the main one.
The Jackpot for Powerball starts at $20 million and grows until a winner is found. The top prize for the Double Play drawing is $10 million.
The Powerball drawing features five numbers from 1 to 69 and a Powerball number from 1 to 26. Players can select their own numbers or have the computer pick for them. Tickets can be purchased online for this game.
Mega Millions
Washington D.C. was not a founding member of Mega Millions, joining the game in 2010 along with a whole lot of states. Mega Millions drawings are held on Tuesday and Friday at 11 p.m. ET. Each play costs $2 and there is an optional $1 add-on for the Megaplier, a multiplier of non-Jackpot prizes.
The DC Lottery also offers the “Just The Jackpot” option, which is two plays for $3 and is an all-or-nothing proposition. Either hit all the numbers and win the Jackpot or win nothing no matter how many numbers you match.
Mega Millions features 70 basic balls and 25 Mega Balls to make up the six-number draw. This Jackpot starts at $20 million and also grows with each drawing without a winner.
Tickets can be purchased online for this game.
Lucky For Life
The other multi-state draw game in Washington D.C. is Lucky For Life. This is a daily draw game at 10:38 p.m. ET. This is a six-number draw game with five basic numbers from 1 to 48 and then a Lucky Ball from 1 to 18.
Each play costs $2 with no multipliers or add-ons available. The grand prize is $1,000 a day for life and the secondary grand prize is $25,000 a year for life.
This game is played in Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming.
Tickets can be purchased online for this game.
DC 5
DC 5 is a five-digit Pick 5 variant with drawings twice a day every day at 1:50 p.m. ET and 7:50 p.m. ET. The prizes range from $25 to $50,000 and each play costs 50 cents or $1.
There are a variety of plays that can be made, with Straight, Box, Front Pair, Back Pair, Front Three, Back Three, Front Four, or Back Four among the choices. The maximum play amount is $208, which can be achieved by playing a certain number of Box combinations.
Tickets can be purchased online for this game.
DC 4
DC 4 is a four-digit Pick 4 variant with drawings three times a day every day at 1:50 p.m. ET, 7:50 p.m. ET, and 11:30 p.m. ET. The prizes range from $100 to $5,000 and each play costs 50 cents or $1.
The plays that can be made are Straight, Box, Straight/Box, Front Three, or Back Three, so fewer ways to win than DC 5, but there is one fewer number in play.
Tickets can be purchased online for this game.
DC 3
DC 3 is a three-digit Pick 3 variant with drawings three times a day every day at 1:50 p.m. ET, 7:50 p.m. ET, and 11:30 p.m. ET. The prizes range from $25 to $500 and each play costs 50 cents or $1.
The plays that can be made are Straight, Box, Straight/Box, Front Pair, Back Pair, and Combo.
Tickets can be purchased online for this game.
DC 2
DC 2 is a two-digit Pick 2 game with drawings twice a day every day at 1:50 p.m. ET and 7:50 p.m. ET. The prizes range from $2.50 to $50 and each play costs 50 cents or $1.
The plays that can be made are Straight, Box, Straight/Box, Front Number, Back Number or Combo.
This game can only be purchased at retail locations.
The Lucky One
Well, 5, 4, 3, 2, One. The Lucky One. This is a one-number draw game that is held every 3.5 minutes from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. seven days a week.
The Lucky One can be played in three ways – Exact Number, Hi/Low, or Odd/Even. There are 36 numbers in play, so Hi/Low and Odd/Even are pretty self-explanatory. For the number selection, think of it like a roulette table without zero. There are 36 numbers and you can bet on one specific number. A $1 bet pays $24 for hitting a number dead on.
Each play costs a minimum of $1, but you can wager up to $50.
This game can only be purchased at retail locations.
DC Keno
The DC Lottery also offers Keno, with a chance to win up to $1 million. Keno drawings are held every 3.5 minutes from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. seven days a week.
Keno is played by picking 10 numbers or “spots”. The computer randomly selects 20 numbers and the hope is to match as many as possible. With DC Lottery Keno, wagers start at $1, but each play slip can be up to $100.
There is also a $1 add-on for each Keno wager for the Keno Spin, which serves as a multiplier of up to 10x.
Keno can only be played at approved DC Lottery retailers, mostly in bars, taverns, and restaurants.
Race2Riches
Race2Riches is a computerized horse racing game offered by the DC Lottery. It features 12 horses per race and races are run every four minutes seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Players can bet Win, Show, Exacta, Exacta Box, Quinella, Daily Double, Trifecta, Trifecta Box, Trifecta Wheel, Superfecta, Superfecta Box, or Superfecta Wheel. Bet amounts are $1, $2, $3, $4, $5, $10, or $20 for most bets, with 10 cents and 50 cents for the exotic wagers like the Superfecta and Trifecta Box and Wheel.
Players can play up to 20 races and can also add the Race2Riches Bonus, which doubles the cost of the ticket.
Tickets can be purchased online for this game.
DC Lottery Fast Play Games
The DC Lottery also offers Fast Play Games, which are instant-win games produced by the lottery terminal. These are basically scratchless Scratchers in that there are symbols and prize amounts displayed on the ticket, but they are revealed by the lottery terminal at time of purchase.
There are several different Fast Play Games of various denominations and prize amounts, including some games that feature a Progressive Jackpot. Each ticket shows the rules and the prize amounts, with tickets ranging from $1 to $20.
DC Lottery Tap-N-Play
Some DC Lottery terminals offer Tap-N-Play games, which are basically interactive scratch-off tickets that you can play with the push of a button or your finger. These are available on self-service lottery terminals across the District of Columbia.
Players can choose the wager amount that they would like, ranging from $1 to as high as $20. There are upwards of a dozen different games available at any time with different rules, themes, and prizes.
DC Lottery Scratchers
Traditional Scratchers are available in lots of denominations and themes. There are well over 150 Scratchers available at any time with the DC Lottery, ranging from $1 to $30, with $2, $3, $5, $10, and $20 tickets in between.
Each game has its own rules and prize amounts, which can be found on the DC Lottery website or on the DC Lottery App. The top remaining prizes for each game in service will be listed on those resources as well.
DC Lottery iLottery e-Instant Games
The DC Lottery also has e-Instant Games, which are like a combination of slot machine and Scratcher. These games are only available online or on the DC Lottery App. The DC iLottery also offers bonuses for depositors that could be worth up to $250.
All of the DC iLottery e-Instant Games offer demo versions so that you can try before you actually play. The minimum cost to play one of these games is just 5 cents, but there are games that feature max wagers as high as $100.
DC Lottery App
If you haven’t noticed already, the DC Lottery Mobile App is a very powerful tool. It provides players with the opportunity to buy Powerball, Mega Millions, Lucky For Life, DC 5, DC 4, DC 3, and Race2Riches tickets, as well as the chance to play those aforementioned e-Instant Games.
Through the DC Lottery App, you can also dig into 2nd Chance promotions and take advantage of those deposit bonuses and other special offers. Plus, you can find the nearest lottery retailer and see the most recent drawings.
That is also the pathway into the Players’ Club, which allows you to track your play, rack up loyalty points, find out about game launches, and more.
Gambet DC
The DC Lottery also offers sports betting through its Gambet DC platform. Certain areas in the District are restricted from using the Gambet DC sportsbook, but it is another opportunity to wager and another opportunity to win sponsored by the DC Lottery.
How To Claim DC Lottery Prizes
Prizes up to $600 can be claimed at any DC Lottery Retailer or by mail.
Prizes up to $5,000 can be claimed by mail or at an Agent Plus location, with seven of those currently around the District.
Prizes over $5,000 must be claimed at a DC Lottery Prize Center or by mail.
Prizes over $250,000 will be paid out via a bank-to-bank wire transfer after speaking with the DC Lottery Customer Service Department.
For iLottery Powerball and Mega Millions winnings, prizes up to $4,999.99 are simply deposited right into the player’s account. Prizes of $5,000 or more must be claimed at a DC Lottery Prize Center.
For e-Instant Game winnings, prizes of $9,999.99 are deposited right into your iLottery account. Prizes of $10,000 or more require a visit to the DC Lottery Prize Center.
Washington D.C. Lottery Frequently Asked Questions
Can Washington D.C. Lottery Tickets Be Purchased Online?
Yes. Several draw games and e-Instant Games are available on the DC Lottery Mobile App and DC Lottery Website. Washington D.C. has also approved Jackpocket as an online seller.
How Many Washington D.C. Lottery Retailers Are There?
There are dozens of approved lottery retailers in the District of Columbia.
How Old Do I Have To Be To Play The Washington D.C. Lottery?
Players must be 18 years of age or older to enjoy the Washington D.C. Lottery, including the Gambet DC sports betting platform.