Ask the Michigan Lottery and they’ll say that everybody benefits because the state’s games are a win-win. Either you win or Michigan residents win because the lottery proceeds benefit K-12 education, and companies that employ Michiganders. Since the lottery’s inception in 1972, the School Aid Fund has been the biggest benefactor with more than $28 billion in funds.
The Michigan Lottery is open to players 18 and over and it is remarkably convenient to play. Michigan has fully embraced iGaming, from sports betting to casino gambling, but that also means that Michigan Lottery tickets can be purchased online. There are also Fast Play games that can be played on the MI Lottery website or in the app.
Michigan Lottery Games
The Michigan Lottery offers a cornucopia of games, both online and in-person with approved retailers. MIchigan has nine different draw games, including three multi-state lottery draws – Powerball, Mega Millions, and Lucky For Life. The other six draws are Michigan exclusive and barely scratch the surface of the games modeled just for the state’s players.
There are also dozens of scratch-off tickets and even “scratchless scratch-offs” for online players, so Michigan has a whole lot of options for those who want to gamble.
Michigan Lottery Draw Games
Powerball
Michigan joined the ranks of Powerball in 2010. There are 45 states that participate in the drawings, which take place on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET. Ticket sales cut off 61 minutes prior to the draw in Michigan, so 9:58 p.m. ET.
Powerball plays cost $2, but there are a couple of additional $1 add-ons, with the Power Play that multiplies non-Jackpot prizes and Double Play, which enters players into a secondary drawing between 11:30 and 11:40 p.m. ET.
The Powerball Jackpot starts at $20 million and grows until a grand prize winner is picked. Each drawing features five numbers from 1 to 69 and a Powerball from 1 to 26. Players can select their own numbers or have the computer pick them. That’s true of in-person and online purchases in Michigan.
Mega Millions
There are 42 states that participate in Mega Millions and Michigan was one of the original six in 1996, along with Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Virginia. Drawings take place on Tuesdays and Fridays at 11 p.m. ET and ticket sales are cut off at 10:45 p.m. ET.
Each Mega Millions play is $2 and there is a $1 optional add-on for the Megaplier, which multiplies non-Jackpot prizes. The draw features numbers 1 through 70 and a Mega Ball from 1 to 25. Matching all six wins the grand prize Jackpot, which starts at $20 million and grows from there.
Tickets can be purchased in-person or online through the Michigan Lottery website or MI Lottery App.
Lucky For Life
Lucky For Life is a daily multi-state lottery drawing in 26 states plus Washington D.C., with a top prize of $1,000 a day for life. The balls range from 1 to 48 on the five-number draw and then there is a Lucky Ball from 1 to 18. Each play is $2 with no optional add-ons or multipliers.
Every night the drawing takes place at 10:38 p.m. ET. Matching all six numbers wins the grand prize, but matching the five regular draw numbers pays $25,000 a year for life.
The states that participate in Lucky For Life are 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.
Lotto 47
Lotto 47 is the Michigan-specific lotto drawing. Numbers range from 1 to 47 and the grand prize is a Jackpot that starts at $1 million and grows until somebody wins it. There are six numbers in the draw, which takes place Wednesday and Saturday at 7:29 p.m. ET. Ticket sales are cut off 21 minutes prior to the draw.
Each play costs $1, but there are optional add-ons for another $1 each for Double Play and EZmatch. EZmatch offers an instant chance at up to $500 and the Double Play drawing is a chance to win up to $1.5 million with a drawing after the main one.
The main drawing happens on Wednesday and Saturday at 7:29 p.m. ET, with ticket sales cut off at 7:08 p.m. ET.
Fantasy 5
Double Play and EZmatch are optional add-ons with the Michigan Lottery Fantasy 5 as well. This one is a daily drawing at 7:29 p.m. ET with numbers ranging from 1 to 39. There are five numbers drawn and no bonus numbers, but Double Play and EZmatch are additional chances to win.
The Jackpot starts at $100,000 and grows from there based on the draw results.
Daily 4
Daily 4 is the Michigan Lottery’s version of a Pick 4. A four-digit number is drawn with four balls ranging from 0 to 9. There are two draws daily, with a Midday drawing at 12:59 p.m. ET and an Evening drawing at 7:29 p.m. ET. Ticket sales are cut off 10 minutes before the daytime draw and 21 minutes before the evening draw.
A base play costs $1, but playing different bet types, such as Straight, Box, Wheel, 2-Way, of 1-Off will increase the ticket cost.
The top prize available is $5,000.
Daily 3
Similarly, the Daily 3 is Michigan’s version of a Pick 3. Midday and Evening drawings are posted daily at 12:59 p.m. ET and 7:29 p.m. ET. A base play costs 50 cents with Straight, Box, 2-Way, Wheel, and 1-Off are all available, with each bet type increasing the cost of a play.
Numbers from 0 to 9 are pulled to create a 3-digit number and players have to match up the numbers on their ticket accordingly.
Ticket sales are cut off 10 minutes before the Midday draw and 21 minutes before the Evening draw with a top prize of $500.
Cash Pop
Like so many states, Michigan has adopted Cash Pop. This is an in-store only game, so tickets cannot be purchased online.
There are four draws an hour from 5 a.m. ET to 2:59 a.m. ET. There are 15 available numbers and players can pick as many as they want up to 15 for a minimum $1 per number. Each prize amount is at least 5x the wager amount and is randomly selected by the computer. Players could pick all 15 numbers, but if they get a prize amount of $5 on $1 per number, that’s a loss of $10, so there are no guaranteed winners.
The top prize is $5,000 because players can pick $1, $2, $5, or $10 as the wager amount and a $5,000 prize amount occasionally shows up with a $10 ticket.
Michigan Lottery Club Keno
Keno is also offered through the Michigan Lottery with a top prize of $2 million. Players pick 10 of the 80 spots and a 20-number draw takes place once every few minutes from 6 a.m. ET to 1:59 a.m. ET.
Matching all 10 numbers wins the grand prize, which will be dependent on the wager amount. Tickets start at $1, but players can pick from $1, $2, $3, $4, $5, $10, or $20 per draw.
There is also an optional $1 per draw add-on called The Jack, which is part of a progressive Jackpot, and also a Kicker add-on to serve as a prize multiplier. There is also an “Extra” option, which is double the cost of the wager to give you another chance to win with your numbers.
Michigan also has a regular Keno draw as well.
Poker Lotto
Another game offered is Poker Lotto, which is drawn at 7:29 p.m. ET and is only available in-store. Players get a five-card poker hand from a standard deck of 52 cards and win prizes accordingly based on their hand, as well as matching the draw hand.
A random hand of Jacks or Better is required to win at least some kind of instant prize and then matching up the drawn poker hand will lead to additional prizes. Each play costs $2 and there are no bonuses or add-ons.
Michigan Lottery Scratch-Offs
The Michigan Lottery offers dozens of scratch-offs with different prices and prizes. There are over 100 scratch-off games ranging from $1 to $50. There are so many games and themes, including Jackson ($20), Hamilton ($10), Lincoln ($5), and Jefferson ($2).
Seasonal games are also available and the Michigan Lottery App and MI Lottery website will show the remaining prizes available and the end dates of the games.
Michigan Lottery Online Games
As mentioned, the state of Michigan has fully embraced iGaming in terms of online casinos, and they also have what are essentially “scratchless scratchers” that can be played as online games. In total, there are more than 230 games that can be played online through the Michigan Lottery, ranging from 5 cents to $50.
There are demos of these games available so you can try them out before you decide to play for real. Some games do feel like scratch-offs, while others feel like a combination between a scratch-off and a slot machine. Some of them even have bonuses within the game for additional chances to win.
Michigan Lottery App
The MI Lottery App allows players to purchase tickets for a wide variety of games and also includes a loyalty club. Players can have a real money bankroll in there with which to buy tickets and also for the redemption of prizes.
Michigan Lottery online tickets can only be purchased through the app, as the state does not partner with third-party sellers like Jackpot.com or Jackpocket.
How To Claim A Michigan Lottery Prize
Prizes of $600 or lower can be claimed at any approved Michigan Lottery retailer. For online prizes of $600 or below, those are deposited right into a player’s online bankroll.
Prizes of greater than $600 require a claim form, both online or in-person. They can be processed by mail or at a Claim Center for in-person purchases. Prizes online are just deposited into the player’s account.
Prizes of $100,000 or more in any context must be claimed at the Lottery Headquarters in downtown Lansing or at one of six regional offices.
Prizes greater than $5,000 in Michigan are subject to a 4.25% state tax withholding.
Michigan Lottery Frequently Asked Questions
Can Michigan Lottery Tickets Be Purchased Online?
Yes. The Michigan Lottery App sells all sorts of different tickets and games for users with an account.
How Many Michigan Lottery Retailers Are There?
There are more than 10,000 approved lottery retailers in the state of Michigan.
How Old Do I Have To Be To Play The Michigan Lottery?
Players must be 18 years of age or older.