The Nebraska Lottery has given over $1 billion in proceeds to the Cornhusker State since its inception in 1992. It was then that 62% of voters approved a constitutional amendment to create the state lottery and it became the 37th in the nation on February 24, 1993.
Players must be 19 and over in Nebraska, where proceeds go to the Nebraska Education Improvement Fund, Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund, Nebraska State Fair, and Compulsive Gamblers Assistance Fund.
The Nebraska Lottery is certified by the World Lottery Association and there are a ton of games available for players.
Nebraska does not directly sell online lottery tickets, however the state has granted a license to third-party seller Jackpocket.
Nebraska Lottery Games
The Nebraska Lottery is part of the Multi-State Lottery Association, so it participates in the top lotto games in the United States, plus offers state-specific games to citizens and visitors of legal age.
Nebraska offers Powerball, Mega Millions, Lotto America, Lucky For Life, and 2by2 as multi-state lottery draw games. There are also Pick 5, Pick 3, and MyDaY available as state-specific games.
Nebraska also offers scratch-off games of varying denominations.
Nebraska Lottery Draw Games
Powerball
Nebraska is one of 45 states to participate in the Powerball drawing on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 9:59 p.m. CT. Ticket sales are cut off at 9 p.m. CT and are also unavailable between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. CT.
Each play costs $2 and there are two additional $1 add-on options with Power Play, a multiplier for non-Jackpot prizes, and Double Play, which is entry into a second non-Jackpot drawing with a prize up to $10 million.
Balls are drawn from 1 to 69 and a Powerball from 1 to 26 with six numbers in total. Matching all six wins the Jackpot, which starts at $20 million and grows with each drawing without a grand prize winner.
Nebraska joined Powerball in the summer of 1994.
Mega Millions
Nebraska was one of many states to join Mega Millions in 2010, but the only one to add the game on March 20 of that year. Each Mega Millions play costs $2 with an optional $1 Megaplier add-on to multiply non-Jackpot prizes.
Mega Millions numbers from 1 to 70 and a Mega Ball from 1 to 25 are drawn on Tuesdays and Fridays at 10 p.m. CT. The Nebraska Lottery also offers the “Just The Jackpot” ticket with two plays for $3.
Ticket sales cut off an hour before the drawing.
Lotto America
Powerball was originally Lotto America, but the game came back to life and is played in Delaware, Iowa, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, and West Virginia.
Numbers from 1 to 52 and a Star Ball from 1 to 10 are drawn on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 9:15 p.m. CT. Ticket sales are cut off about 15 minutes before the drawing.
Each play only costs $1 and the All Star Bonus multiplier is an additional $1 for those who choose to play it.
Lucky For Life
The Nebraska Lottery has opted for Lucky For Life, as opposed to Cash 4 Life, a game played in 10 states. Lucky For Life is played in more than 20 states. They 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.
With Lucky For Life, five numbers are drawn from 1 to 48 and then a Lucky Ball from 1 to 18. The grand prize is $1,000 a day for life. Matching all five basic game numbers is worth $25,000 per year for life.
This drawing is held nightly at 9:38 p.m. CT. Ticket sales are cut off a little more than an hour before the numbers are drawn.
2by2
2by2 is played in four states – Nebraska, Kansas, North Dakota, and Wyoming. Players choose two numbers 1 through 26 in both red and white. Each play only costs $1.
Prizes are won by matching the numbers across either color and it is a nightly game drawn before the 10 p.m. CT news. Players who opt to play a multi-draw ticket on Tuesdays have the chance at winning two times the prize amounts.
Matching one number leads to a free $1 Quick Play ticket for the next drawing upon redemption. The maximum grand prize is $22,000 Monday-Sunday, with the exception of Tuesday, where the top prize is $44,000.
Nebraska Pick 5
This is Nebraska’s exclusive lotto drawing. Players pick numbers from 1 to 40 and there are no bonus balls or any multipliers. This drawing is held nightly around 10 p.m. CT and each play only costs $1.
The Jackpot starts at $50,000 and grows from there if a grand prize winner is not selected. Two matching numbers wins a free chance to win in the next drawing, while three numbers are worth $9, four numbers are worth $500, and the Jackpot is there for anybody who matches all five.
Ticket sales are cut off at 9 p.m. CT for that night’s drawing.
Nebraska Pick 3
Unlike most Pick 3s, Nebraska only draws numbers once per day, with a drawing around 10 p.m. CT. Players can play Straight, Box, Straight/Box, or Combo wagers with a minimum bet of $1 per type.
Numbers from 0 to 9 are drawn to make a three-digit number and matching all three across with a Straight bet wins $600, which is the maximum prize available.
Ticket sales are cut off at 9 p.m. CT for that night’s drawing.
MyDaY
MyDaY is a calendar-based Pick 3 game of sorts. Players pick the Month, Day, and Year as MM/DD/YY. Matching everything is worth $5,000 and drawings are held nightly around 10 p.m. CT.
Each play costs $1. There is a maximum liability on dates, so if that limit has been reached, that combination cannot be sold again. The top prize liability for the state is $200,000 in potential prize winnings.
Players win prizes for matching the Month, Day, Year, or a combination of any of the three.
Nebraska Lottery Scratch Games
Nebraska Lottery scratch-offs range from $1 to $30 in denomination and there are a few games at each price point. In 2024, Nebraska had a $2 scratch-off called “Trucks and Bucks”, where the top prize was a Ford F-150.
The Nebraska Lottery website lists all of the particulars for each game, including the prizes remaining and when the game’s sales will end.
Nebraska Lottery App
The Nebraska Lottery App includes the MVP Club, which is the players club of the state. Players get a free game coupon just for signing up and the ability to play free online games, participate in surveys and special Members Only contests, and also check their tickets to see if they’ve won.
Lottery tickets cannot be purchased through the app. Online Nebraska Lottery tickets are available through Jackpocket, which is an approved Nebraska Lottery retailer.
How To Claim Nebraska Lottery Prizes
Prizes up to $500 can be claimed at any approved Nebraska Lottery retailer.
Prizes from $501 to $19,999 can be claimed by mail or at a Regional Nebraska Lottery Claim Center.
Prizes of $20,000 or more must be claimed in person at the Nebraska Lottery Headquarters in Lincoln. Prizes of $100,000 or more can be deposited into a bank account via e-transfer.
Prizes over $5,000 are subject to a 5% state tax withholding.
Nebraska Lottery Frequently Asked Questions
Can Nebraska Lottery Tickets Be Purchased Online?
Not directly through the Nebraska Lottery, but through third-party seller Jackpocket.
How Many Nebraska Lottery Retailers Are There?
There are more than 1,250 approved lottery retailers in the state of Nebraska.
How Old Do I Have To Be To Play The Nebraska Lottery?
Players must be 19 years of age or older.