Everything is bigger in Texas and that includes the Texas Lottery. This is one of the nation’s largest lottery operations, as it is the only approved form of gambling outside of horse and greyhound racing. With an enormous population across all sorts of demographics and income levels, the TX Lottery sells a lot of tickets.
Legislation was introduced in 1991 to create a state lottery and the first tickets were sold on May 29, 1992. Within the first week, 102.4 million tickets were sold. The lottery has done nothing but grow since, averaging more than $8 billion in sales on an annual basis.
Proceeds from the lottery primarily support kids and veterans, but there are other programs that benefit. The Foundation School Fund gets upwards of $2 billion in funds per year and more than $25 million goes to the Texas Veterans Commission. Prize winners aren’t the only winners in Texas.
Players must be 18 years or older to purchase tickets.
Texas Lottery Games
Texas Lottery tickets can only be purchased at approved retailers. However, Jackpocket and Jackpot.com are among the licensed retailers, making third-party sellers like those the only places where you can buy online or mobile tickets for the TX Lottery.
There are eight draw games with the Texas Lottery, including the multi-state Powerball and Mega Millions drawings. The other six are all exclusive to the Lone Star State.
Texas also has dozens of Scratch Tickets available at various denominations.
The Texas Lottery also controls licenses to operate charitable bingo games in the state.
Texas Lottery Draw Games
Powerball
Texas has been part of the Powerball drawing since 2010. Drawings are held on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10 p.m. CT. Tickets sales are cut off at 9 p.m. for that night’s drawing. Each play costs $2 and there is an optional $1 add-on for the Power Play multiplier, a sweetener for non-Jackpot prizes.
Powerball drawings consist of five basic numbers from 1 to 69 and a Powerball number from 1 to 26. Matching all six wins the grand prize, which starts at $20 million and grows with each drawing unless a winner is found.
Texas also offers the QuickTicket scratch-off that will reveal Powerball drawing numbers for the next drawing. These can be purchased at approved retailers for $4 (two draws) or $10 (five draws).
Mega Millions
Texas became part of the Mega Millions drawing in 2003. This game is drawn on Tuesday and Friday at 10 p.m. CT and also has a Jackpot that starts at $20 million and grows if no winner is found.
The five basic Mega Millions numbers range from 1 to 70 with a Mega Ball from 1 to 25. Each play costs $2 with an optional $1 add-on for the Megaplier, which serves as a boost for non-Jackpot prizes.
Texas also offers the Just The Jackpot option which is two draws for $3 and is an all or nothing draw. Either you win the Jackpot or you win nothing.
Ticket sales are cut off at 9:45 p.m. CT on drawing nights.
Texas also offers the QuickTicket scratch-off that will reveal Mega Millions drawing numbers for the next drawing. These can be purchased at approved retailers for $4 (two draws) or $10 (five draws).
Lotto Texas
As mentioned, everything is bigger in Texas. This is often the largest Jackpot in the nation for a state-specific lotto drawing. Numbers are drawn for Lotto Texas on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday around 10:12 p.m. CT. The cutoff for ticket sales is 10 minutes prior to the drawing.
Each play costs $1 and the Extra! optional add-on is another buck. Extra! is a prize sweetener for non-Jackpot prizes.
With Lotto Texas, six numbers are drawn from 1 to 54. There are no bonus numbers. This is just a straightforward, six-number draw. The Jackpot starts at $5 million and rolls over if there are no winners.
Texas Two Step
It seems only fitting that Texas would have a lotto draw game called the Two Step. Drawings for this game are on Monday and Thursday at 10:12 p.m. CT, with ticket sales cut off about 10 minutes prior.
Four numbers from 1 to 35 are drawn and then a Bonus Ball from 1 to 35. Each play costs $1. The top prize for this game starts at $200,000 and rolls over with each drawing without a winner.
All Or Nothing
All Or Nothing is an interesting Texas-exclusive lottery game. Each play costs $2 and there are four drawings Monday through Saturday at 10 a.m., 12:27 p.m., 6 p.m. and 10:12 p.m. (all times CT). Ticket sales are cut off 10 minutes before each draw.
The goal here is to match all of the numbers or none of the numbers. Players select 12 numbers ranging from 1 to 24. Matching all 12 numbers or zero of the numbers is worth $250,000. Players win for matching at least eight numbers or four or fewer numbers.
Cash Five
Cash Five is another lotto-style draw game with a five-number draw held Monday to Saturday at 10:12 p.m. CT. Each play costs $1 and the goal here is to hit all five numbers for the top prize of $25,000. The second prize for hitting four numbers is $350.
The numbers range from 1 to 35 and players can select their own numbers or go the Quick Pick route. There are no add-ons, no special numbers, and no bonuses. This is just a straightforward, five-number draw.
Daily 4 plus Fireball
Four draws are held Monday through Saturday for the Daily 4 plus Fireball. The drawing times are 10 a.m., 12:27 p.m., 6 p.m. and 10:12 p.m. (all times CT). This is essentially a Pick 4, where four numbers from 0 to 9 are drawn to form a four-digit number.
Each play costs 50 cents, $1, or $2 depending on the play type selected. The play types are Straight, Box, Straight/Box, Combo, Front Pair, Mid Pair, or Back Pair.
The Fireball serves as a wild. While the prize amounts are lower if you need to enact the Fireball, it still creates more ways to win. The Fireball option doubles the cost of a ticket.
Daily 3 plus Fireball
Daily 3 plus Fireball is Daily 4 plus Fireball, just with one fewer number drawn. The same drawing times – 10 a.m., 12:27 p.m., 6 p.m. and 10:12 p.m. CT – are on the schedule Monday through Saturday.
Fewer bet types are available here, as the only play types are Straight, Box, Straight/Box, or Combo. The Fireball feature doubles the cost of a ticket. Each play costs 50 cents, $1, or $2 depending on the bet type and the desired wager amount.
Texas Lottery Scratch Tickets
Did we say that everything’s bigger in Texas? There are $100 Scratch Tickets available in the state among the dozens of games that are actively running!
Scratch Tickets cost $1, $2, $3, $5, $10, $20, $30, $50, or $100 and are available in all sorts of themes, including lots of second-chance promotions, vacations, and other prizes. There are also sport-specific games showcasing the Cowboys, Texans, Rangers, Astros, and other teams that play in the Lone Star State.
Texas is one of the few states that offers the sale of Scratch Tickets through third-party sellers like Jackpocket or Jackpot.com.
Texas Lottery App
The Texas Lottery App is the best way to find nearby retailers, check drawing results, and find out about new games and promotions. Unfortunately, lottery tickets cannot be purchased on the Texas Lottery App.
The app also serves as a scanner to see if you have won a prize on your Scratch Ticket or Draw Game slip. Players can also save their lucky numbers to save time when going to an approved retailer.
The Luck Zone is the home of second-chance promotions, which can be found on the TX Lottery website or in the App.
How To Claim Texas Lottery Prizes
Prizes of $599 or less can be claimed at any Texas Lottery retailer, a local claim center, or at the Lottery Commission office in Austin.
Prizes of $600 to $5,000 can be claimed via the Texas Lottery App with the current forms and ID verification. Payments are made via Zelle to an approved financial institution.
Prizes of $600 to $2.5 million can be claimed at a local claim center or the Lottery Commission office in Austin.
Prizes in excess of $2.5 million to $5 million can only be claimed at the local claim centers in Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, or San Antonio or the Lottery Commission office in Austin.
Prizes of $5 million or more can be claimed at the Lottery Commission office in Austin and require an appointment.
Prizes from $1 to $5 million can also be claimed via mail.
Texas Lottery Frequently Asked Questions
Can Texas Lottery Tickets Be Purchased Online?
Yes, through licensed retailers like Jackpocket and Jackpot.com. The Texas Lottery does not directly sell online or mobile lottery tickets.
How Many Texas Lottery Retailers Are There?
There are more than 20,000 approved lottery retailers in the state of Texas.
How Old Do I Have To Be To Play The Texas Lottery?
Players must be 18 years of age or older to enjoy the Texas Lottery.