The Washington Lottery took several attempts by the state legislature to get through, but it was off and running in 1982. As a response to a statewide and nationwide recession, lawmakers finally got enough support to push through the need to create some additional funding for public works, environmental, and educational endeavors.
So the WA Lottery was born and proceeds go to the Washington Opportunity Pathways Account and the State’s General Fund to benefit public school and higher education, along with preserving and protecting the state’s natural resources, parks, roadways, infrastructure, and more.
The Washington Lottery is available to players 18 and over and tickets can only be purchased at approved retailers. No tickets are sold online or mobile in Washington state.
Washington Lottery Games
The Washington Lottery features eight draw games, including the multi-state Jackpot draws Powerball and Mega Millions. Six other state-specific draw games, including the WA Lottery Jackpot game, Lotto, and daily Hit 5 are popular among players.
Scratch Tickets are also available in various denominations. The Washington Lottery does not offer any Fast Play games or online games for players.
Washington Lottery Draw Games
Powerball
Washington added Powerball to the state lottery offerings in 2010, joining several other states in the month of January that added the game. Powerball drawings are held every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 7:59 p.m. PT, with ticket sales cut off at 6:45.
Powerball features 69 basic numbers and 26 Powerball numbers. Players can choose their own five basic numbers and one Powerball number or let the computer do it for them. Each play costs $2, with an optional $1 add-on for the Power Play multiplier of non-Jackpot prizes and an optional $1 add-on for the Double Play drawing. Double Play is a second drawing around 8:30 p.m. PT with a $10 million top prize.
The Power Pack costs $4 and combines a base ticket with the two add-ons. The Jackpot for Powerball starts at $20 million and grows from there.
Mega Millions
Washington joined Mega Millions in 2002, becoming the 10th state lottery to be a part of the game. This Jackpot draw game takes place on Tuesday and Friday at 8 p.m. PT, with ticket sales cut off at 7:45 p.m. PT on drawing nights.
Mega Millions costs $2 per play with an optional $1 add-on for the Megaplier as a multiplier of non-Jackpot prizes. Mega Millions features 70 basic balls and 25 Mega Balls, with players selecting five basic numbers and one Mega number. Players can pick themselves or have the computer do it.
Like Powerball, the Jackpot starts at $20 million and grows from there.
Lotto
The Washington Lottery main “Cashpot” draw game is Lotto, which is drawn on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 8 p.m. PT. This is also a six-number draw, but with no bonus ball. The balls range from 1 to 49 and the Jackpot starts at $1 million, growing each time a grand prize winner is not selected.
Players get two plays for $1 with this game. There are no add-ons or multipliers. Ticket sales end at 7:45 p.m. PT on draw nights.
Hit 5
Hit 5 is a daily five-number draw game for the Washington Lottery with a top prize “Cashpot” that starts at $100,000 and grows from there if a winner does not match all five balls. The numbers range from 1 to 42 and each play costs $1.
There are no multipliers or add-ons for this game, which is drawn nightly at 8 p.m. PT. Ticket sales are cut off at 7:45.
Match 4
The Match 4 is drawn nightly at 8 p.m. PT and features four numbers between 1 and 24. This is different from a Pick 4 and, as a result, features a $10,000 top prize. Each play costs $2 and ticket sales are cut off at 7:45 p.m. PT.
Three matched balls are worth $20 and two matched balls are worth $2. This top prize is not split among multiple winners. Each winner will get the $10,000, but this is a fixed top prize amount, in that it does not grow if there is no winner.
Pick 3
This is a traditional Pick 3 for the Washington Lottery. Plays cost 50 cents or $1 and the bet types available are Straight, Box, 3-Way Box, Straight/Box, 3-Way Straight/Box, Front Pair, Back Pair, Superbox, and 3-Way Superbox.
The cost of the ticket is dependent on the number of ways to win. This game is just a three-number draw with balls ranging from 0 to 9. The top prize is $500 for a $1 wager and a Straight bet with the numbers in Exact Order.
Numbers are drawn at 8 p.m. PT and ticket sales are cut off at 7:45 p.m. PT.
Cash Pop
Washington has its own variation of Cash Pop as well, where each number costs $5 and there are up to 15 numbers to pick. Players can play anywhere from 1 to 15 “Pops” and the top prize for the game is $500.
Each prize is randomly assigned to the number(s) picked and will be at least $25, or 5x the wager per spot.
This drawing is held once daily at 8 p.m. PT and ticket sales are cut off at 7:45 p.m. PT.
Daily Keno
The Washington Lottery has a Keno game, but it is only drawn once per day at 8 p.m. PT. Ticket sales are cut off at 7:45 p.m. PT.
Keno plays cost $1, $2, $3, $4, $5, $10, or $20. Players select up to 10 numbers from a pool of 80 numbers. The game will randomly draw 20 numbers and the goal is to match up as many numbers as possible.
The top prize based on a $1 wager is $100,000 and the top prize overall is $500,000. Prizes are based on the numbers played and the total number of numbers matched.
Washington Lottery Scratch Games
The Washington Lottery offers dozens of different Scratch Games of varying denominations and prize amounts. Tickets cost $1, $2, $3, $5, $10, $20, or $30.
The WA Lottery will also structure some special prize games and offers around the state’s athletic teams, including the Seattle Seahawks, Seattle Kraken, and Seattle Mariners. Those will include second-chance opportunities and prize drawings.
Many of the regularly-running games are based around seasons, holidays, and themes.
Washington Lottery App
The Washington Lottery App is the entryway into the My Lottery 360 Rewards program. It is also the spot to see drawing results, check to see if your tickets have won, and find the closest lottery retailer.
Lottery tickets are not available for purchase on the app.
How To Claim Washington Lottery Prizes
Prizes of less than $600 can be redeemed at an authorized lottery retail location.
Prizes from $601 to $100,000 can be claimed via the mail-in prize claim system with the proper documentation and identification. They can also be claimed at a regional lottery office. There are five regional lottery offices, plus the Lottery Headquarters in Olympia.
Prizes in excess of $100,000 require a call to the nearest lottery office to learn about how to claim the winnings.
Washington Lottery Frequently Asked Questions
Can Washington Lottery Tickets Be Purchased Online?
No. Online and mobile ticket sales are prohibited in Washington. Third-party sellers like Jackpocket and Jackpot.com are not approved retailers either.
How Many Washington Lottery Retailers Are There?
There are several hundred approved lottery retailers in the state of Washington.
How Old Do I Have To Be To Play The Washington Lottery?
Players must be 18 years of age or older to enjoy the Washington Lottery.