The state motto for West Virginia is “Wild and Wonderful”. That could be used to describe the West Virginia Lottery as well. If you can’t find a game to play with the WV Lottery, then you are either way too picky or aren’t looking at all, because there are a ton of traditional and electronic games to play.
The West Virginia Lottery was approved by voters in 1984 and the Lottery Act was signed into law in 1985. The first ticket, named “West Virginia Jackpot” was sold in 1986 and racked up more than $53 million in sales.
These days, the WV Lottery not only has traditional scratch-offs and draw games, but sports betting and casino gaming are also part of the lottery’s oversight. With so many different ways to play and so many different ways to win, the lottery generates a lot of revenue.
The proceeds from the West Virginia Lottery are used to fund education initiatives from preschool to college and also benefit senior citizens. Some funds are also earmarked for tourism and the preservation of state parks.
Players must be 18 or older to play the lottery, but 21 and older to play Video Lottery and table games in the state’s casinos, as well as 21 to bet on sports.
West Virginia Lottery Games
The West Virginia Lottery has eight different draw games, including multi-state lottery drawings for Powerball, Mega Millions, and Lotto America. There are also five state-specific draw games, including Keno.
Traditional Scratch Offs are available in various denominations, as well as “iNSTANTS”, which are the online and mobile games offered by the WV Lottery.
The West Virginia Lottery also has oversight over five casinos and sports betting in the state.
West Virginia Lottery Draw Games
Powerball
It makes sense that West Virginia is part of the Powerball and Lotto America drawings. Powerball began as Lotto America in 1988 when West Virginia was one of six states plus the District of Columbia to start that game. It was renamed Powerball in 1992 as we know it now and West Virginia has been a charter member throughout.
Powerball drawings are held on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET. The West Virginia Lottery cuts off ticket sales at 9:59 p.m. on draw nights. Each play costs $2, but there is an optional $1 add-on for the Power Play, a multiplier of non-Jackpot prizes.
This is a six-number draw game with five basic numbers from 1 to 69 and a Powerball from 1 to 26. Matching all six wins the Jackpot, which begins at $20 million and grows until a grand prize winner is drawn. Players can pick their own numbers or have the computer pick for them.
Tickets can be purchased online or on mobile for Powerball.
Mega Millions
While West Virginia was an original member of Powerball, the state did not adopt Mega Millions until January 31, 2010, along with several other states. This is another six-number draw game with five basic numbers from 1 to 70 and a Mega Ball from 1 to 25.
Mega Millions draw times are Tuesday and Friday at 11 p.m. ET and ticket sales are cut off just before 10 p.m. on drawing nights. Each play costs $2 with a $1 Megaplier optional add-on to multiply non-Jackpot prizes.
The Jackpot begins at $20 million and grows from there unless a grand prize winner is drawn. West Virginia offers the “Just The Jackpot” option, which is two plays for $3 and those are Quick Pick only, so it is an all-or-nothing proposition.
Tickets can be purchased online or on mobile for Mega Millions, except for the Just The Jackpot option.
Lotto America
In keeping with tradition, West Virginia brought back the reimagined Lotto America. This game is drawn on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at about 10:04 p.m. ET. Ticket sales are cut off at 9:59 p.m. on drawing nights.
Each Lotto America play costs $1 and there is an All Star Bonus optional add-on for $1. Numbers in this game range from 1 to 52 for the five basic numbers and 1 to 10 for the All Star Bonus ball.
The Lotto America Jackpot starts at $2 million and grows until a grand prize winner is found.
Lotto America is played in Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee and West Virginia.
Tickets can be purchased online or on mobile for Lotto America.
Cash 25
Cash 25 is the biggest lotto draw game exclusive to West Virginia. This game features a $25,000 top prize for a six-number draw on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 6:49 p.m. ET. Ticket sales are cut off just before the numbers are drawn.
Players select or have the computer select six numbers from 1 to 25. The top prize is $25,000 and the prize for matching five of the six numbers is $250. The maximum prize liability for this game is $250,000, so if there are 11 or more Jackpot winners, they’ll split that amount equally.
Each play costs $1 and there are no bonuses or add-ons, though players can select multiple draws if they wish.
Tickets can only be purchased at an approved West Virginia Lottery retailer for Cash 25 and the following draw games.
Daily 4
Daily 4 is the name of the West Virginia Lottery’s Pick 4 game. This game is drawn every day but Sunday at 6:49 pm. ET and features a top prize of $5,000 for matching all four numbers straight across.
Each play costs 50 cents or $1, though the Exact/Any option is $1 only. Players can pick their own numbers or have the computer select them. The play types for this game are Exact, 4-Way Any, 6-Way Any, 12-Way Any, 24-Way Any, 4-Way Exact/Any, 6-Way Exact/Any, 12-Way Exact/Any, or 24-Way Exact/Any, giving players plenty of chances to win.
The cost of a ticket is based on the number of play types selected.
Daily 3
Daily 3 is the name of the West Virginia Lottery’s Pick 4 game. This game is drawn every day but Sunday at 6:49 pm. ET and features a top prize of $500 for matching all three numbers straight across.
Each play costs 50 cents or $1 and players can choose their own numbers or go the Quick Pick route. The play types are Exact, 3-Way Any, 6-Way Any, or an Exact/Any combination.
The cost of a ticket is based on the number of play types selected.
Cash Pop
Cash Pop drawings are held every 15 minutes in West Virginia, beginning at 5:15 a.m. ET and ending at 3:30 a.m. ET. Players pick anywhere from 1 to 15 numbers and they can play $1, $2, $5, or $10 on the numbers.
Prizes amounts are randomly assigned to each number selected. Each prize amount will be at least 5x the wager, but that doesn’t guarantee winning, since there are 15 spots available to be picked.
The maximum amount on one play slip and single wager is $200. Players can play up to eight consecutive draws if they wish.
Keno
If rapid fire drawings are your thing, you’ll love West Virginia Keno. Games are drawn every three minutes from 5:01 a.m. to 3:46 a.m. ET with a top prize of $100,000 available in each game. The Keno Go Bonus doubles the cost of the ticket and could multiply your winnings.
With Keno, players select anywhere from 1 to 10 numbers and the computer randomly picks 20 numbers during the drawing. There are 80 numbers for the player and the computer to choose from.
Players can play up to 100 consecutive draws.
West Virginia iLottery iNSTANTS
iNSTANTS is the creative name for the online-only games offered by the West Virginia Lottery. These games can be played on the WV Lottery website or on the West Virginia Lottery Mobile App.
As of 2024, there were 12 different games available and players could pick their own denomination within the game, with most games ranging from 50 cents to $30 per play. Some games cost as little as 5 cents to play. Every game includes a Demo mode so that you can try before you play with real money.
Some games have fixed top prizes and others have Progressive Jackpots that can be won.
West Virginia Lottery Scratch Offs
For those looking to go the more traditional route, the West Virginia Lottery has dozens of Scratch Offs across different denominations. Many of the top games at the time will be based on the closest holiday or the season that the games are released, but there are games that are played year-round as well.
In West Virginia, Scratch Offers range from $1 to $30 per play, with $2, $3, $5, $10, and $20 games available.
These can only be purchased at approved West Virginia Lottery retail locations.
West Virginia Casinos
There are five casinos in West Virginia governed by the lottery. That includes table games and slot machines (Video Lottery).
Those casinos are:
- The Casino Club at the Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs
- Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races in Charles Town
- Mardi Gras Casino and Resort in Nitro
- Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack, and Resort in Chester
- Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack in Wheeling
While the WV Lottery is open to players 18 and over, the casinos are only open to players 21 and over.
The Casino Club at the Greenbrier is restricted to hotel guests. The other four casinos are open to the public and also offer horse or greyhound racing.
West Virginia Sports Betting
The West Virginia Lottery does not have its own sports betting platform, however, it is in control of the state’s sports betting licenses.
West Virginia Lottery Mobile App
The WV Lottery App is the place to buy lottery tickets on mobile devices. Both the WV Lottery website and app are also connected to the PlayON Players Club, which is the home of the Rewards program for players. They can earn points, enter second-chance drawings, find out about upcoming promotions, and more.
Players can carry a real money balance in the WV Lottery Mobile App to purchase Powerball, Mega Millions, and Lotto America tickets, and play the iNSTANT games.
How To Claim West Virginia Lottery Prizes
The ways to claim West Virginia Lottery prizes are based on whether or not you are claiming a retail ticket or an iPlay online/mobile ticket.
For retail tickets:
Prizes up to $600 can be claimed at retailers, Super Cashers, Regional Offices, the WV Lottery Headquarters, or through the mail.
Prizes up to $5,000 can be claimed at Super Cashers, Regional Offices, the WV Lottery Headquarters, or through the mail.
Prizes of $5,001 to $999,999 can be claimed at Regional Offices, the WV Lottery Headquarters, or through the mail.
Prizes of $1 million or more can only be claimed at the WV Lottery Headquarters in Charleston.
For iPlay tickets:
Prizes of less than $600 are automatically deposited in your WV iPlay Lottery account.
Prizes of $600 to $25,000 must be claimed online and payment options will be presented after.
Prizes of $25,000 or more must be claimed in person at the WV Lottery Headquarters in Charleston or the regional office in Weirton.
Prizes of $1 million or more can only be claimed at the WV Lottery Headquarters in Charleston.
All prizes greater than $5,000 are subject to a 24% federal tax withholding and West Virginia has a state tax of 6.5%.
West Virginia Lottery Frequently Asked Questions
Can West Virginia Lottery Tickets Be Purchased Online?
Yes. Powerball, Mega Millions, and Lotto America can be purchased online, along with the ability to play iNSTANT games.
Jackpocket is also an approved online seller of WV Lottery tickets.
How Many West Virginia Lottery Retailers Are There?
There are 1,500 traditional lottery retailers and 1,200 video lottery retailers.
How Old Do I Have To Be To Play The West Virginia Lottery?
Players must be 18 years of age or older to play West Virginia lottery games, but 21 or older to play in casinos or on sports betting apps, which are governed by the WV Lottery.