Lotto South

Lotto South was a game in Georgia, Kentucky, and Virginia. It resulted from the merger of three smaller jackpot games in September 2001. This was done to increase the size of the jackpot by pooling them. Oddly, the 6/49 matrix of Virginia's game was not expanded.

Drawings took place at WTVR-TV studios in Richmond, Virginia. It was drawn Wednesdays and Saturdays. Drawing time was 11:00PM Eastern. Jackpots started at $2 million and increased if no winner. It was administered jointly by the three states.

Its record jackpot was $27 million won on December 31, 2005.

In January 2006, it was announced that the game would be retired; its final drawing took place on February 25. The jackpot was not won; the lower tier prizes only doubled, instead of rolling down the entire prize pool. The three lotteries kept the rest of the money.

Unlike Lotto South, in which all jackpot winners could choose cash (the vast majority did), its replacement does not offer a cash option. That game, in turn, may be ending; Kentucky, a Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) member, is considering switching to Hot Lotto (a smaller version of Powerball) in its 2009 fiscal year. (The other two lotteries participate in Mega Millions.)