Colorado Lottery

Colorado Lottery logo

The Colorado Lottery is run by the government of Colorado. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL).

The Colorado Lottery began on January 24, 1983, initially selling only scratch tickets. Its first drawing took place on April 23, 1983.^{[citation needed]}

Colorado Lottery games include Cash 5 (with a 5-of-32 matrix), Colorado Lotto, Mega Millions, and Powerball; it also sells scratch tickets. Colorado has offered fewer online games than most US lotteries even though it began in the early 1980s; Powerball was not available in Colorado until 2001. Colorado has never offered a "traditional" Pick 3 numbers game. Colorado joined Mega Millions on May 16, 2010, the same day as South Dakota.

Current Games

Cash 5

Cash 5 began in 1996. It draws 5 of 32 numbers. The top prize is $20,000.

MatchPlay

MatchPlay is drawn on Tuesdays and Fridays. Tickets are $2. Each ticket consists of three sets of six numbers. The first set can be chosen by the player or as a computer-generated "quick pick"; the second and third are always quick picks. Six of 38 numbers are drawn. Prizes are awarded based on either "line play", where the numbers appear in the same set, or "combination play", where the numbers are from different sets on the same ticket.

Lotto

On January 24, 1989, Colorado Lotto began. Initially it was drawn Saturdays. On July 18, 1990, Wednesday drawings were added. Six of 42 numbers are chosen. The jackpots begin at $1 million; games cost $1.

Powerball

Since 2001, Colorado has been a member of MUSL. Powerball's jackpots begin at $20 million; it is drawn Wednesday and Saturday nights.

Mega Millions

On October 13, 2009 the Mega Millions consortium and MUSL reached an agreement in principle to cross-sell Mega Millions and Powerball in US lottery jurisdictions. Most lotteries with either game began selling tickets for both on January 31, 2010. The Colorado Lottery Commission approved Mega Millions at its meeting in February. Mega Millions tickets have been sold in Colorado since May 16, 2010..

External links

• Colorado Lottery official site