Illinois (IL) Lottery Results & Winning Numbers

About the Illinois Lottery

The Illinois lottery was founded in July 1974. It is the official lottery of the state and is currently operated by Camelot Illinois. The lottery’s profits initially only went toward the Common School Fund. Later on, it also started funding the Capital Projects Fund and supporting causes like MS research, fight against breast cancer, Illinois veterans, etc.

Illinois Lottery Rules

If you are interested in playing the Illinois lottery, here are the rules you’ll need to follow:

• You have to be 18 years old or above;
• You need to be a resident of Illinois, be in the state at the time of purchase, and have an opened Illinois Lottery account to buy your lottery tickets online;
• You have to purchase tickets from a licensed retailer if you’re buying them in person;
• You must not be employed by the Illinois Lottery or involved in overseeing the drawings;
• You cannot be directly or indirectly involved in the management or operations of the Illinois Lottery;
• You cannot be related to or share a household with a person who works for the Illinois Lottery;
• You must not tamper with or sell the tickets.

List of Illinois Lottery Games:

• Powerball
• Mega Millions
• Lucky Day Lotto
• Lotto
• Pick 3
• Pick 4

Illinois Lottery Tickets

You can buy lottery tickets at one of the 7,200 retail locations in the state or via the lottery’s official website or app. Tickets for Powerball, Lotto, and Mega Millions can be purchased in advance for the next 25 consecutive drawings. You can buy Pick 3 or Pick 4 tickets up to seven days before the drawing date.

Those who have been lucky enough to win can claim their prizes within a year from the drawing — that is, a year from the date of the game’s closing in the case of Instant Tickets wins.

Powerball, Mega Millions, and Lotto winners have a 60-day window after the draw date to decide on the payment method and complete a cash election form. You can collect the form from one of the claim centers.

If the IL Lottery doesn’t receive the form in due time, you will receive the prize in annuity payments.

Can I Buy IL Tickets Online?

Yes, you can buy tickets online for Mega Millions, Powerball, LuckyDay Lotto, Lotto with Extra Shot, Pick 3, and Pick 4, as long as you follow certain rules. You should be at least 18 years old, an Illinois resident, and physically located in the state at the time of purchase. In addition, you will need to have opened an Illinois Lottery account.

Players can use the official site of the Illinois Lottery or the mobile app to purchase lottery tickets. However, Fast Play and Instant Tickets cannot be bought online.

Illinois Lottery Games and Drawing Schedule

Powerball

You can easily win millions of dollars by playing Powerball at the Illinois Lottery. All you have to do is choose 5 numbers from 1 to 69 and one Powerball number from 1 to 26. You can multiply your chances of winning with the Power Play option. Each play costs $2 and the drawings are held on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays at 9:59pm CST.

Mega Millions

Mega Millions has been a part of the Illinois Lottery game selection since it first appeared in 1996. Nowadays, Mega Millions is a favorite among players. To play Mega Millions, you have to pick five numbers between 1 and 70, as well as a Mega Ball number between 1 and 25. Each Mega Millions play costs only $2, but its progressive jackpot could see a lucky winner bag millions. For a dollar more, similar to Lucky Day Lotto, Mega Millions Multiplier option lets players make use of the same combination of numbers more than once. The Mega Millions draws take place every Tuesday and Friday at 10:00pm CST.

Lucky Day Lotto

For just a dollar per play, Lucky Day Lotto could bring you the big bucks. Lucky Day Lotto rules are simple: select five numbers between 1 and 45. Unlike Mega Millions, you can play Lucky Day Lotto one or more combinations once a day. If you’ve bought a Lucky Day Lotto ticket from a retailer, you can add EZMatch to it. This way, you’ll get a second set of five numbers printed onto your Lucky Day Lotto ticket and have an extra shot at winning up to $5,000 instantly. Lucky Day Lotto drawings are held daily, at 12:40pm and 9:22pm CST.

Lotto

This game gives you not one, not two, but three shots at winning. Each $2 play will enter your combination of six numbers between 1 and 50 into three separate draws. Plus, unlike Mega Millions if you add the Extra Shot option to your ticket, which will cost you a dollar more, you’ll be able to increase your winnings. You can play Lotto at the Illinois Lottery every Monday, Thursday, and Saturday at 9:22pm CST.

Pick 3

Pick 3 gives you an opportunity to win prizes twice a day. Unlike Mega Millions, with Pick 3, you can just pick three numbers between 0 and 9, the amount you’d like to wager — $0.50 for a prize of $250 or $1 for a $500 prize — a drawing time, and a playstyle. A few types of bets are available:

• Straight — With this playstyle, you’ll have to match the winning numbers in the exact order;
• Box — Here, it’s important to guess the winning numbers, regardless of their order;
• Straight/Box — Opting for this style means you need to match the numbers either in the exact order or in any order;
• Combo — This type of betting allows you to play all straight combinations on one ticket;
• Front pair — As you might have guessed, this style lets you match the first two winning digits in the exact order;
• Back pair — Contrary to the previous option, here you’ll need to guess the last two winning numbers in the exact order.

You can win in more than one way by playing the Fireball option, which doubles your wager and adds a bonus number drawn to your ticket. Pick 3 drawings take place every day at 12:40pm and 9:22pm CST.

Pick 4

Pick 4 Illinois Lottery game can make you up to $5,000 richer every day. Unlike Mega Millions, Pick 4 shares the rules with the previous game we’ve discussed, with one exception — here, you’ll need to choose 4 instead of 3 numbers from 0 to 9. Once again, the Pick 4 Fireball mode can boost your chances of hitting the grand prize. Just like with Pick 3, drawings occur daily, at 12:40pm and 9:22pm CST.

How to Claim a Lottery Prize in Illinois

The way in which you’ll redeem a prize depends on the amount that’s been won:

• Prizes worth $600 and less can be claimed at the IL Lottery retailer locations or mailed to the winners;
• Rewards from $601 up to $10,000 can be redeemed by scheduling an appointment at one of the claim centers, by mail, or via the E-Claim portal;
• You’ll need to claim the awards from $10,000 to $1 million by scheduling an appointment at one of the claim centers or by sending the necessary documents via mail;
• Rewards that exceed $1 million require you to call the Illinois Lottery Claims Department at (217) 524-5147.

In order to claim a prize, you’ll have to go through the following steps:

1. Sign the back of your lottery ticket to verify that you’re its rightful owner;
2. Fill in the claim form and the winner’s questionnaire that you can find on the Illinois Lottery official website;
3. Make copies of both your lottery ticket and these two documents for your own records;
4. If you’re claiming the prize by mail, send the lottery ticket and the two documents to the Illinois Lottery Claims Department, P.O. Box 19080, Springfield, Illinois 62794-9912. The documents should be mailed via registered mail with a return address;
5. If you’re claiming your reward in-person, you should schedule an appointment using the button provided on the lottery’s official When You Win page. When you come in, bring the completed claim form and winner’s questionnaire, your signed winning ticket, an ID, and a document verifying your Social Security Number;
6. Those using the E-Claim portal should fill in the e-claim form online and attach the rest of the mentioned documents to it.

If you’ve won online and your prize is under $600, it will be automatically transferred to your account. If you’ve won more than that, send all the mentioned documents via mail. Do not forget to add the information about the game, the amount you’ve won, and the fact that you have won online to the form.

Notable Winners of Illinois State Lotteries

Numerous people have had a sip from the Illinois Lottery’s well of liquid luck over the years. Here are some of the most recent winners:

• Robyn from Blue Island won $250,000 playing Sapphire 7s in February 2020;
• Todd from Bradley scored an amazing $188,888 on Great 8s scratcher in January 2020;
• Frederick from Joliet bagged $50,000 playing Powerball in October 2020;
• Phyllis from Chicago bought a $13,000 Pick 4 prize home in September 2020.

Illinois Lottery Scratch-Offs

You can become a winner in a heartbeat with the Illinois Lottery’s Instant and Fast Play tickets. The lottery features 20 different Instant tickets, whose prices range from $1 to $20, while the prizes reach up to $2,000,000. Besides the already available ones, the Illinois Lottery has announced a launch of additional holiday-themed tickets in the next couple of weeks. You can buy these at the retailer locations in the state — they are not available online.

Fast Play are tickets printed on demand at the retailer and don’t require you to select numbers or complete a playslip. You can notch a win within seconds by following the instructions that are printed on each ticket. The tickets have different themes, come at different prices, and promise different prizes, depending on the game. Here are the ones you’ll be able to find at the Illinois Lottery:

• Piggy Bank Bucks — For 1$ a ticket, you can win up to $5,000;
• Blackjack — A $5 ticket could bring you a massive jackpot;
• Quick spot — You can wager $1, $5, or $10 to win 10%, 50%, or 100% of the progressive jackpot, respectively. The more you wager, the higher the prize will be;
• Hot Dice — Up to $10,000 can be yours for a $5 ticket;
• Illinois Jackpot — If you pay $5 for this ticket, you can score a rolling jackpot.

Illinois Lottery Second Chances — What is Second Chance?

Second Chance drawings are promotional drawings that allow you to utilize your non-winning tickets to win different kinds of prizes. Currently, you can enter a Second Chance drawing with non-winning $10 Instant Tickets called Willy Wonka Golden Tickets.

How Does Second Chance Work for the IL Lottery?

To enter the Willy Wonka Golden Ticket Everlasting Million promotional drawing, you need to create an account on the Illinois Lottery official website and enter all your eligible tickets.

The promotional period lasts until November 1, 2021, and you can win a trip to Las Vegas, as well as get a chance to win a lifetime prize of $1 million a year. If you select the Animated Reveal, you could win the trip prize instantly.

Information on the Illinois Lottery

Illinois Lottery Office

You’ll find the Illinois Lottery offices and claim centers at these locations:

• Willard Ice Building, 101 West Jefferson Street in Springfield;
• 15 Executive Drive, Suite 3 in Fairview Heights;
• 200 S Wyman, Rockford in Rockford;
• 9511 Harrison St in Des Plaines;
• George W. Dunne Cook County Office Building, 69 W. Washington, Suite LL06 in Chicago.

Illinois Lottery Customer Support

In order to get in contact with the Illinois Lottery’s customer support, you can use these channels:

• Email: [email protected];
• Player hotline: 1-800-252-1775;
• TDD/TTY line: 1-844-207-7266;
• Retailer hotline: 1-844-806-8930.

In addition, checking the FAQ page on the Illinois Lottery’s official website can be equally useful if you’ve come across an issue or have a question.

Illinois Lottery Social Accounts

To stay up-to-date with all the Illinois Lottery news, you can follow these social media accounts:

• Twitter;
• Facebook;
• Instagram;
• YouTube.

Illinois Lottery Apps and Technology

You can access the Illinois Lottery website directly from your browser or via the lottery’s native mobile application. The app can be downloaded from the Apple Store for iOS devices and Google Pay for Android devices.

If you’re an Android user and your device has an Android system version 9 or below, you can download the app by clicking on a button on the lottery’s website. Just make sure to follow the on-page directions.

The Illinois Lottery App has the following key features:

• Scanner for your draw and instant tickets;
• Latest drawing information and results;
• News on the jackpot amounts;
• Your game history and information on whether you’ve won;
• Possibility to receive prizes under $600 in your bank account;
• More Options to manage spending limits, transfer winnings to your bank, or request checks;
• Email notification when you win.

Illinois Tax Information

The state of Illinois imposes taxes on lottery winnings above $1,000. The income tax rate is currently set at 4.95%. In addition, the winnings over $5,000 are also subject to 24% federal tax for both residents and resident aliens. If you’re a non-resident alien, the federal tax rate on your prize will be 30%.

The government will impose additional taxes on the winnings over $600 on those residents/resident aliens who refuse to provide their Social Security number.

Illinois Lottery FAQs

Are Illinois lottery rules different if you play online?

To be able to play the Illinois Lottery online, you have to be of age, a resident of Illinois, and within the state borders at the time of ticket purchase. Also, you need to have opened an Illinois lottery account. All games, except Fast Play and Instant Tickets, are available for purchase online.

How do I know lotteries listed on Lottery Critic are legitimate?

Our team collects all the information on lottery games, rules, and prizes from the official state lottery websites. We make sure to thoroughly check and revise everything before we present our readers with the final review. This kind of work and long-standing experience has made us the number one lottery source on the internet.

How long does it take to receive your prize if you win the Illinois lottery?

The pending periods are different depending on the amount you have won. If your prize is under $25,000 and you’ve decided to claim it at the claim center, you should receive it on the same day. Prizes over $25,000 will be mailed or deposited to you within 4 to 6 weeks. Conversely, if your prize is to be paid in instalments, you should receive your first payment in 4 to 6 weeks following the draw. You will be notified about the dates of your future quarterly and annual payments.

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