About the New Mexico Lottery

Founded in 1996, the New Mexico Lottery is operated by the New Mexico Lottery Authority and monitored by the Legislative Finance Committee. The total sum of this lottery’s net proceeds goes towards the Legislative Lottery Scholarship program. So far, more than $920 million has been raised and awarded to New Mexico students.

New Mexico Lottery Rules

Those interested in participating in the New Mexico Lottery draws can do so by following these rules:

• You must be at least 18 years old to purchase New Mexico Lottery tickets.
• You can buy tickets from Lottery retailers across the state, gas stations, convenience and grocery stores.
• You should sign your ticket as proof that you are its rightful owner.
• You must not forge, alter, or in any way tamper with the tickets.
• You have to claim your prize within 90 days from the draw date or the announced end date of the game.
• You cannot stay anonymous as an NM Lottery winner. According to the policy adopted by the New Mexico Lottery’s Board of Directors, the Lottery must release the winner’s name, city of residence, and prize amount upon request.

New Mexico Lottery Tickets

If you are 18 years old or more, you can buy a New Mexico Lottery ticket at any authorized retail locations in the state, including some grocery and convenience stores and gas stations. The tickets stay valid for 90 days after the draw or the closing date of the game.

Can I buy NM tickets online?

No, you cannot. The New Mexico Lottery doesn’t sell tickets over the internet currently.

New Mexico Lottery Games and Drawing Schedule

Powerball

This multi-state game features a rolling jackpot that can be yours in a few simple steps. Select five numbers from a pool of 1 to 69 and one Powerball number from a pool of 1 to 26. Each ticket costs $2 per play, but you can multiply your prize up to 10 times using the Power Play feature for a dollar more. Plus, if you add Multi-Draw to your ticket, you can entering up to 20 draws in a row. Powerball numbers are drawn every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 8:59 p.m. MST.

Mega Millions

Mega Millions is another progressive jackpot game that can bring you the big bucks. To play, you need to choose five numbers between 1 and 70 and one Mega Ball number between 1 and 25. You can multiply your winnings by adding the $1 Multiplier option to your ticket and/or enter up to 20 consecutive draws with Multi-Draw mode. Mega Millions tickets cost $2 per play, and the draws take place on Tuesdays and Fridays at 9:00 p.m. MST.

Lotto America

For a dollar per play, a Lotto America ticket can make you outrageously rich in a day. To get your shot at the top prize, you need to select five numbers from 1 to 52 and one Star Ball number from 1 to 10. If you pay an extra dollar, you can increase your winnings with the All Stars Bonus option. Once again, the Multi-Draw mode allows you to participate in up to 20  draws in a row. Draws occur on Wednesday and Saturday at 9:15 p.m. MST.

Roadrunner Cash

This NM Lottery game features a jackpot that starts at $25,000 and rolls until it’s won. It can be yours if you pick five numbers between 1 and 37 and match them to the winning numbers. Tickets cost $1 per play, and you can enter up to 14 consecutive draws with Multi-Draw. Roadrunner Cash draws are held every day at 9:30 p.m. MST.

Pick 3 Plus

Players can bag amazing prizes with the NM Lottery’s Pick 3 Plus twice a day. You have to choose three numbers from 0 to 9, a bet type, and a draw time to participate. Available playstyles are:

• Straight — You’ll need to match the winning numbers in the exact order with this bet type.
• Box — This playstyle lets players match the winning numbers in any order.
• Straight/Box — You can match the drawn numbers in either the exact or any order by opting for this type of bet.
• Combo — This one allows you to place a straight bet on all possible combinations of the numbers you’ve selected.
• Front Pair — You have to match the first two digits in your number combination to the drawn numbers if you opt for this playstyle.
• Back Pair — Here, you have to match the last two digits in your combination to the winning numbers.

This game’s Advance Play mode offers players a chance to select specific future draws they'd like to enter. On the other hand, its Multi-Draw feature lets them enter up to 14 draws in a row. The price of tickets depends on the bet type you go for — they range from $1 to $6. Draws occur daily, twice a day at 1:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. MST.

Pick 4 Plus

The NM Lottery’s Pick 4 Plus features the same rules as Pick 3 Plus, with two exceptions. Players must pick four numbers from 0 to 9 instead of three to participate. Because of the number of digits, Pick 4 Plus also has an additional bet type on offer.

Besides the above-mentioned six playstyles, you can select the Middle pair. This bet type allows you to match the middle two digits of your number combination to the winning numbers. Tickets prices range from $1 to $24, depending on your choice of bet type. Draws take place at the same time as the Pick 3 Plus ones.

How to Claim a Lottery Prize in New Mexico

To redeem your prize, do the following:

1. Winners of prizes worth $600 or less can claim them at licensed retail locations in the state or by mail.
2. Winners of prizes worth from $601 to $99,999 can redeem their winnings at the NM Lottery headquarters or by mail.
3. Winners of prizes valued at $100,000 or more must redeem them in person at the NM Lottery headquarters.

Those who choose to mail in their claims need to send their original signed ticket and a completed claim form (for prizes worth $601 or more) to New Mexico Lottery, P.O. Box 93190, Albuquerque, NM 87199-3190. You can download the English and Spanish versions of the claim form from the New Mexico Lottery’s official site.

Notable Winners of New Mexico Lotteries

The New Mexico Lottery made many lucky participants smile over the years. Let’s take a look at some of the most recent winners:

• Dane Smedley from Portales brought a $200,000 home in September 2021, courtesy of the NW Lottery $200,000 Fortune scratcher.
• Judith Baldonado from Albuquerque got a Powerball prize package in August 2021.
• Arthur Hollars from Los Lunas scored $102,001 by playing Roadrunner Cash in May 2021.
• H. Ben from Shiprock won a whopping $1,000,004 playing Powerball in January 2021.

New Mexico Lottery Scratch-Offs

Lottery enthusiasts looking for ways to have fun and win prizes instantly should try their luck at the New Mexico Lottery’s scratch cards and Fast Play tickets. The NM Lottery collection offers tickets with different themes, playstyles, and features at many different price points.

Depending on the game, the NM Lottery scratchers cost from $1 to $10 and can win you up to $200,000 in cash. You can find these tickets at any of the 1,100 retail locations throughout the Land of Enchantment.

The New Mexico Lottery also offers a variety of Fast Play tickets. These instant games come with already created number combinations and a printed set of rules. So, you can play and win prizes in a matter of seconds. The NM Lottery Fast Play tickets come at different prices, starting at $1.

New Mexico Lottery Second Chances — What Is Second Chance?

Second Chance draws represent draws that give players another chance at winning prizes with their non-winning tickets. The New Mexico Lottery often hosts promotional Second Chance draws that are time-limited or holiday-themed. These bonus draws promise numerous diverse rewards to their winners — from cash and merchandise to trips and vacation packages.

How Does Second Chance Work for the NM Lottery?

Players can currently enter one promotional Second Chance draw at the New Mexico Lottery called Show Me Second-Chance Promotion. They can take part in six separate draws with any eligible non-winning Show Me $30,000!, Show Me $50,000!, or Show Me $100,000! scratcher tickets. These will grant participants three, five, or ten draw entries, respectively. When it comes to top prizes, the Show Me Second Chance promotion features five trip packages and one $100,000 cash prize.

To enter these kinds of NM Lottery Second Chance draws, you should first join the Promo Zone program at nmlottery.com. Then, you’ll need to enter the 12-digit ticket number from the back of the ticket and the 10-digit entry number located on the front of the ticket into your account. The maximum number of tickets you can enter every day is 50.

Information on the New Mexico Lottery

New Mexico Lottery Office

You can find the NM Lottery headquarters at 4511 Osuna Rd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109.

New Mexico Lottery Customer Support

Should you happen to have any issues, you can contact the New Mexico Lottery via the following channels:

• Phone: 505-342-7565
• TDD: 505-342-7535
• Email: [email protected]
• Mailing address: PO Box 93130, Albuquerque, NM 87199

New Mexico Lottery Social Accounts

To keep abreast of the latest New Mexico Lottery news and updates, you can follow their Youtube channel.

New Mexico Lottery Apps and Technology

Players can also access the NM Lottery using the lottery’s native mobile app. The app is compatible with both iOS and Android devices and available for download in Apple and Google Play stores.

The New Mexico Lottery App has the following key features:

• Scanner for entering promotional draws
• Information on eligible games, drawing schedule, and past winners
• Option to get email and/or text alerts about jackpots, winning numbers, and big winners
• Entry history

New Mexico Tax Information

The Law obliges New Mexico Lottery to withdraw 6% in state taxes from all prizes over $600 and 24% in federal taxes from all prizes over $5,000.

New Mexico Lottery FAQ

Are New Mexico lottery rules different if you play online?

You cannot play any NM Lottery games online.

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

The information you can find in our reviews comes exclusively from the official state lottery websites. We make sure to take note of every change on these sites when it comes to games, jackpots, winning numbers, odds, and payouts and update all our articles regularly.

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

You can redeem tickets worth $600 or less at one of the retail locations in the state and receive your prize immediately. Prizes valued at $1 million or more take around three weeks or more to process.

Jackpot prize winners have an option to choose whether they want to receive their prize in annuities or one lump sum. If they choose the former, they will get their prize in 30 payments over 29 years. On the contrary, if they pick the latter, they will receive only one payment in the cash value of the annuity prize.

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