Illinois Lotto

The Illinois Lotto is a raffle contest that offers multi-million jackpot prizes. With drawings held three times a week, this lottery has a jackpot which starts at $2 million and progressively increases when no one matches the winning numbers. Players get to enter the draws which are held every Monday, Thursday and Saturday at approximately 9:22 PM CST.

How to Play Illinois Lotto

If you’ve experienced playing traditional-style lotteries before, then learning how to play Illinois Lotto will be easy for you. All you have to do is visit your favourite lotto retailer or buy your tickets online. The only challenge is choosing six numbers from of a pool of 52. After all, just by pressing a couple of buttons, you can possibly come up with the number combination that will bring you your dream, massive jackpot. You can compare the most common Illinois Lotto numbers with the digits that rarely come up in the drawings. There are a lot of lotto number statistics you can find online which you can use to come up with your ideal number combination.

However, if you are having trouble choosing your lotto numbers, you can always opt for the Quick Pick feature. Mark the QP box and the computer will randomly select numbers for you. You can also use an Illinois number generator which you can easily find online. Tools like these are typically free for you to use and they will eliminate the hassle of coming up with your own numbers. Finally, do not forget to submit your ticket by 9:15 PM CST so you can join the day’s drawing.

Special Features of the Illinois Lotto

While the Illinois Lotto follows the traditional lottery style, it still has some extra features that can help players increase their chances of winning. Take a look at the following so you can tip the odds a bit to your favour.

Extra Shot

By paying an additional dollar, you can take advantage of the Extra Shot feature. By activating this feature, you will be given a random number between 1 to 25 which will be printed on your lotto ticket. By hitting the Extra Shot number, you will get an additional chance to win non-jackpot prizes. You can add this feature to all the games played on your lotto ticket. However, do note that this cannot be added to individual panels on your lotto ticket.

Multi-Draw

If you have a favourite set of numbers, you can take advantage of the Multi-Draw feature. You can play the same digits for two to 15 consecutive drawings. All you have to do is mark the number of drawings you wish to play in the section which you can find at the top of the Illinois Lotto ticket. On the other hand, when you choose to purchase tickets online, you can play up to 25 consecutive drawings. Just remember to convey the number of drawings to the online lottery shop. Keep in mind that each game you play will cost you a dollar.

Some Background on the Illinois Lottery

The Illinois Lotto first brought excitement across the state on 1 July 1974. The lottery used to sell “passive” games through its weekly drawings in its initial years. In its first year, sales went over $129 million. However, in the following years, Illinois Lotto sales began to falter. The lottery was able to recover by introducing new features like Pick 3. When this was introduced in 1980, sales went up to $164 in one year.

The Illinois Lotto currently serves as a fundraiser for worthy causes like breast cancer and MS research, assistance for people living with HIV-AIDS and support for war veterans. A big chunk of the lottery proceeds goes to the state’s Common School Fund which supports kindergarten through 12th-grade education as well as the state’s Capital Projects Fund which finances construction of bridges and roads. Every year, Illinois K-12 students and classrooms receive almost $670 from the Lotto revenue.

Playing Illinois Lotto Online

You do not have to step out of your home just to play Illinois Lotto. Nowadays, there are online lottery shops which feature this game so you can conveniently buy your lottery tickets online. They will purchase the ticket for you, scan it and then post it to your account. If you win, they will even notify you via email or SMS. In case you win a massive jackpot, they will even arrange for you to claim the prize in person.