New Hampshire Lottery

Established in 1964, the New Hampshire Lottery (originally known as the New Hampshire Sweepstakes) is the second oldest lottery in the United States. (The Puerto Rico Lottery has been in operation since 1934.) New Hampshire's games include Mega Millions, Powerball, Hot Lotto, and numerous scratch tickets.

New Hampshire is now part of the Iowa-based Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL), having joined it in 1995.^[1] New Hampshire is also a member of the Tri-State Lottery, whose other members are Maine and Vermont. Established in 1985, the Tri-State Lottery was the nation's first multi-jurisdictional lottery.^[2] New Hampshire hosts these drawings. (Mega Millions draws are held in Georgia, while Powerball is drawn in Florida.)

All New Hampshire Lottery games require players to be at least 18 years old.

History

The New Hampshire Sweepstakes was approved by the Legislature in 1963, at the urging of Representative Larry Pickett, from Keene, who had proposed the idea five times over the previous decade. The initial three-member Sweepstakes Commission was sworn into office on August 1, 1963.

A special election, on March 10, 1964, allowed residents of New Hampshire's cities and towns to vote for or against the sale of Sweepstakes tickets. Only 13 of New Hampshire's 211 communities voted against the measure. Sweepstakes tickets went on sale two days later, on March 12.^[3]

Initially, the New Hampshire Sweepstakes was conducted by Thoroughbred horse races at Salem's Rockingham Park, with the winning numbers based on the races, rather than simply drawing numbers from a barrel or using ping-pong balls, to avoid violating US anti-lottery statutes.^[4] Tickets were sold mostly in New Hampshire's liquor stores.^[5]

Draw games

All of New Hampshire's draw games are shared with other lotteries. (The most recent New Hampshire-only drawing game was New Hampshire Cash Lotto.)

Multi-jurisdictional games

Mega Millions

Mega Millions became available in New Hampshire on January 31, 2010, the cross-selling expansion date whereby Powerball was made available in Mega Millions-only jurisdictions, and vice versa.

The current version of Mega Millions will be replaced by a dramatically different double matrix in October 2013, while retaining the name Mega Millions.

Powerball

New Hampshire joined Powerball in 1995. It is played in a similar fashion as Mega Millions.

Hot Lotto

Hot Lotto is drawn Wednesdays and Saturdays. Through May 11, 2013, Hot Lotto drew five white ball numbers from 1 through 39, and the "Hot Ball", numbered 1 through 19. Jackpots began at $1,000,000 (annuitized, with cash option) with minimum increases of $50,000.

The current version of Hot Lotto became available on May 12, 2013; game changes include an all-cash, "taxes-paid" minimum jackpot of $1,000,000. The advertised jackpot amount is "after withholdings" (net), rather than "before withholdings" (gross). Eight "white balls" were added, resulting in a 5/47 + 1/19 double matrix.

Tennessee became Hot Lotto′s newest member (then becoming the 16th) with the format change, while Vermont ended sales of Hot Lotto with the May 17, 2014 drawing. (Wyoming, whose lottery began in August 2014, is expected to add Hot Lotto in 2015.)

The New Hampshire Lottery is one of three that allow subscription play for Hot Lotto; New Hampshire is the only jurisdiction allowing Hot Lotto subscription play by non-residents.

Lucky for Life

In 2009, the Connecticut Lottery began Lucky4Life. Three years later, it expanded to become a regional game, now called Lucky For Life, played in six states. (The original 4+1 double matrix is now 5+1, as in the above Hot Lotto; Lucky for Life drawings remain in Connecticut.)

The present version began September 17, 2013; its first drawing was two days later. The game has a top prize of $1000-per-day-for-life (split by multiple winners); second prize is $25,000-per-year-for-life. Players choose 5 of 43 "white ball" numbers, and a green "Lucky Ball"; the latter from a second set of 43 numbers. Unlike in the previous versions, winners of a "lifetime" prize can choose cash in lieu of the periodic payments.

Lucky for Life, on January 25, 2015, is expected to become a quasi-national game, with up to 21 members. A new double matrix is expected.

Monopoly Millionaires' Club (future)

Monopoly Millionaires' Club will begin sales on October 19, 2014 in approximately 23 jurisdictions including New Hampshire. The game will be drawn Fridays. A game show for MMC ticket holders will begin in 2015.

Tri-State games

These games always are drawn in New Hampshire:

Pick 3 and Pick 4

Pick 3 and Pick 4 are numbers games played twice daily, including Sundays. Prices, prizes, and options vary.

Megabucks Plus

The original Megabucks, a "classic" six-number game, began in 1985. Megabucks became Megabucks Plus on July 26, 2009. As with Hot Lotto, Mega Millions, and Powerball, Megabucks Plus utilizes a 5+1 format; it draws 5 of 41 numbers from the first machine, and 1 of 6 from the second. Games cost $2; the minimum jackpot is $1,000,000. Drawings are Wednesdays and Saturdays.

A new version of Megabucks Plus will begin in March 2013, prior to the May 2013 overhaul of Hot Lotto (see above.)

Possible Tri-State instant game

A multi-lottery scratch game has been proposed; it would become available in 2012. It would be the nation's first multi-jurisdiction scratch game since Midwest Millions in Iowa and Kansas.

References

External links

• New Hampshire Lottery
• MUSL official site