What is the Colorado lottery?

Since it began in 1983, the Colorado lottery has grown from simply offering scratch cards to currently offering six games. For the first six years, scratch cards were the only option. However, in 1989, Lotto and Keno were added along with Cash 5 seven years later. At the turn of the century in 2001, Powerball was introduced and finally in 2010, Mega Millions became part of the Colorado lottery games available. Indeed, every time a game was added, sales shot up to record highs.

The Lotto game changed in September 2019. To win, you need to select the correct 6 numbers from a range of numbers. The original range of numbers was 1–42. However, in 2019, it was reduced to 1–40. Therefore, with fewer numbers to choose from, the player’s chance of winning was increased. Also, with Lotto Plus, players have even more ways to win.

Today, the internet has changed how things are done, and the Colorado Lottery is no different. Lotto lovers can now play Colorado Lotto and other USA lotteries online.

How do I play?

It’s easy to play each of the six games in the Colorado Lottery. Let’s look at each individually:

Powerball: This is a multi-state game with huge jackpots, which start at around $40 million. The jackpot keeps on growing until someone wins. You just need to choose one Powerball number from 1 to 26 and five numbers from a range of 1–69.

Mega Millions: This is another multi-state game, with jackpots starting at $15 million. Again, the jackpot will continue to grow until someone wins. Players choose 5 numbers between 1 and 70 and a Mega Ball number from 1 to 25.

Lucky for Life: Players choose 5 numbers ranging from 1 to 45 and one number from 1 to 18. They can win $1000 per day for life or $25000 a year for life.

Colorado Lotto +: Simply pick 6 out of 40 numbers. The jackpot starts at $1 million and keeps on growing until someone wins.

Cash 5: Choose 5 out of 32 numbers. If you’re lucky enough to match any of the numbers, you can win $500 instantly, but the biggest prize is $20,000.

Pick 3: The number range in this game is 0-9. You pick 3 numbers that can be different or duplicates. Then you choose your bet type and which draw you would like to enter. There’s a top price of $25,000.

How much can I win?

The amount you can win depends on the lotto you’re playing. Lotto, Colorado’s own jackpot game, offers players the chance to win at least $1 million — the value rolls over and increases after each drawing until it’s won. The ticket costs $2, and you can select six numbers between 1 and 40. If you match the total six numbers, you’ll get the jackpot.

On the other hand, Lotto Plus costs an extra $1. This is the second draw that occurs instantly after the main Lotto game. The same six numbers you pick will be entered into the Lotto Plus draw, and it has a top prize of $250,000.

Cash 5 also gives players the chance to win up to $20,000 every day of the week. The ticket costs $1 per line, and the draw takes place at 7:35 PM. For Cash 5, you need to select five numbers between 1 and 32. Other Colorado lottery games include Pick 3 and Lucky for Life.

Colorado lottery results

You can check the latest Colorado lottery results for Lotto Plus, Mega Millions, and Powerball to see if you won. Find all the information you need about Colorado lotteries here.

Strategy when playing the Colorado lottery

All the lottery games in this lottery are completely random. This means that they are games of chances. However, there are a few things you can do to increase your chance of winning. You can check out the statistics by studying previous draws and marking down the frequently picked balls. Also, you can use the lucky numbers’ strategy by selecting numbers that hold a sentimental value. It might be from birthdays, street numbers, or anniversaries. You can also go random or pick numbers that are above 31.

Benefits of playing the Colorado lottery

Apart from being a great form of entertainment, people who play the lottery contribute to local developments projects. In fact, the Colorado lottery proceeds provide funding for the State’s Conservation Trust Fund, which is used for recreation initiatives, parks, wildlife, and community construction projects.

Cons playing Colorado lottery Summary

The only disadvantage of playing Colorado lottery games is the risk of dependency. If players lose a lottery, they might go into debt to chase their losses. Therefore, players must consider the lottery as a form of entertainment, not as an income.

To play the Colorado lottery, players must be at least 18 years old. In addition, the lotto winners have 180 days from the date of the drawing to redeem a Powerball, Mega Millions, Cash 5, or Lotto game winnings. Also, Colorado taxes for US and non-US citizens and residents is 28% and 34%, respectively on winnings above $5,001.