Massachusetts Lottery

Overview

The Massachusetts lottery was established in 1971, specifically on September 27th, after the legalization of gambling by the Massachusetts General Court.

This lottery is run by the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission, known by the acronym MSLC.

The lottery is administered by 5 members, including the Treasurer and Receiver General, Secretary of the Massachusetts Department of Public Safety, Controller and the Governor who designates the other two members.

Among the games that are available in this lottery are: Keno, jackpot poker, all or nothing, mass cash, mega millions and more.

In this article we will explain how to play in this lottery, how to claim a prize, how to contact the lottery, among other things.

Massachusetts Lottery Management and How The Money is Handled

Since the lottery’s beginning, it has generated more than $140 billion in revenue.

Of this revenue, more than $100 billion has been destined to prizes from all the games offered by the lottery.

On the other hand, like all lotteries in the country, the Massachusetts Lottery gives part of its revenues to the Commonwealth, which provides local aid to cities and towns. Over the years it has returned more than $30 billion to this cause.

As well, a portion of the proceeds have also gone to commissions and bonuses from the state’s network of retailers. They have allocated at least $8 billion to this.

Expected Return for Massachusetts Lottery

The first thing to note is that the RTP varies according to the game being wagered on.

Now, if the customer plays an instant win ticket that has an RTP of 50%, the player should expect to lose $0.50 per ticket, if the ticket costs $1.

The more tickets that are purchased the more return that player can expect back. Consider that it is unlikely to win half and lose half the value of the ticket.

How to Play Lottery Games in Massachusetts

The Massachusetts Lottery offers a wide variety of games for its customers, so they can choose the one that most appeals to them.

To bet on any of the games you must be 18 years of age or older.

Among the games offered are the following:

  • All or Nothing: In this game the customer must choose 11 numbers ranging from 1 to 22. The drawing takes place twice a day, once at 1:30 p.m. and the other at 9 p.m. The payback percentage is 48%.
  • Mega Millions & Powerball: These are two of the largest multi-jurisdictional lottery games in the world and are national lottery games. Mega Million tickets cost $2 and you must pick 5 numbers between 1 and 70, with a sixth number between 1 and 25. In Powerball you choose 5 numbers between 1 and 69, with another number from 1 to 26.
  • The Numbers Games: This game is similar to pick-four and the ticket starts at $0.25. Players must pick four numbers between 0 and 9. The drawing is done twice a day, the first one is around 1 p.m. and the other one around 8 p.m.
  • Megabucks Doubler: The ticket for this game costs $1. Megabucks Doubler consists of selecting 6 numbers between 1 and 49, up to 14 drawings can be played with the same numbers. The drawing is held every day before 11 p.m.
  • Mass Cash: It is a classic style drawing game where you pick 5 numbers, hoping to match between 3 and 5 to win. The ticket costs $1 and the drawing is every day after 10 p.m.
  • Keno: To play Keno the player must place a bet between $1 and $20 on each game. The customer must choose how many numbers to bet on between 1 and 80. He then selects how many consecutive games he wants to play (up to 20). This lottery gives the results of this game at least 200 times a day because the results are every 5 minutes.
  • Lucky for Life: The ticket for this game is $2 and the drawing is daily. Players choose 5 numbers between 1 and 48. In addition they can choose another number (Lucky Ball) between 1 and 18.
  • Scratch-Off Tickets: Tickets for this game are in: $1, $2, $5, $10, $20 and $50. The higher the denomination of the ticket, the higher the probability of winning a prize.
  • Charitable Gaming: The Commonwealth conducts charitable games such as bingo, casino night and raffles. These games are programs run by non-profit organizations to raise money and entertain the community. To learn more about ticket values, drawing schedules or RTPs for each game you can visit the lottery’s website.

How to Buy Lottery Ticket and Claim Prizes in Massachusetts

Tickets for this lottery can only be obtained from official lottery retailers, of which there are more than 7500 in total.

On the website there is a tool called “Locator Finder” where you can find the retailer closest to you.

Now, as for claiming prizes, the process varies according to the amount to be withdrawn.

  • For prizes of $599 or less you can withdraw with any lottery retailer or by mail.
  • For prizes from $600 to $100,000 you must visit a Massachusetts lottery office. You may also pick up prizes by mail.
  • For prizes over $100,000 you must visit the Dorchester main office.

For more information, please visit the lottery’s official website.

How to Contact the Massachusetts Lottery

The Massachusetts Lottery has several ways to contact them, including the following:

And the Dorchester office address is 150 Mount Vernon Street, Dorchester, MA 02125-3573.

Summary of the Massachusetts State Lottery

The Massachusetts lottery has a great variety of games to offer to its customers, of which several are of excellent quality and offers a high RTP to its players.

In order to place any bet with this lottery you must buy tickets at authorized retailers, be over 18 years old and have a valid ID. It is also important to evaluate the risk of betting as in any other company.

This lottery is considered one of the best since the day it opened and this can be confirmed based on the revenues it has had over the years, of which a percentage goes to positive causes in the community.