It all started for the Louisiana State Lottery in 1990 when state voters agreed to a proposal from the state legislature for a state lottery.
The idea behind the lottery was to generate and increase revenue for the state of Louisiana without having to increase any of the taxes.
It was deemed best to run the new state lottery using a corporate structure and so the Louisiana Lottery Corporation was created in 1990.
The very first game to be introduced was an instant scratch-off, “Louisiana Treasures”, which went on sale on September 6th 1991.
Louisiana Lottery’s first online game was the Louisiana Lotto which was introduced to the public in 1992 and since those beginnings it has been the primary game of the LA Lottery.
The Louisiana Lottery Corporation is also a ember of the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) and includes the Louisiana Powerball lottery amongst its portfolio of lottery games.
In addition to Powerball, other games that Louisiana Lotto offers include various scratch-off tickets, Easy 5, Pick 4, Pick 3 and the flagship game that we are going to look at here…the Louisiana Lotto…
Louisiana Lottery - Lotto – Overview
Louisiana Lotto is the traditional draw-style, lotto jackpot game of the LA Lotto. It is the premier game and is still going strong today 17 years after it was first introduced on January 22nd 1992.
The first Louisiana Lotto draw took place a few days later on January 31st 1992.
The jackpot for the Louisiana Lotto commences at $250,000 and “rolls over” each time the jackpot is not won. This is then added onto the following draw’s jackpot and increases in size each draw until somebody wins it when it will revert to the starting jackpot sum of $250,000 again.
The Louisiana Lotto uses a matrix of 6/40 and drawings of the game take place twice per week on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 9.30pm local time.
We are happy to recommend this particular lottery for inclusion in your “worth playing” list, so do check out below how the Louisiana Lotto works…
How It Works…
The Louisiana Lottery traditional Lotto game uses what’s called a 6/40 matrix which means that when playing the LA Lotto, you need to select 6 numbers from a pool of numbers from 1 to 40 – if you match all 6 numbers drawn then you will be a jackpot winner.
In addition to the jackpot itself, there are 3 more ways in which you can win in the Louisiana Lotto, with prizes to be won if you match either 5 of the 6 numbers drawn, 4 numbers or even just 3.
A “Quick Pick” facility is available when playing the Louisiana Lotto very much the same as the “Lucky Dip” option that is used in the UK National Lottery or Europe’s Euro-Millions or many other USA lottery games – which means that you can ask the lottery retailer or computer to randomly select all your Louisiana Lotto numbers for you.
So, playing the LA Lotto is simple…just select your own 6 numbers or request them to be randomly generated for you by selecting the “Quick Pick Box”.
The cost of each entry into the Louisiana Lotto is the standard entry charge of $1.00.
Random Number Generator
Along with a few other in-state and multi-state USA lottery games, the Louisiana Lottery make their draws using an automated drawing machine. Also known as a Random Number Generator (RNG), the Louisiana Lottery numbers are drawn using this method as opposed to the traditional way of using numbered balls drawn from a drum.
Who Can Play?
As with most USA Lottery games, previously only citizens living in the State of Louisiana were allowed to play in any of the Louisiana Lottery games including the Louisiana Lotto - you used to have to purchase your LA lottery tickets from an authorized retailer based in Louisiana itself.
Nowadays, though, there are a good number of online lottery ticket sales companies such as TheLotter who are both authorized and genuine - you are able to select your LA Lotto numbers online and purchase your tickets without worrying about where in the world you are living.
This is great news of course if you live outside of Louisiana and the U.S.A. and want to play the Louisiana Lotto and ensure your entry into the next draw or just want to have the ease & convenience of being able to buy lottery tickets online.
Once you have entered into the LA Lottery draw, you can then easily check your chosen Louisiana Lottery results online to see how you have done and to find out if you have become one of the lucky Lotto winners.
Unlike nearly all of the other USA lotteries, in Louisiana you will need to be 21 years of age to be eligible to purchase a ticket for any of the Louisiana State Lottery games including the Lotto.
“Cross-Over” sales information for all USA Lottery players in Louisiana…
The Muilt-State Lottery Association (MUSL) – who administer the POWERBALL game – and the Mega Millions consortium – who administer the MEGA MILLIONS game – have recently entered into an historic cross-sales agreement across the USA. All US Lotteries that previously sold POWERBALL tickets can now ALSO sell tickets for the MEGA MILLIONS game and vice versa.
This came into effect on January 31st 2010 – but as yet the Louisiana Lottery has not entered into the cross-over sales arrangement. This position may change, of course, in future months but in the meantime – USA Lottery players in Louisiana and around the world are STILL able to buy lottery tickets online for the MEGA MILLIONS as WELL as the existing POWERBALL.
Up until 1998, you could legally play any of the Louisiana State Lottery games at the age of 18. That year, however, this minimum age requirement was increased to 21 years to coincide with the minimum gambling age at casinos.
Even though the minimum age to play is 21 years, people can actually sell Louisiana Lottery tickets from the age of just 14 years.
The Louisiana Lottery aspires to have the highest level possible of public trust and accountability. To this end, various top administrative and governmental bodies including the Governor of Louisiana oversee the running of all aspects of the LA Lottery.
You can check on the Louisiana Lotto results on the following local television networks who broadcast them each week: KALB, Cox Cable, KLFY, KVHP, KARD/FOX 14, WWL and KTBS.
A second drawing per week for the Louisiana Lotto was introduced on December 4th 1996 and the starting jackpot figure was decreased from $500,000 to $250,000 at the same time.
The overall odds of winning a cash prize on the LA Lotto was reduced from 1 in 655 right down to 1 in just 30 on April 19th 1998.
On July 1st 2002, the Louisiana State Lottery moved its Headquarters to its current base at 555 Laurel Street, Baton Rouge.
What Are The Odds?
The odds of winning on the Louisiana Lotto are very favourable when compared to many of the US lotteries, especially the Multi-State offerings of Powerball and Mega Millions.
The chances of winning an LA Lotto jackpot are 1 in 3.83 million – for these odds you could be one of the Louisiana Lotto jackpot winners.
For one of the prizes on the second level, the odds come in at 1 in 18.81 thousand.
The likelihood of winning a third tier prize comes in at 1 in 456 and for a prize on the fourth tier the odds are reduce right down to just 1 in 32.
The overall odds of you winning any prize in a Louisiana Lotto draw are a very reasonable 1 in just 30.
These are great overall odds for a jackpot game that produces thousands of cash winners every week.
Record Jackpots…
The largest jackpot the Louisiana Lottery has produced was $31 million on January 9th 1993. This was won by two lucky lottery winners, Kimberly D.Hall of Bon Wier, Texas and the Roland and Marion LeBeouf Family Partnership of Houma who shared the winnings.
The LA Lotto’s largest single-ticket jackpot win was $21.2 million on September 26th 1992. This was won by The Robert H. LeBas Family Partnership from Church Point who held the only winning ticket.
On June 1st 1996, the largest lump sum to be won on the Louisiana Lotto was the $15.6 million jackpot prize that was scooped by Timothy M. Smith from Marrero.
How Are Jackpots Paid?
Since 17th June 1995, the Louisiana State Lottery has not offered choices for jackpot winners to receive their winnings as either cash lumps sums or annuity payments. So if you win the Louisiana Lotto jackpot you will automatically be paid your winnings in the form of a cash lump sum.
You will need to claim any Louisiana Lotto prize, including the jackpot, if you are a winner, within 180 days of the draw taking place.
If your Missouri Lotto win is up to $600 you will be able to claim your prize from any of the many Louisiana Lottery retailers across the state or from one of the Louisiana Lottery offices.
If your win is more than $600 then you will be able to claim your prize at any Louisiana State Lottery office - though if you are playing online, whatever your win, this will not be a concern for you, as your lottery ticket agency will take care of all this for you.
If you are a lucky jackpot winner of the Louisiana Lotto, you will need to will need to make your claim at the Louisiana Lottery Headquarters in Baton Rouge.
Of course, if you decide to play lottery online with a company like TheLotter an accredited lottery ticket sales agency, you will not have to be concerned with any of this as they will look after everything for you.
How The State Benefits…
The state of Louisiana benefits from people playing its lottery games in many ways – since 2003 the bulk of its proceeds have been going towards public education within the state, funded by the Minimum Foundation Program.