BATON ROUGE – The Louisiana Lottery Corporation reported more than $7 million in winning tickets for its draw-style games during December highlighted by three Easy 5 jackpot-winning tickets totaling $180,000. Also during December, scratch-off players claimed more than $15.6 million in cash prizes.

December’s draw-style game winnings included four Powerball match-4 + PB prizes totaling $200,000 and 52 Powerball match-4 prizes totaling $5,200. There were also four Mega Millions match-4 + MB prizes totaling $40,000 and 34 Mega Millions match-4 prizes totaling $17,000. One hundred eleven players won Lotto match-5 prizes totaling $103,601, helping to bring Lotto’s monthly total winnings to $536,963. Pick 3 winning tickets totaled $2,663,970 and Pick 4 winning tickets totaled $1,940,500. Easy 5 prizes totaled $324,167 with an additional $131,672 won on ezmatch, an instant-win option available for an additional $1.

“More than 34,000 Power Play purchasers won an extra $201,412 in addition to their regular Powerball prizes for a total of $356,140 in winnings,” Lottery President Rose Hudson said. “Also, nearly 24,000 Megaplier purchasers won a bonus total of $151,972 in addition to their regular Mega Millions prizes for $242,524 in total winnings.” The $1 Power Play option offers Powerball players the chance to increase any nonjackpot winnings. The $1 Megaplier add-on multiplies nonjackpot Mega Millions prizes by a multiplier number selected during the drawing. 

In total, draw-style game winnings from drawings held in December were $7,000,033. Lottery draw-style game players have 180 days from the date of the drawing to claim the winnings from those tickets. 

“We encourage players to sign the back of their tickets immediately after purchasing and to check them promptly after the drawing. Even if a ticket does not win the jackpot, it could have won another prize,” Hudson added.

In addition to $15,649,684 in scratch-off cash prizes paid during December, players also claimed $2,756,528 worth of free-ticket prizes. According to Lottery policy, scratch-off games are closed when all top prizes are claimed, and scratch-off players have 90 days from the official game closure date to redeem a winning ticket. A list of current scratch-off games, prizes remaining and claim deadlines can be found on its website, www.louisianalottery.com/scratch-offs.

In response to the COVID-19 health crisis, Lottery claims offices are open to the public by appointment only. Player prize payment options currently available can be found on the Lottery’s website at www.louisianalottery.com/claim.
 
While actual game performance and the amount of prizes claimed will vary from month to month, the Lottery allocated nearly 54.3% of sales to fund prizes in fiscal year 2020. Thirty-five percent of sales was transferred to the state treasury for the Minimum Foundation Program that funds K-12 public education in Louisiana. Retailers were paid 5.6% compensation and 5.1% was used to operate the Lottery.

Hudson reminded ticket purchasers to play responsibly, encouraging anyone who has a gambling problem, or friends and family of anyone with a gambling problem, to call toll-free 1-877-770-7867 for help.  Ticket purchasers must be at least 21 years of age.