Tri-State Lottery
Tri-State Lottery refers to terminal-generated games offered specifically by the Maine, New Hampshire, and/or Vermont lotteries. It was the first multi-jurisdictional lottery, with its first multi-state game (Tri-State Megabucks) in September 1985.[1] The compact (as of September 2017) includes five games: Megabucks Plus (drawn Wednesdays and Saturdays); Pick 3 and Pick 4 (both have "day" and "night" drawings daily, including Sundays), Gimme 5 (drawn Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays), and Fast Play (terminal-generated "instant" tickets); the latter are games that often differ among the three states. Megabucks Plus jackpot winners can choose cash in lieu of the annuity.
The Tri-State compact is not part of the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL).
Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont offer individual instant (scratch) games. (Scratch games currently are not offered through MUSL, although it created the former scratch game Midwest Millions.)
Prior to the Tri-State compact, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont individually operated online games, including pick-3 and pick-4 games. Maine currently offers a poker-style game that is drawn every few minutes.
With Maine (a MUSL member from 1990 to 1992) returning to MUSL in 2004, all three lotteries offer Powerball. Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont also participate in the 46-jurisdiction Mega Millions, which New Hampshire and Vermont joined on January 31, 2010, as part of both major games' cross-sell expansion. (Maine joined Mega Millions on May 9, 2010.) Maine and New Hampshire also offer MUSL's Hot Lotto (played similar to Mega Millions or Lucky for Life), which is offered by 14 lotteries; Vermont ended sales of Hot Lotto in May 2014. (Hot Lotto will end on October 28, 2017, with a new version of Lotto*America debuting on November 12, 2017; however, New Hampshire will not join Lotto America until January 2018, preferring to launch its version of keno.)
While Tri-State games are not directly part of MUSL, the Iowa-based organization assists with multi-jurisdictional games. Powerball is operated by MUSL, while Mega Millions is not. Mega Millions′ draws are held in Georgia, Lucky for Life draws are held in Connecticut, where the game began in 2009 as Lucky4Life, and Powerball draws are in Florida; the latter three games use traditional drawing machines and numbered balls. Lucky for Life became a "quasi-national" game in January 2015; as of September 2017 it is available in 24 states and the District of Columbia.
Mega Millions′s latest format change was in October 2013; it features a higher starting jackpot, and a potential second prize of $5,000,000 if its Megaplier is activated. Mega Millions basic plays remain at $1. (Mega Millions′ next format change will be in October 2017; plays will be $2 each, or $3 with the "Megaplier".)
The newest Tri-State draw game, Gimme 5, began on May 12, 2013. Gimme 5 draws 5 of 39 numbers; the top prize is $100,000 split among plays matching all five numbers.
Megabucks, whose original version began in 1985, became Megabucks Plus in July 2009, doubling the cost of a ticket to $2. Megabucks Plus is a double-matrix game as in Mega Millions and Lucky for Life; players select five numbers out of a field of 41, and a "Megaball" from a field of 6.
Tri-State drawings are held in New Hampshire. These drawings use "classic" numbered balls and drawing machines, except for raffles.
New Hampshire and Vermont allow subscription play for Megabucks Plus and Mega Millions; in the case of New Hampshire, it does not have a residency requirement for subscription play.
Notes
- "New Hampshire Lottery Commission : Megabucks". Archived from the original on 2008-06-27. Retrieved 2008-07-17.