Welcome to our FAQs page. Here you’ll find a list of our most Frequently Asked Questions and our contact information if you can’t find the answers you need.

The Rhode Island Lottery was established in 1973 through a Constitutional Convention. Tickets for the first game, The Lot, went on sale May 21, 1974. The first drawing was held at the State House on May 30. Since then, over $1.8 billion has been generated for Rhode Island and shared by all 39 cities and towns throughout the state, and over $5.8 billion has been awarded in prize payouts.

The Lottery staff consists of approximately fifty-five men and women who carry out or oversee all facets of Lottery operations.

Instant Games; On-Line games (The Numbers, Wild Money, PowerBall®, Keno, Million Dollar Raffle); and Video Lottery games. Video lottery terminals are available only at the state’s two pari-mutuel licensed facilities.

You must be 18 years or older to purchase tickets. All tickets must be purchased from authorized lottery retailers in accordance with Rhode Island Lottery legislative rules.

Drawings for the Daily Numbers and Wild Money are held at the WPRI-TV (Channel 12 locally) station. The Daily Numbers drawing is broadcast live Monday through Saturday at 6:59 PM and on Sunday at 6:29 PM. The live drawing and broadcast for Wild Money takes place at 7:29 PM on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The drawing hosts/hostesses are Communications students selected by audition from area colleges and universities.

The Rhode Island Lottery goes to great lengths to ensure the randomness of its drawings and to eliminate any possibility of a breach of security that could jeopardize integrity. All equipment used in the drawings is secured at the television drawing studio. For each game, multiple sets of balls are kept on hand and are chosen at random for the nightly drawings. Pretests are conducted prior to every drawing, and post tests are conducted following the drawings. This is done to ensure the randomness of the numbers – that no one digit is drawn more often than another. Each set of balls is periodically measured and weighed down to 1/1000 of a gram. The tests are conducted by engineers from the University of Rhode Island, and monitored by Lottery security staff.

In Rhode Island, Video Lottery is the legal use of player interactive gaming machines similar to those commonly known as “slot” machines in the casino industry. As of 1992, video lottery was approved, with restraints set forth by law, at two Rhode Island facilities – Twin River (formerly Lincoln Park) and Newport Grand.

The official winning numbers can be obtained through the Rhode Island Lottery headquarters. Call 1-401-463-7770 to verify. Numbers obtained through any Lottery retail location, newspapers, radio stations, or through this Internet site are believed to be accurate, however, the Rhode Island Lottery is only responsible for numbers obtained directly from the Rhode Island Lottery validation staff.

Additionally, you can join our free VIP club and opt to receive winning numbers by email daily.

All prizes must be claimed within one year of announced end of game for instant tickets. All prizes for on-line games (The Numbers, Wild Money, Keno and PowerBall®) must be claimed within one year of drawing date. Prizes from video lottery games must be claimed within one year of winning.

Yes, some Lottery prizes (e.g. PowerBall®) can be shared. This decision must be made at the time of claim. Some restrictions do apply. In the past, only one check could be issued, but now as a result of system updates, the Rhode Island Lottery is capable of issuing individual checks and W2G’s. Each individual must be present with a picture id and social security number. If all parties are not present, a check will be issued to one person and then he or she would be responsible for dividing it amongst the party, as was done prior to the system update. The individuals and their respective shares are reported for tax purposes. Remaining PowerBall® annuity checks are sent to each individual.

Yes. The Lottery must withhold federal and state taxes from each prize over $5,000.00. The Lottery withholds 25% for federal taxes and 7% for RI State taxes. Out-of-state winners are responsible for reporting the income in their respective states. Non-US residents’ prizes are subject to federal back-up withholding. For prizes above $599.00, winners will receive a W-2 tax form.

The Rhode Island Lottery is not responsible for lost or stolen tickets. Protect yourself by signing the back of your tickets, and include your address and social security number. Lottery tickets are bearer instruments. Unless signed, anyone in possession of a winning ticket can collect the prize.

Powerball® is currently offered in: Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, US Virgin Islands, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

No, you may choose cash or annuity up to 60 days after claiming a jackpot. Internal Revenue Service rules govern this issue. At one time, the annuity or cash option was required at the time a ticket was purchased. After the enactment of Internal Revenue Code section 451h, a player now may switch from annuity to cash – or vice versa - within 60 days of claiming a jackpot.

The annuity amount is the value of the cash amount invested in securities over 30 years.

In case of a winner’s death, the Rhode Island Lottery will continue to pay the annual payments, as scheduled, to the winner's estate, trust or person(s) named in his or her will. The Lottery does not keep the money; the state does not take it. It is possible for legal action to be taken to have the lump cash sum remaining in an annuity to be made payable to the estate. The Lottery recommends that all jackpot winners consult a financial advisor and competent attorney as soon as possible.

The profits from PowerBall® tickets sold in Rhode Island stay in Rhode Island.

Six Rhode Island players have won PowerBall® jackpots. The largest of those was a $151,900,000 PowerBall® prize won by Sheila Botelho of Swansea, MA, who bought a ticket at the Warren Mart, 428 Child Street in Warren, RI for the drawing held on November 28, 2007. The odds of winning for every ticket are exactly the same, regardless of the state in which it was purchased. Understandably, however, there will be more winners in areas of greater population because of increased participation level.

In general, revenues from all Rhode Island Lottery games are divided as follows: 67.9% prize awards; 18.3 % General Fund; 13.2 % commissions; 0.6% lottery operations and other costs. Of the money that is placed into the state’s General Fund, it is distributed among the state’s 39 communities for programs in Human Services, Education, General Government, Public Safety and Natural Resources. Additionally, certain funds are allocated to the Distressed Communities Relief Fund.

The Lottery, itself, has no authority over where proceeds are directed. Each year the Rhode Island Legislature appropriates money from the State’s General Fund among the state’s 39 cities and towns. The revenues from Lottery offer tax relief to residents while making it possible to implement and enhance programs in education, public safety, law enforcement, and human services for elderly and others in need.

No. Current law prohibits such sales. Also, federal interstate trade laws prohibit the sale of tickets across state lines. Tickets must be purchased at an authorized Rhode Island Lottery retailer location.

Lottery Retailers can pay prizes up to $599. Prizes over $599 must be claimed at Lottery headquarters. For prizes over $599, you must provide your photo identification and your Social Security number.

If your question isn't answered here, call the Rhode Island Lottery, 401.463.6500.

The Official Website of the Rhode Island Lottery Benefiting All Rhode Islanders Since 1974

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