New and Improved Hot Lotto Debuts May 12

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – West Virginia Lottery Director John Musgrave announced Wednesday that the popular Multi-State Lottery Game Hot Lotto will undergo a change starting May 12.

Beginning on that date, federal and state income withholding taxes will be paid by the Lottery on the grand prize. If a player wins a $10 million jackpot, he or she will receive a payment of exactly $10 million. In addition, the jackpot will be paid in a cash lump sum only (no annuity option), and many prize amounts will be increased substantially – see chart below.

In the new Hot Lotto game, players will choose the first 5 numbers from a set of 47 numbers (instead of the current 39).   Players will continue to choose 1 number from a set of 19 for the Hot Ball.  Hot Lotto jackpots start at $1 million and continue to grow until someone wins. Each play costs only $1.  In addition to winning the jackpot, there are eight other ways to win playing Hot Lotto:
MATCH                                  *NEW HOT LOTTO                 CURRENT HOT LOTTO
Match 5 + Hot Ball                  Jackpot                                    Jackpot
Match 5                                  $30,000                                   $10,000
Match 4 + Hot Ball                   $3,000                                     $500
Match 4                                   $100                                        $50
Match 3 + Hot Ball                   $50                                          $50
Match 3                                   $6                                            $4
Match 2 + Hot Ball                   $6                                            $4
Match 1 + Hot Ball                   $3                                            $3
Match Hot Ball                         $2                                            $2                     
*Starting with May 15, 2013 drawing.

Not only are many prizes higher with the new Hot Lotto game, purchasing the Sizzler option for an extra $1 per play will still multiply all winnings by three on non-jackpot prizes.
Hot Lotto is currently played in District of Columbia, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont and West Virginia.
Hot Lotto drawings are held Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10:40 p.m. EasternTime. Players have until 9:59 p.m. on draw days to purchase Hot Lotto tickets.