The weather is warming up and so is the Illinois lottery. The largest Lotto jackpot in almost three years is waiting to be won by a lucky player. The grand prize is more than $16 million.
On Thursday night, the jackpot will be at least $16.1 million. This is the biggest Illinois lottery prize of 2023. Soon, it could surpass the previous record-high lottery jackpot in the Land of Lincoln, which was a $16.5 million payday in June 2020, according to lottery officials.
The Lotto jackpot had a few winners in April, but nothing since. This has helped the game reach its current $16.1 million grand prize.
The first was a $1 million Lotto 2 victory on April 2, and the second was a $1 million Lotto 1 ticket on April 13. According to the Illinois Lottery, the first winning slip was purchased online, while the other was sold at a BP gas station in Oak Forest.
How to try your luck with Illinois Lotto
Illinois Lotto tickets cost $2, and an Extra Shot can be purchased for an additional $1. This allows you to increase your non-top prize winnings. Tickets can be acquired online or at any participating retailer.
To play, you must select six numbers ranging from 1 to 50, or you can opt to receive a randomized entry. Matching all six digits scores you the jackpot, and getting the Extra Shot correct earns you a minimum of $5.
Lotto tickets can only be bought in the Land of Lincoln. Drawings take place on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday at 9:22 p.m. Ticket sales cut off each day at 9:15 p.m.
The odds of winning the Illinois Lotto jackpot are 1 in 15,890,700.
Where does Illinois Lottery money go?
Of course, if a lucky Illinoisan wins the record-setting Lotto jackpot, they won’t receive the full $16.1 million jackpot. They’ll receive a portion of the winnings while the rest goes to taxes.
According to the Illinois Lottery, 25 cents of each dollar spent on the lottery is contributed to public education, capital projects, and other special causes. Thanks to this system, over $24 billion in revenue has been given back to Illinoisans since 1985.
When it comes to winning tickets, the lucky individuals who hit it big get 65% of the grand prize. Then, 25% is transferred to the causes mentioned above. After that, the remaining 10% is divided equally to payout retailer commissions and selling bonuses, along with other expenses like operating costs.
