The Georgia Lottery is middle aged as far as American Lotteries go, and since 1992 the Peach State has formed a spectacular portfolio and reputation of stellar games and all shape and sizes. We’ll guide you through the ones with the best odds for the best payouts, and keep you informed of those immense jackpots. The Georgia Lottery actually takes in over $1 Billion annually. That’s huge! There’s a heap of lotto opportunities to be had in the Peach State, with some huge prizes to be won, and we’ve compiled all the most important info surrounding the Georgia Lottery for your pleasure and leisure.

The Atlanta skyline.

Georgia has a lot of great Lottery games to wrap your head around, but don’t stress – we’ve gone along and selected the top games with the best odds for you to check out. There are the multi-jurisdictional heavy hitters, and also those fun little instant wins and local gems. From Draw Games, to Scratchers, we’ll take you through all the games available in Georgia. We’ll give you details on the important laws that relate to state lotteries, and take a look at the history and highlights of the GA lotto. We’ll make sure you’re well acquainted with the game types, draw times, winning numbers and the best odds out there.

The Various Georgia Lottery Games On Offer

Georgia has a plentitude of lottery games available. Lottery games mostly fall into two important categories – those tantalizing Draw Games, that have scheduled draw times and huge jackpots, and Scratchers, or Scratch Off tickets, that offer instant wins and lower odds, but significantly lower payouts (we think Scratchers’ are still pretty fun though!). Then of course there are those other alternative GA Lottery games that sit outside of these two main categories, we’ll take you through them later. First, here are the Georgia Lottery Draw Games!

Draw Games: GA Lottos with Immense Jackpots

A Draw Game is basically a number match game. You select a set amount of numbers from a range, and sometimes even select a bonus single number from a small range! People mostly tend to stick to a set of favorite number and don’t budge from them, that way they can (seemingly) improve their chances of winning. Numbers are then drawn at a later time by the lottery organizers. Match your numbers to win! Seem hard? The odds of matching all your numbers exactly are usually pretty high, as these lotteries offer huge jackpots. Check below for the draw times of the state’s main games.

Georgia Lottery Number Drawing
Game Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
10:00 PM 10:00 PM
9:59 PM 9:59 PM
9:00 PM 9:00 PM 9:00 PM 9:00 PM 9:00 PM 9:00 PM 9:00 PM
11:34 PM 11:34 PM 11:34 PM 11:34 PM 11:34 PM 11:34 PM 11:34 PM
11:00 PM 11:00 PM
12:29 PM 6:59 PM 11:34 PM 12:29 PM 6:59 PM 11:34 PM 12:29 PM 6:59 PM 11:34 PM 12:29 PM 6:59 PM 11:34 PM 12:29 PM 6:59 PM 11:34 PM 12:29 PM 6:59 PM 11:34 PM 12:29 PM 6:59 PM 11:34 PM
*Times Based on EST

As you can see from the table above, there is a nice varied schedule of drawing times for the Georgia Lottery Draw Games. There are bi-weekly drawings for the big jackpot Draw Games, and weekly drawings for those smaller, reduced prize games. Play 3 even has three draws each day, so you’ll never have to wait too long to see if you’ve won. We’ve broken down the best Georgia Lottery games for you below, so read on for our hot take.

Mega Millions: The Nationwide Gem

Mega Millions is a gem on the GA Lottery roster, being founded and drawn in the Peach State. Matter of fact, it’s one of those multi-jurisdictional lotteries that is a feature across the lottery-playing nation. Mega Millions jackpots can reach dizzying heights – sometimes into the area of $500 million! It’s simple enough to play – it’s a 5/70 game with a 1/25 ‘Megaball’, with the additional $1 option (on top of a $2 ticket) of getting up to a 5 times multiplier! Check the table for the odds and prizes below.

Matching Numbers Prize Amount Odds
5 + Megaball Jackpot 1:302,575,350
5 $1 Million 1:12,607,306
4 + Megaball $10,000 1:931,001
4 $500 1:38,792
3 + Megaball $200 1:14,547
3 $10 1:606
2 + Megaball $10 1:693
1 + Megaball $4 1:89
Megaball only $2 1:37

Powerball: Contentious in Georgia

Powerball is also available almost across the entirety of the United States. It’s a 5/69 game, with a 1/26 ‘Powerball’ bonus that gives the game its name. Georgia has had a tumultuous relationship with Powerball – after joining Powerball in 1995, the state was forced out of the game a year later, and only rejoined in 2010, due to some lottery corporation politics. Regardless, Powerball is a historical game. In 2018, the biggest jackpot was won, to the glorious tune of $1.54 billion! Maybe the state will house the next big winner.

Matching Numbers Prize Amount Odds
5 + Powerball Jackpot 1:292,201,338
5 $1 Million 1:11,688,054
4 + Powerball $50,000 1:913,129
4 $100 1:36,525
3 + Powerball $100 1:14,494
3 $7 1:580
2 + Powerball $7 1:701
1 + Powerball $4 1:92
Powerball only $4 1:38

Cash4Life: The Never-Ending Prize

Cash4Life is a daily regional lottery, covering a nice area of the Southeast of the US. It’s only been running in Georgia for a few years, but since beginning in 2016 its proved to be very popular – and for good reason. It’s a 5/60 game, with a super low 1/4 bonus! Also appealing about this regional GA lotto is the relatively low odds, when you compare it to the heavy hitters above. The prize is definitely something to write home about too. Win the top prize, and you’ll be bringing in $1,000 a day for the rest of your life!

Matching Numbers Prize Amount Odds
5 + Cash Ball $1,000/day for life 1:21,846,048
5 $1,000/week for life 1:7,282,016
4 + Cash Ball $2,500 1:79,440
4 $500 1:26,480
3 + Cash Ball $100 1:1,471
3 $25 1:490
2 + Cash Ball $10 1:83
2 $4 1:28
1 + Cash Ball $2 1:13

Fantasy 5: A Georgian Treat

Fantasy 5, like Cash4Life, is a daily drawing lottery with some significantly lower odds than the multi-jurisdictional ones. You only need to choose 5 numbers from 42 in order to win the rolling jackpot, which can get up to $1 million from time to time, so it’s worth checking out what the latest jackpot is, considering the low odds of this Georgia sweet peach. You can also pay an extra $1 on the ticket to play for a Cash Match, going in the running for an instant win and increasing the overall odds of returning a prize.

Matching Numbers Prize Amount Odds
5 Jackpot 1:850,668
4 $204 1:4,598
3 $12 1:128
2 Free Ticket 1:11

Jumbo Bucks Lotto: Cash Match for Better Odds

Jumbo Bucks Lotto is a Georgia specialty. Simply choose 6 numbers from 47 and match to win. What’s more, you can get a Cash Match for an extra $1, which matches your chosen numbers instantly to a print out draw of numbers, as well as giving you a random multiplier of up to 10X your Cash Match winnings, should you be so lucky! Buying a Cash Match ticket increases your overall odds of winning from 1 in 47.56 to 1 in 2.94.

Matching Numbers Prize Amount Odds
6 Jackpot 1:10,737,573
5 $500 1:43,649
4 $50 1:873
3 $5 1:50

Cash 3: Versatility at its Finest

For a simple lotto with gratifying multiple draw times each day, Cash 3 is the one to go for. The number selection is quite simple – just choose your favorite 3-digit number. You can wager your $0.50 or $1 ticket in a variety of ways. Straight requires you to match your numbers to the drawn ones exactly as they appear, while box lets you get a win from any number orderings, with extra dimensions added through requiring 2 digits be the same, or matching the front or back pairs.

Matching Numbers Prize Amount ($1 ticket) Odds
Straight $500 1:1,000
3-Way Box $160 1:333
6-Way Box $80 1:167
Front Pair $50 1:100
Back Pair $50 1:100
3-Way Combo $500 1:1,000
6-Way Combo $500 1:1,000
Straight/Box 3-Way $330/$80 1:333
Straight/Box 6-Way $290/$40 1:167

Top Georgia Scratchers with the Best Odds

Like many other states in the United States of Lottery, the Peach State offers its own spin on the humble Scratch Off ticket, or Scratcher. A Scratch Off ticket is one of those physical cards that you might have seen being picked up from local Georgian Lottery retailers. You scratch away at symbols on the card to reveal prizes beneath. There are a whole lot of Georgia Lottery Scratchers on offer, so we’ve gone through the lot and selected the ones with the best overall odds of returning a prize.

  1. Fastest Road to $1,000,000 (Odds: 1 out of 2.52)
  2. Billionaire Club (Odds: 1 out of 2.54)
  3. Royal Jumbo Bucks (Odds: 1 out of 2.55)
  4. $25 25th Anniversary (Odds: 1 out of 2.56)
  5. Jumbo Jumbo Bucks (Odds: 1 out of 2.56)

Check out those odds, they’re some of the best odds we’ve seen. Some states have a benchmark of about 1 out of 3 for their Scratchers, and the odds climb from there, but the state seems to have it pretty good. These Scratchers are a bit expensive compared to a ‘normal’ Georgia Lotto ticket, which usually go for $1 or $2. These range from $10 to $30, which is quite a lot, but considering the overall odds of returning a prize back into your hands, with think it’s definitely worth it.

Unique Georgia Lottery Games

Oftentimes the plethora of Draw Games and Scratchers can get a little dull, and we need some time away from these two standards of the GA Lotto in order to recharge the batteries and make it feel fun again. That’s where alternative lotteries come in – that is, Lottery games that don’t fit into either of these categories. Usually these games are creative and fun in their conception, and the Peach State is no exception. Georgia hosts a huge range of quality Diggi Games that are available online, such as Juicy Loot and Jumbo Bucks. These games offer a great variety of game styles that make winning even funner! You purchase these tickets and can win, all totally online from the comfort of your own home. You can even try them out before you play them for real money! This is handy as all the games have some pretty distinct game mechanics that you might not be familiar with. Georgia is one of the few states that offer this kind of online lottery!

Important GA Lottery Laws

As you already know, each state in the United States differs in terms of the laws that their citizens must abide by, and the same can be said for Lottery laws. What is legal in Georgia, might not be legal in other states, and vice versa. These regulations include legal age, taxes, anonymity and laws surrounding the playing of the Lottery online. Check out the table below for the breakdowns of these lotteries, so you can play the Georgia Lottery with full confidence.

Legal Age for Lottery Games: 18+
Tax on Winnings: 6.0%
Anonymity for Winners: No
Limit to Claim Win: 180 Days
Online Lottery: Yes

Let’s go through the Georgia Lottery laws in the table. First, the youthful residents can rest easy – they don’t have to wait until their 21 before they can play the Lottery, like many other states. Georgians only have to be 18 or older to play. Lottery winners in the state must pay a state tax of 6%, on top of the federal income taxes, which is average. Unfortunately, winners must have their identity on public record, which is unfortunate, as it can be a great asset to protect your identity and not attract any undue attention. Lottery winners have 6 months to claim their winnings, and finally, yes there is an online lottery, as we stated above.

Georgia Lottery History

The Georgia Lottery has been around since the early 90s, after being founded in 1992 under the Lottery for Education Act in order to channel funds and raise revenue for education in the Peach State. Since its foundation, the Georgia Lottery Corporation has raised over $21 billion for the state! The Lottery funds a couple of specific education matters: scholarships and grants for the state’s colleges and universities and Prekindergarten program, meaning that kids both emerging and entering adulthood are cared for.

Overview of the Georgia Lottery
Company: The Georgia Lottery Corporation Founded: November 1992
Headquarters: 250 Williams St NW #3000, Atlanta, GA Social Media: N/A
Website: www.galottery.com Biggest Win: $173 million

There have been a few big wins in Georgia’s history – it’s a lucky state, what can we say. The largest jackpot winner, Ira Curry of Stone Mountain, won half of a Mega Millions $648 million jackpot, taking the lump sum in lieu of taking annual payments. All in all, Georgia has made more than 750 people of its state millionaires in its history. Chances are there’s going to be a few more, maybe it’ll be you.

Conclusion

There you go, thanks for sticking with us till the end. We hope you’ve taken away as much as you can about the Georgia Lottery. There are that great selection of Draw Games and Scratchers, and a fantastic array of Diggi Games to get stuck into when you feel like an alternative roll of the dice, away from all those numbers and odds. Whenever you play your favorite numbers, don’t forget to check back here for all the Georgia Lottery winning numbers and results, and of course please head over to our homepage to see the results and overviews from all the other states.

Common Questions that People Also Ask

Just in case we didn’t answer all your pressing questions about the Georgia Lottery in our overview, scroll down below to take a look at some of the more common questions we get all the time. There’s never such thing as a silly question, and as always, it’s best to be as informed as possible before selecting those lucky numbers on your game of choice!

Which Georgia Lottery Draw Game has the best odds?

Our list of the state’s top Draw Games is a pretty good place to start to check out the best odds. When you want to judge a Draw Game by its odds, you might want to go for overall odds of getting a prize, or the odds of getting a jackpot. In our case, we think overall odds is the way to go, and in our opinion, Fantasy 5 is the one impossible to beat. It’s got great overall odds, and even has good jackpot odds to!

Which Georgia Lottery Scratcher has the best odds?

Scratchers, much the same as Draw Games, can be determined to be best by the overall odds of returning a prize. Of course, you might get lucky on a Scratcher with worse odds than the ones we’ve listed, but on the whole, we think you should stick with these ones, as expensive as they are, if you can fit it in to your budget. That’s why we think Fastest Road to $1,000,000 is the best Scratcher out there in the Peach State.

Can Georgia Lottery winners remain anonymous?

Unfortunately according to the laws of the Peach State , winners of the lottery have to declare their identity and have it, along with their town or city, be on public record. While this is regretful for the winners to avoid the public eye and scrutiny from a potentially envious public, this is done so the state can be as transparent as possible, proving that the winnings are going to real people. In the past, many lotteries in the United States had a bad reputation due to issues of corruption, and prizes were never paid out.

Can I buy a Georgia Lottery ticket online?

Yes, thankfully if you are a resident of Georgia, you can buy tickets online! Georgia is one of the few states that have legalized this incredibly useful aspect of the Lottery, and all you have to do is join the Players Club of the Georgia Lottery, and have an upgraded account. You can purchase tickets for many of the state’s games, such as Mega Millions, Powerball and Fantasy 5.

Is there a Georgia Lottery app?

Yes, there is a Georgia Lottery app! Simply head to your preferred app store and search for “Georgia Lottery” to find it. The app is free, and enables you to scan your tickets – both Draw Game and Scratcher – to see if they’re winners, check out the upcoming draw times, and check the Georgia Lottery winning numbers and results. If you’re a member of the Players Club, you can also purchase tickets to your favorite lottery there.

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