Idaho Lottery

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The Idaho Lottery, begun on July 19, 1989, is run by the government of Idaho. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL). Fifty percent of all net funds are given to public schools while the remainder is pledged to the Permanent Building Fund which is used as a financial resource for Idaho's colleges and universities.

The Lottery paid out over $77.6 million in winnings to players in 2006 and total payments to all Idaho public schools and Idaho higher education from 1990 - 2006, were $333.5 million.^[1]

Games include Powerball, scratch tickets, and pull-tabs. In October 2007, Idaho joined the multi-state jackpot game Hot Lotto; it is unrelated to the pick-5 game called "Hot Lotto" available only in Idaho in the 1990s. As of June 2008, Idaho is the only Hot Lotto member that does not offer the "Sizzler" tripler option, which is similar to the Powerplay multiplier in Powerball. However, the Idaho Lottery Commission website has, for some sets of Hot Lotto winning numbers, mentioned that the "Sizzler" for that drawing was "0"; acknowledging that the Hot Lotto game now has its own multiplier, but that it is not currently available in Idaho (it is in neighboring Montana, as well as in all other Hot Lotto Group jurisdictions.)

Another difference between Idaho and other MUSL members is that Powerball winners have only a 30-day window after winning (instead of 60 days) in which to choose cash or annuity. Futhermore, Idaho starts the 30-day "clock" with the drawing, rather than when the ticket is claimed, in the case of Hot Lotto.