A six-number lottery game, often having Pick-6 or Lotto as part of its name, is a form of lottery in which six numbers are drawn from a larger pool (for example, six out of 44). Winning the top prize, usually a jackpot, requires a player to match all six regular numbers drawn; the order in which they are drawn is irrelevant. Functionally, these games are similar to the five number class of games, although because of the sixth number that needs to be matched, the top-prize odds are longer. Therefore, six-number games generally offer a higher top prize. Six-number games often were the most popular kind of US lottery game before the multi-jurisdictional Powerball, Mega Millions and Hot Lotto began. (These games each draw six numbers; however, five are from one set, while a sixth is drawn from a second pool.) A player in Texas, for example, picks the numbers 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, and 45 in Lotto Texas, and plays the same numbers in Mega Millions (with "45" as their Mega Ball); both games draw the above six numbers in this order: 10, 20, 30, 40, 45, and 15. The player would win a jackpot-level prize in Lotto Texas; however, for Mega Millions, the player would win only $150 for matching four of the first five numbers (also not matching the Mega Ball), as "15", the sixth number drawn in both examples, is the Mega Ball.
A game called Lotto 6/49 continues as one of the two national lottery games in Canada (the other being the seven-number "Lotto Max").
Most US six-number games cost $1 per play; however, in recent years, some games have gone to a $2 price point. Several jurisdictions offer 50¢ plays; however, tickets for these games must be purchased in $1 increments. Most six-number games are drawn twice weekly, often Wednesdays and Saturdays.
One variant of six-number games generates three sets of six numbers each on a player's ticket. In addition to winning by matching enough numbers in at least one of the three plays, the player also wins if enough numbers (i.e. at least 10) are matched across all three plays. (The top prize is won in the traditional way.)
Some six-number games have a top prize, jackpot or otherwise, that always is paid in a lump sum, whereas most games have an annuity top prize; however, all US games with an annuity top prize now offer a cash option.
Some "six-number" games draw seven numbers; the first six for the top prize, and a seventh, "bonus", number for some lower-tier prize levels. Viking Lotto draws two bonus numbers in this manner, for a total of eight numbers. The 6/49 lottery operated by the International Lottery in Liechtenstein Foundation (ILLF) draws the first six numbers for the jackpot prize; if the seventh ball (bonus ball) is drawn, the jackpot prize also is won. This bonus ball also is used for a "5 plus bonus ball" category. These "bonus" numbers are drawn from the remaining numbers in the same drum, rather than from a second set of numbers.
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Many lotteries offer at least one six-number game. They are listed below, with number fields and drawing frequency:
Multi-jurisdictional:
Single-jurisdiction games: