The West Virginia state Lottery offers several draw games, but three consistently stand out as player favorites: POWERBALL©, MEGA MILLIONS®, and LOTTO AMERICA©. Each game has its own unique appeal and potential payouts, so let’s take a look at what makes them stand out.
Powerball: America’s classic jackpot game
West Virginia POWERBALL has become practically synonymous with massive jackpots in the American Lottery industry. Starting at $20 million, these prizes can quickly snowball into headline-grabbing amounts when no one hits the jackpot for several drawings.
What makes POWERBALL© particularly appealing is its three weekly drawings – every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday evening at 10:59 PM Eastern.
How to play:
- Select five numbers from one to 69
- Choose one POWERBALL© number from one to 26
- Consider adding Power Play for an extra dollar (this has the potential to multiply non-jackpot winnings significantly)
- Buy your ticket from a West Virginia Lottery retailer or through the official website
POWERBALL© offers nine different prize tiers, so even if you don’t hit the jackpot, there are still plenty of ways to potentially win. The game’s structure gives you approximately a one in 25 chance of winning something on each play.
MEGA MILLIONS®: Twice-weekly draws
MEGA MILLIONS® has had a makeover, and now delivers even larger jackpots that grow faster, bigger secondary prizes and better winning odds. The main difference between this and POWERBALL©? This game holds drawings on Tuesday and Friday nights at 11:00 PM Eastern.
How to play:
- Purchase your ticket at any licensed retailer or online
- Pick five numbers from one to 70
- There’s a built in multiplier on every play up to 10x, which automatically improves every non-jackpot win (up to $10 million) for matching the five white balls
- Select a Mega Ball number from one to 25
MEGA MILLIONS® has created some of the largest Lottery prizes in history, including several that have topped $1 billion. While the odds of hitting the jackpot are steep, the game’s nine prize tiers mean you have multiple ways to try and win on each ticket.
LOTTO AMERICA©: Better odds
If the odds of the bigger games seem daunting, LOTTO AMERICA© offers an alternative. This multi-state game provides better winning odds while still delivering potential jackpots that start at $2 million.
How to play:
- Choose five numbers from one to 52
- Select one Star Ball number from one to 10
- Consider adding the All Star Bonus for $1 extra to boost non-jackpot prizes
- Get your ticket from any West Virginia Lottery retailer or online
LOTTO AMERICA© draws take place three times weekly (Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 11:00 PM Eastern), giving you the same number of chances as POWERBALL© but with slightly better odds throughout.
What game is best for you?
When deciding which Lottery game to play, consider what matters most to you:
LOTTO AMERICA©’s smaller number range gives you a more realistic chance of matching your numbers, though the top prizes are smaller, but both POWERBALL© and LOTTO AMERICA© offer three drawings per week. MEGA MILLIONS®, while offering a bigger potential jackpot, gives you two shots each week.
Whichever game catches your interest, you can easily participate by visiting any licensed WV Lottery retailer or by playing online through the official website. Just remember to check your tickets after the drawings.
