More than half of US lotteries now offer a "for life" lotto draw game
By Todd Northrop
In the past year a new multi-state lottery game concept where the top prize pays out over the lifetime of the winner has swept across the United States.
Just like there are two big-jackpot multi-state lottery games — Powerball and Mega Millions — there are also two multi-state "for life" games: Cash4Life and Lucky for Life.
The games offer a top prize and a second prize that pay off over the lifetime of the winner. Both games offer the same $7,000-per-week top prize, but Cash4Life offer a bit more to second prize winners: $52,000 per year for life vs. $25,000 per year for life with the Lucky for Life game.
Of course, each game has minor pros and cons when compared to the other, but they are essentially the same. Players can win by matching five numbers plus a bonus number drawn from a separate number pool, just like Powerball and Mega Millions.
Tickets for both games are $2 each, and drawings are held Mondays and Thursdays.
Lucky for Life drawings are held in Connecticut, while Cash4Life drawings are conducted in New Jersey. Both games are drawn using a real lottery ball machine.
From a lottery industry perspective, what makes the games so compelling is the speed with which they are adding more jurisdictions. In just one year, "for life" games have spread from a handful of New England states to more than half of the US lottery jurisdictions.
The Connecticut Lottery originated the game concept in 2009, with the introduction of Lucky-4-Life.
In March, 2012, the game was opened up as a multi-state game, adding the New England states of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The name was changed to "Lucky for Life", and it adopted the slogan "New England's Game".
In June of 2014, the New Jersey and New York lotteries jointly started a similar game called Cash4Life. The game was only offered in those two states.
By late 2014 state lotteries across the country were seeking new revenue opportunities as the Mega Millions and Powerball games were underperforming, and the "for life" games were becoming popular among lottery players in the states they were being offered. So in early 2015 the floodgates opened, and the "for life" games added several new states to the mix.
Lucky for Life added eight new states in January 2015, and Cash4Life added two more in April and May of 2015. Other states joined later in the year.
Now four more states are joining the "for life" game phenomena: Iowa starts ticket sales for Lucky for Life this Sunday, Maryland begins ticket sales for Cash4Life on Jan. 26, tickets for Lucky for Life go on sale in North Dakota on Jan. 31, and North Carolina is joining the Lucky for Life game on Feb. 7.
"Iowa, along with the rest of the country, just had fun with last week's world-record Powerball jackpot drawing," Iowa Lottery CEO Terry Rich said. "We've been looking for some time at game ideas that would complement Powerball and our other lotto games and bring a different look and feel to the category. We think Lucky for Life will be a great fit in our line-up of games."
After the new states are added within the new few weeks, Lucky for Life will be offered in 19 states plus the District of Columbia, and Cash4Life will be available in six states. That leaves a minority of states — 19 — without a "for life" game.
Where to play
Lucky for Life, the game that started it all, has the lion's share of lottery jurisdictions:
- Arkansas
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Idaho
- Iowa (starting Jan. 20)
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Montana
- New Hampshire
- North Carolina (starting Feb. 7)
- North Dakota (starting Jan. 31)
- Ohio
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- Vermont
- Washington, D.C.
Cash4Life has states with arguably the biggest player base in the Northeast:
- Maryland (starting Jan. 26)
- New Jersey
- New York
- Pennsylvania
- Tennessee
- Virginia
I just started to play Lucky for Life yesterday. I bought a quick pick for a few drawings to see how it goes.
I hadn't even noticed it until last week. It's really new here apparently
Once again Oklahoma is not on the list
According to the North Carolina Education Lottery website, "Lucky for Life" will begin in our State on February 7th. I like these odds much better than Powerball or Mega Millions. Hopefully, the States won't get greedy in the near future. They double the price and worsen the odds in order to make the game "more exciting". And then they wonder why PB and MM are under performing. Duh!
not a good game for people over 40. 2.00 price tag and bad odds. sounds good but people on here only want 200 million jackpots or won't play anything. so not for them. good game if you don't want to garner attention and be hounded by people. but tax bite knocks off about 40% of take. problem is most lottery players are over 50. there is a cash option, but better to chase your state lotto when it hits 1m or more.
Been waiting for this since '09, but Florida is usually late in joining the party.
I don't care how old I am when I hit it, I'm taking the annuity. Something about $1,000 going in the bank every time I open my eyes in the morning...
Ga had decades of dollars which was phased out last year. Hopefully they will join the lucky for life format again soon.
actually would only be about 650.00. you wouldn't be buying the playboy mansion with it but acceptable. a little over 200k a year clear which for the majority on here sneeze at since they won't even buy a ticket for the big ones unless there at 200 million or more. the 2.00 price tag negates a lot of the value. lottery's are promoting this since they get to hold the money forever on you. stay away. probably ok for younger people who can't control spending, but older people and others not so much. only 2 winners of this in my state in last 4 years. bad matrix odds.
You know, when I was writing this article yesterday I checked out every lottery website to be sure I got them all. Figures NC would add this info today. I'll update the story with the new info, thanks.
South Carolina was the first and only state to win the for life jackpot in 2015 thus far; there have been lots of 2nd place prizes throughout the other states though..
lack of winners disturbing. not really a lot of tickets being sold for this. don't understand the hoopla and enthusiasm. people give up on this after a few drawings. should be 1.00 and sales would improve dramatically.
So all these states are joining a game in which "not really a lot of tickets are being sold"? I'd love to hear where your information comes from. All these lotteries must be really stupid to join a game that will lose money.
People give up after a few drawings? Again, your source of information would be greatly appreciated. You must have a very knowledgeable inside source to be feeding you this information.
As far as price is concerned, people said the same thing about Powerball. I guess they didn't know what they were talking about, given the size of the jackpot last week.
What does over 40 have to do with getting money every year for life? NOTHING. These are my favorite games and I don't give a crap if I am over 40 I will take $365,000 a year any day or $273,000 after taxes or whatever is left I don't give a crap. Would be A LOT more than I would have otherwise at any age. Don't like the games don't play them. The odds are WAY better than PB or MM and I have already seen about 6-8 winners or more in 4 states. I matched 3 number so far, and also almost won Lucky For Life way back when I matched 4 out of 6 three times. I spend more on these than PB that is for sure. I will take $273,000 a year for life at any age.
Hell I would take way less even. Being over 40 does not mean crap, I would still never spend that much a year and would add up fast. Money is money regardless of your age and that amount is more than most will make working. Not to mention you got 25 plus years before you can retire so that logic is just plain stupid. Most ain't gonna make that working or retiring and most live well past 70. So they should stay poor because they are over 40? Get the F outta here.
The odds are WAY better than those other jackpot games. Also most older people who take cash with the big jackpots still never spend it all and most would never spend the annuity either. So that does not matter anyway unless they really want to blow money which most don't. But if you want to stay poor after 40 that is your choice.
When it comes to Win for Life games, lotteries are smart for sure. Taking advantage of players naively believing more is better. However, Cash4Life and Lucky for Life are different than traditional jackpot games. The prizes do not grow. The more states added, worse the potential payout to individual players becomes, since top prize is split among such winners, and 2nd tier, and even lower prizes too, can split in some instances.
Based on current level of play, Cash4Life still seems relatively safe to play in regards to top prize rarely ever splitting, but as more states are added, lower the value of the game to players. Personally, I play Cash4Life occasionally, and like it. However, as more states are added, the less I'll play.
come on todd. you know that this is not a good play. the states are joining because they are not paying out much on this game as they are taking in or are holding onto by paying slower rather than all at once. can't even compare this to powerball frenzy last week. my source of information is that i've checked for winners of this and they are far and few between. 5 out 48 and 1 out of 18 matrix quite the obstacle to cashing this. in all the lottery stores i go into the bet slips for this are largely undisturbed in the rack. you could probably check the volume of sales better than i can. your theory about the price increase to 2.00 is flawed in that many people do not play unless it hits upwards of 250 million now. when it does they forget about the 2.00 price tag. this game gives you diddly for your 2.00. if you're under 40 maybe.
His information is made up from his convoluted, negative, conspiracy, thinking mind. Basically BS and he is still mad that he lost the Billion dollar jackpot.
I saw about 6-8 winners give or take for the several states that play Cash4 life and a couple 2nd place prizes for the $1,000 a week for life. Not sure of the exact number but there were winners and a lot playing it. Way better odds than PB for $2.00 and pays back more too on smaller tiers. I will take $273,000 after taxes a year for life any day, even if it is slightly less than that also. I will even take the $52,000 a year and could live off that even and work part-time.
Dude lay off the crack. You go by "bet slips" as a means of tracking sales? Your posts are nothing but BS conspiracy theories as I said. Most do not use bet slips they get QP's. Also bet slips could get gone quickly and refilled also. But most use QP's or use the machine and enter their own numbers manually. I rarely ever use bet slips. Using how many bet slips that are on the rack as an indication of sales would make you an idiot. But why do you care anyway? If you don't like the game don't play it as I said.
The games also just started not too long ago and already you are expecting winners every draw.
Then if there was they are "fixed". You post the same crap in every thread, all games suck, they are fixes, taxes take it all etc. Why are you even here and why do you even play the lottery if it puts you in so much turmoil? Don't play them or just stick to losing the PB and MM then.
I'm looking forward to giving Cash4Life a try. I'd probably still take the $7 million in cash over the top annuity prize but that is just me. I'd love to have to make the decision!
Whoever is saying there aren't many for-life winners being made by these games, they have no idea what they're talking about.
Here's a first prize ($1,000 per day for life) winner in New Jersey from yesterday's drawing of Cash4Life. New Jersey also had a first-place winner in December.
http://www.nj.com/lottery/index.ssf/2016/01/lottery_ticket_sold_at_nj_supermarket_worth_1k_a_d.html
I wonder how New Jersey sold two first place winners in two months when these games "aren't selling a lot of tickets", according to faber98.
And don't forget to add Arizona. One of the worse states for lotteries.
Lucky for life and Win for life , do they have the same amount of numbers and the same odds of winning?
These games do not get the hype like the Power Ball or Mega Millions games when their respective jackpots grow to a huge amount!
If you win the top prize in Win for Life, the prize is $1K per day, or $360K per year. Not a bad deal if you win and collect for the rest of your life.
The Win for Life does not seem to have a regular stream of winner's . Few winner's hit that top prize.
Oh, no, I didn't mean that you missed NC in your list! I look at the website just about every day so I know they just put it up there this morning. I was just saying that I was excited that "Lucky for Life" is coming to my State. Not thrilled about the $2 price point, but it's still better odds than PB at $2.
I hope Indiana gets one of these 2 games. The second prize for both games are pretty good considering they offer a lifetime of income.
The $2 price makes this something I would be lukewarm on if it ever came to Illinois
Would probably try it out but would probably be a casual/now and then player rather then regular
We all have our favorite and least favored games, but just because they don't like this game doesn't mean the game is terrible. Opinionated criticism seems to be the norm on LP since the $1.5 billion jackpot was announced and won. I'm sure the Robinsons could find lots of faults with their critics and quickly remind them who won.
As for the game I’ve played Win for Life a couple of times, but no for system play. One of the selling points is the $3 payoff for matching two numbers that helps with future play possibly resulting in a top prize. Can't find a cash option, but $7,125,000 will be split if there are multiple winners.
well personally i am not fond of lucky for life... I do play it twice a week and buy only 2 tickets each time....been playing it since it started in missouri...I am trying to give it a chance to see what happens....I do believe it to be a good revenue for the lottery.
But as far as spending 2 bucks on a ticket ....i have hit more with Mega Million compared to lucky for life. So far i have only hit the lucky ball and won 4 bucks... but with MM i like the fact that i can spend the extra dollar for the multiplyer thus costing 2 bucks and have had some decent small hits....plus the number 5 multiplyer comes more often than one would think.
I will continue for a while longer and give lucky for life a chance and keep an open mind about the game.
Well, just like any other game, you are the one to make the choice to play or not.
I play the "L4L" in Ohio for a few lines. You never know when you will hit.
The lower prizes are okay, and the odds for winning are good.
2 Ohio people won 25K for Life since it started a few months ago.
So, you never know.
If you win the $1000 a day for life on "L4L" and take the JP annuity, then you would get about 69¢ a minute for the rest of your life.
Not too bad!
It won't Lebron James type money at about $36 a minute "just from the Cavs only", but it looks good to me.
I'd take that cash any minute, any day, for the rest of "my life". "Good Fortune to future winners."
Let me be clear..SC is the only state to win a lucky4life jackpot in 2015.. We don't have cash4life..
When my Season Ticket from Massachusetts Lucky for Life comes in, cash option for the kid. I foresee Braintree, MA in the near future with one of the season tickets (MM, L4L, Megabucks Doubler and 07 FEB 16 PB). Someone's gotta win, might as well be me.
Todd,
Thinking of you and your staff in New Jersey with Jonas kicking butt. Got lucky in this one sliver of Kentucky, only 2" here, elsewhere much much more.
Yea we got alot here in MD its nice to just chill at home and watch it come down.
I also love the steady income every year, and you will avoid worldwide exposure also. Most don't realize just how much money $250,000 plus a year is. It is A LOT especially if you just have a normal house paid off and do not blow a lot of money. Also plenty of money to keep playing larger jackpots if you want to. Taxes are also lower because you are not in the top bracket like with a PB or MM win. But you also have a lot more money anyway.
Thanks! Lots of snow here. What makes it worse is the strong whipping wind, which is making some deep snow drifts and there's no chance of clearing anything until it lets up. The weather report is showing "blizzard" until 10pm, so it won't be anytime soon.
Just realized there's a upside to the wind,
that is that the snow on the roofs is not that deep.
Good thing cause it's turning into the heavy wet stuff.
I'm guessing it's deeper up your way.
The worst should over by now; Powerball not won, nobody hit the million or two million mark either.
I like the concept better , because its a better chance to win. The odds are better! If don't live in a big a city or live in a rich community the chances of u hitting the Powerball or Mega Milliion big jackpot is slim and none. Everybody has their own theories about the lottery being fixed or only certain areas always win the lottery. This means people have more options in what games to play. So its starting to be a equal playing field , when it comes to what games to play and when to play them. Their is always going to be completion among lottery games , but its nice see some states taking this approach! Good luck to everybody who plays!!
Colorado is also joining Lucky for Life March 2016! Thanks!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucky_for_Life#Future_members
Lucky for Life is played in Michigan plus 15 other states and unless my lotto app was wrong, it showed only one jackpot winner in 2015?. Thats not good if thats correct, can anyone else verify only one jackpot winner?
Just saw another winner in NJ of the top prize. Your lack of being able to post factual information is disturbing. http://www.palottery.state.pa.us/Payouts.aspx?id=54863
01/21/16
Winning Numbers: 11 13 36 46 48
Cash Ball: 04
1 Top Prize Winning Ticket Sold in NJ
0 PA winners, next Top Prize is $1,000 A Day For Life
0 PA players matched 5 of 5, each receiving $1,000 A Week For Life
2 PA players matched 4 of 5 and the Cash Ball, each receiving $2,500.00
2 PA players matched 4 of 5, each receiving $500.00
86 PA players matched 3 of 5 and the Cash Ball, each receiving $100.00
313 PA players matched 3 of 5, each receiving $25.00
1,746 PA players matched 2 of 5 and the Cash Ball, each receiving $10.00
5,146 PA players matched 2 of 5, each receiving $4.00
11,869 PA players matched 1 of 5 and the Cash Ball, each receiving $2.00
One more in VA recently. Still disturbed?
01/07/16
Winning Numbers: 14 31 37 54 56
Cash Ball: 01
1 Top Prize Winning Ticket Sold in VA
0 PA winners, next Top Prize is $1,000 A Day For Life
0 PA players matched 5 of 5, each receiving $1,000 A Week For Life
0 PA players matched 4 of 5 and the Cash Ball, each receiving $2,500.00
5 PA players matched 4 of 5, each receiving $500.00
80 PA players matched 3 of 5 and the Cash Ball, each receiving $100.00
280 PA players matched 3 of 5, each receiving $25.00
1,610 PA players matched 2 of 5 and the Cash Ball, each receiving $10.00
5,170 PA players matched 2 of 5, each receiving $4.00
10,872 PA players matched 1 of 5 and the Cash Ball, each receiving $2.00
NOTE: Top Prize will be divided equally among multiple winners. The 2nd through 9th level prizes may be reduced if liability caps are exceeded.
Anyone in any state can buy a yearly subscription to Lucky for Life in MA from any retailer and they'll send the checks to your address.
I don't know about adding two more games now.
I already play more than my own means allows.
Now, 2 cash for life type games have hit the scene?
It's too many games to keep track of, but we'll see.
Todd,
can you or anyone here elaborate on the pros and cons of these 2 games ?
I'm playing both right now but have to go out of state for L4L
Looks like more states prefer L4L, but that may be the state's POV
On the CFL last Mon. I had 2 + 1
Hi toejamdoc! Did you get to play it? I tried to play the Lucky for Life in December and was told out of state residents cannot play by phone, only Massachusetts Megabucks Doubler.
Ran out of the L4L tix just playing the CFL for now,
The 2 + 1 paid $10