Month-long promotion offers additional cash prizes at no extra cost

By Kate Northrop

There's a "Lightning Ball" promotion running for the Wisconsin Lottery's Badger 5 draw game that's only available for a limited time, and it offers additional chances to win more cash at no extra cost.

The "Lightning Ball" offer won't be here for long — lottery players in Wisconsin have until the end of September to take advantage of a promotion running for Badger 5.

Players who buy Badger 5 tickets from now until September 30 have a one in three shot of receiving an extra number printed on the ticket called the "Lightning Ball."

The Lightning Ball can be used to match winning numbers. In other words, players can normally win a Badger 5 prize by matching at least two of their numbers to the numbers drawn, or by matching one of the numbers drawn and the Lightning Ball.

For example, a player matching three out of five numbers would normally win a $2 prize. If the Lightning Ball prints out on the same ticket and also matches one of the winning numbers, that means the ticket has now matched four out of five numbers drawn, winning the $50 prize instead.

The only caveat is that the Lightning Ball cannot be used to win the rolling jackpot. Instead, matching four regular numbers and the Lightning Ball number will win a $500 prize.

The odds of matching all five numbers to win the Badger 5 jackpot outside of the promotion are 1 in 169,911. The odds of winning at every prize tier with the Lightning Ball offer added improve at every tier:

• $1: 1 in 7 to 1 in 5
• $2: 1 in 53 to 1 in 29
• $50: 1 in 1,308 to 1 in 454
• $500 (Jackpot tier, match four regular numbers + Lightning Ball): 1 in 169,911 to 1 in 33,983

The odds of generating a play with the Lightning Ball offer are 1 in 3. Tickets cost $1.

The Badger 5 jackpot currently stands at $21,000 for the next drawing on Thursday, Sept. 10 at 9:00 p.m. CT.

Badger 5 drawings take place every day at 9:00 p.m. CT. All winning numbers, odds, and prize amounts can be found on Lottery Post's Wisconsin Lottery Results page.