Iowa Lottery

Drawing FAQs

What are the drawing times for Powerball, Mega Millions, Hot Lotto, Pick 3, Pick 4 and Iowa's $100,000 Cash Game?

The Mega Millions drawing is held on Tuesdays and Fridays at 10:00 p.m. The Powerball and Hot Lotto drawings are held on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The Hot Lotto drawing takes place at 9:40 p.m., and the Powerball drawing takes place at 9:59 p.m. Iowa's $100,000 Cash Game drawing is held Monday through Saturday at approximately 8:28 p.m. The Pick 3 and Pick 4 midday drawings are held every day at 12:40 p.m. The Pick 3 and Pick 4 evening drawings are held everyday at 9:20 p.m. For more drawing information see our Lotto Drawings page.

When players miss the Powerball drawing on TV, how can they check their numbers?

Players can get winning numbers in a number of ways. Players can log on to the Iowa Lottery Web site at www.ialottery.com. Members of the lottery's VIP Club can choose to receive e-mails of the winning numbers and drawing results. Players can also call the winning numbers' hot line or check with their local lottery retailer. Also, most newspapers carry results. If players would like to see video of the actual drawing, they can log on to the Powerball Web site at www.powerball.com.

Where can a player go to see the results of the last Powerball drawing that took place?

After a drawing, the Iowa Lottery's Web site (www.ialottery.com) lists the winning numbers, the number of winners in each category, what the jackpot was and whether it was won or continued to grow. 

Why don't some television stations air the results from lottery drawings?

The lottery asks television stations to carry lottery results. However, carrying results is an editorial decision made by the news department of each station.

How can the public attend a lottery drawing?

If members of the public would like to attend a drawing, they must contact lottery security at least 24 hours in advance of the drawing. A Public Drawing Request form is available on our web site.

How often are the balls changed in the machines for Powerball and are those balls used for any other games?

The balls used for the Powerball drawing are changed if they show enough wear to warrant the change. In other words, there is no set time. There are actually four sets of balls of each color (4 red, 4 white) and the sets used for a particular drawing are randomly chosen before the drawing occurs. The balls are only used for Powerball and they are weighed and X-rayed on a periodic schedule. The balls are always locked in a vault with the drawing machines and are only used under the supervision of an independent auditor.