Iowa Lottery

Prize Percentage

By The Numbers

The Iowa Lottery provides a variety of information about the odds in its games and the prizes available in them. (Please click on the pages for individual games to learn more.)

The numbers will vary over time, depending upon the games offered and tickets purchased, but here is another way of analyzing the percentages: For every $1 spent, X cents is returned to the player in prizes.

In announcing the findings of its annual audit of the Iowa Lottery, the Auditor of State's Office provides an analysis of lottery prizes awarded. Here is an excerpt from the Auditor's information about the lottery for fiscal year 2012:

An analysis of prizes awarded for the year ended June 30, 2012, is as follows:

Scratch ticket prizes = 62 percent of instant-scratch ticket sales

Pick 3 prizes = 59 percent of Pick 3 sales

Pick 4 prizes = 59 percent of Pick 4 sales

Powerball prizes = 49 percent of Powerball sales

Mega Millions prizes = 51 percent of Mega Millions sales

Hot Lotto prizes = 49 percent of Hot Lotto sales

Iowa's $100,000 Cash Game prizes = 50 percent of Iowa's $100,000 Cash Game sales

Pull-tab prizes = 63 percent of pull-tab sales