Jackpot Games: Lotto

An Illinois original just got a makeover! Lotto, now with Extra Shot! It offers you 6 more ways to win even if you don't win on Lotto!

It's Easy to Play

Ask your lottery retailer for a play slip and pick 6 unique numbers between 1 and 52.  You can also ask the clerk for a Quick Pick and have your numbers automatically selected for you.  You can purchase 2 games for just $1! The Lotto jackpot starts at $2,000,000 and grows fast!

If you want to play Lotto right now, buy your online tickets here. You can pick your numbers yourself, or select Quick Pick to have your numbers randomly generated. The minimum purchase online is $5

Extra Shot is a new Lotto add-on feature.  For an extra $1 per 2-game set, you can get an Extra Shot number for each Lotto game, for 6 more ways to win!

How to Win

If your numbers match, you could be a winner! Use the chart below to understand the odds of winning and the various payout options of the game.

Drawing Times

Lotto drawings are conducted on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays at 9:22pm CST.  You can watch the next drawing on WGN-TV. Winning Numbers are also published in most local newspapers and online.

One drawing machine and a maximum of 3 ball sets are available for use in each Lotto drawing. The particular ball set to be used for a given drawing is determined by random selection from among the available ball sets. A special ball set and drawing machine are used for this random selection.

If the Lotto drawing machine is not available due to a malfunction, the Lucky Day Lotto machine is reprogrammed for the Lotto drawing. (If this occurs on a Monday, Wednesday or Saturday night, the Lotto drawing is conducted first using the Lucky Day Lotto machine, then the Lucky Day Lotto drawing machine is reprogrammed again for the Lucky Day Lotto drawing, which is conducted off-air by the auditors).

Prior to each Lotto drawing, the Lottery's auditors conduct a rehearsal drawing. The balls are then re-racked in random order and the machine re-sealed until the official drawing is conducted. After the official drawing, one more test draw is conducted to ensure the validity of the official drawing results.

If the numbers you pick match the drawing numbers, you very well might be a gigantic winner. Good luck.

Lotto Game Rules