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GAMING SAFEGUARDS

Be Smart, Play Smart®

The Illinois Lottery offers several safeguards and tools to keep your play fun and within responsible limits.

The Lottery wants to make sure players understand each game and have the tools they need to manage their gameplay in a fun and responsible way — helping them to Be Smart, Play Smart®.

Remember it’s a game of chance.

Chance, otherwise known as odds in the gaming world, reflects the likelihood of a particular outcome happening. For instant tickets, the overall odds are calculated by dividing the number of tickets printed in a game by the total number of winning tickets. An instant ticket with overall odds of 1 in 3 is more likely to win than a ticket with 1 in 4 overall odds.

Let’s use a deck of playing cards as an example to explain how odds work:

  • A deck of playing cards has a total of 52 cards.

  • Each suit (i.e., hearts, spades, diamonds and clubs) has 13 cards.

  • To calculate the overall odds of drawing a heart from the deck, an individual would divide the 13 cards that are hearts by the 52 total cards in the deck to get 25% or 1 in 4.

While the odds of drawing a card that is a heart are 1 in 4, it does not guarantee that when 4 cards are drawn they will contain a heart. Depending on the order of the cards, an individual will draw anywhere between zero and four hearts. It is possible to draw zero hearts because there are 39 cards in the deck that are not hearts.

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Set a limit. Stick to it.

It is important that you don’t spend more than you can afford to lose. Set your entertainment budget before you start to play the lottery. While everyone’s situation is different, think about your income and your financial commitments to determine how much you can reasonably spend on entertainment.

How do you calculate a budget? Start by knowing your income then subtracting your expenses, such as housing, utilities, transportation, insurance, loan payments and childcare. There are many online calculators that can help you create a budget.

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Play for fun. Not funds.

It is fun to dream about winning a big jackpot, but you can never count on winning money. No matter how much you play, there is never a guarantee you will win.

Play the Illinois Lottery as a fun or social activity – not as a way to earn money.

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Don’t overdo it. Take a break.

Playing the Illinois Lottery should be a fun and entertaining experience. How do you keep your lottery experience fun?

  • Determine the amount of time you want to devote to playing the lottery and set a timer to remind you when your time has expired.

  • Set an entertainment budget and do not exceed it.

It is important to take a break once your time and/or entertainment budget has been reached, so you can keep your lottery experience fun.

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It’s not a kids’ game.

Only those who are age 18 or older can play Illinois Lottery games. It is illegal for individuals who are under the age of 18 to buy or play Illinois Lottery games. 

Remember, never give a lottery ticket to a minor.

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Myths and Facts

Understanding the facts behind several common myths about playing the Lottery will help you play smart.

 

Myths

Facts

“My lucky touch or winning strategy
will help my gameplay.”

There’s no way to influence the outcome of a lottery game.
Winning tickets and winning numbers are completely random.
There’s no guarantee of a return on any ticket — play for fun, not funds.

“If I buy five losing tickets in a row,
the next ticket is more likely to be a winner.”

You have an equal chance of winning or losing with every
ticket of the same kind. Each play is independent and unrelated
to the ones before. Don’t chase your losses.

“I’m  more likely to win a smaller jackpot
because fewer people will play the game.”

The Illinois Lottery publishes the odds for every lottery game we
offer – visit the games hub on IllinoisLottery.com for more information.
No matter the size of the jackpot or number of people playing the game,
the odds for each game remain the same. Remember, the Illinois Lottery
is a game of chance.

“If I play the same numbers each time in a
draw game, my chances of winning increase.”

Each draw is random, and your chances of winning always remain
the same. If you play the same numbers each game, they have the same
chance of hitting or missing every time you play. Remember, don’t overdo
it and take a break.

“Only people who gamble all the time or
spend more than they can afford to lose have
a problem.”

Problem gambling covers all gambling behavior and patterns that
compromise, disrupt or damage personal, family or work pursuits.
Learn more about problem gambling.
Remember to Be Smart, Play Smart®.

Online Gaming Safeguards

Deposit Limits:

The maximum rolling seven-day deposit limit is set at $1,050 during registration. Deposits made within seven consecutive days are counted toward your rolling seven-day limit. For example, if you make deposits of $500 on Tuesday, $500 on Wednesday, and $50 on Thursday, you have reached your $1,050 deposit limit for the seven-day time frame. On the next Tuesday, the $500 deposit will fall off, allowing you to deposit up to $500. On Wednesday, the previous Wednesday’s deposit will fall off, allowing you to deposit an additional $500, and so on. Players may set a deposit limit that is lower than the maximum amount at any time, which is highly encouraged. Players can adjust their deposit limit by clicking on their profile then selecting “Deposit Limits” under the Account Management section. Requests to lower the limit will take immediate effect, while players seeking to raise the limit up to $1,050 (after having previously lowered it) must wait 24 hours for such change to take effect. Additionally, players can call the Illinois Player Hotline at 1-800-252-1775 for help setting deposit limits.

Fast Play Ticket Limits:

Players may limit the number of Fast Play tickets that can be purchased through their Illinois Lottery account. A maximum purchase limit of 75 tickets within a 24-hour period is set for all players. Players can lower their online Fast Play ticket purchase limits at any time by clicking on their profile and selecting “Fast Play Ticket Limits” under the Account Management section. Requests to lower a limit will take immediate effect, while players seeking to raise a limit up to 75 (after having previously lowered it) must wait 24 hours for such change to take effect. 

Age Verification:

During the registration process, the Illinois Lottery conducts a Know-Your-Customer (KYC) age and identity check to ensure all players are at least 18 years of age. The registration process requires prospective players to provide personal information, including date of birth and address. If the KYC check is unable to verify an applicant’s age, an account will not be created.

Residency Check:

At the time of registration, players must be an Illinois resident in order to gain access to the online gaming system. If the Illinois Lottery cannot verify the player's Illinois residency (i.e., Illinois address), the player will be unable to create an account. Additionally, each time a player attempts to make an online purchase, a location verification check is performed to determine whether the transaction is occurring within the State of Illinois. If the Illinois Lottery cannot verify the player’s location, the player will be unable to purchase any lottery games. A player who is experiencing issues with residence or location verification may call the Illinois Player Hotline at 1-800-252-1775 to request assistance.

My Account: 

My Games:

Players can access their game history by clicking on their profile and then selecting "My Games." In "My Games," players can view the following information:

  • Games played and purchased;
  • Results (win/loss) for each game played;
  • Upcoming games that have been purchased; and
  • Ticket details, including the number of draws; dollar value per wager; and any add-ons such as Extra Shot®.

Transaction History:

Players can access their purchase history by clicking on their profile then selecting "Transaction History" under the My Wallet section. In "Transaction History," players can view the following information:

  • Date and time when each game was purchased;
  • Date, time, and amount of each deposit, along with the payment method that was used; and
  • Spend, deposit, and prizes balances; and pending withdrawals.

Security and Privacy:

The Illinois Lottery requires players to provide sensitive information, such as their social security number, address, and birthdate in order to set up an online player account. The Illinois Lottery will not exploit or sell player information in any way. To learn more please review our Personal Identity Information Protection Policy and Privacy Policy.

Self-Exclusion:

Any player may choose to opt-out of playing the Illinois Lottery online for a five-year period by calling the Illinois Player Hotline at 1-800-252-1775. When implementing a self-exclusion request, the following occurs:

  • Any funds in the player’s account are automatically refunded to the player;

  • All of the player’s active subscriptions are cancelled; and

  • If a ticket is purchased before the self-exclusion request, but the drawing occurs after the request, the Illinois Lottery will withhold any prizes from such ticket. 

During the self-exclusion period, the player will no longer:

  • Be able to access their online player account;

  • Be able to play any online games; or

  • Receive any marketing communications from the Illinois Lottery.

An Illinois Player Hotline representative can assist you with the self-exclusion process and answer any questions you may have.

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