California Lottery Results

California Lottery Games

The California State Lottery was founded in 1984 following a local referendum, with tickets going on sale in October 1985 and the first draws taking place in 1986. As in many other US states, proceeds from California Lottery games are distributed primarily to educational institutions to improve access to education across California, and for the quality of state-provided education.

The California Lottery operates six state-only games, as well as being a founding member of the multi-jurisdictional Powerball and Mega Millions games.

Powerball

Powerball is a world-famous lottery renowned for its long odds and often lucrative jackpots.

Powerball tickets cost $2.00, with players choosing five numbers between 1 and 69 plus a Powerball number between 1 and 26. Players can choose their numbers manually or go for a Quick Pick for the main numbers for the Powerball draw, or for both. A Power Play option is also available, costing $1.00 for the chance to multiply non-jackpot prizes up to 10 times.

Mega Millions

Mega Millions is another world-renowned lottery that’s even harder to win than Powerball, but with a very similar format!

As with Powerball, tickets cost $2.00.

Players must choose five numbers between 1 and 70 and a Mega Ball number between 1 and 25, with a Quick Pick option also available for those wishing to play with random selections. Mega Millions has an additional Megaplier option for $1.00, for the chance to multiply non-jackpot prizes up to 10 times.

Superlotto Plus

Superlotto Plus is California’s primary state lottery game and has a similar format to the Powerball and Mega Millions games.

Players must choose five numbers between 1 and 47 and a Mega Ball number between 1 and 27, with Quick Picks also available for both selections. Tickets cost $1.00, which also grants entry into the Superlotto Plus 2nd-Chance draw for a top prize of $15,000.

Fantasy 5

Fantasy 5 is a daily lottery that costs $1.00 to enter.

Players choose five numbers between 1 and 39 or a Quick Pick option to play with random selections. Participants who play five or more lines also get entry into the Fantasy 5 2nd-Chance draw with its top prize of $10,000.

Daily 3

Daily 3 is a straightforward Pick 3 game that enables players to choose how they wish to play and the prizes they can potentially win. Entry costs $1.00.

Players must choose three numbers between 0 and 9, and because each number is chosen independently, players can choose the same number two or three times if they wish. Having chosen their numbers, participants then choose whether to bet on matching all three numbers in the order drawn, in any order, or to split the stake equally between both options.

Daily 4

Daily 4 is a Pick 4 game with multiple entry options and chances to win. Unlike other Pick 4 games across the United States and worldwide, the format is kept simple so that it’s easy to play. Tickets cost $1.00.

Players must choose four numbers from 0 to 9, and because each number is chosen independently, the same number can be chosen repeatedly if desired. Participants then choose whether to bet on matching their numbers in the order drawn, in any order, or split their stake equally between both options.

Daily Derby

Daily Derby is a unique lottery game that incorporates virtual horse racing into its format.

Players initially choose three horses to finish in first, second and third places, along with a race time, which is how long it will take their horse to win the race. Quick Pick is available for each element, with entry costing $2.00.

Hot Spot

Hot Spot is a Keno-style game with multiple entry options, including the chance to enhance the base prize.

Players must first decide on how many numbers to bet on matching from three to ten. Players must then choose a number of selections between 1 and 80, followed by deciding whether to add a Bulls-eye to their ticket to multiply all prizes by up to three times when choosing to double their ticket price. Finally, players must choose their stake from any value between $1.00 and $5.00, or $10 or $20.

California Lottery Game Schedule

The table below provides an overview of the schedule for each California lottery game.

California Lottery Odds and Jackpots

Daily 3 offers the most attractive winning odds at just 1 in 1,000, albeit for a jackpot that typically amounts to only a few hundred dollars. In comparison, the Mega Millions, Powerball and Superlotto Plus games have long odds of winning, but their various secondary prize tiers and regularity of rollovers make them attractive opportunities for players.

California Lottery Advance Play Options

Most California Lottery games have Advance Play options, with the number of draws that players can enter at once being highlighted in the below table.

California Lottery Scratch-Offs

Known as Scratchers in California, Scratch-offs have multiple prizes, with jackpots typically being proportional to the cost of the scratch-off itself. California Lottery scratch-offs range inprice from $1.00 to $30, with jackpots ranging from just $50 to $10 million!

Lower-priced scratch-offs typically have winning odds of around 1 in 8, with the more lucrative games having winning odds of around 1 in 5.

California Lottery scratch-offs also have a 2nd-Chance feature that enables players to enter a unique code - found on their scratch-off on the California Lottery website or app - for the chance to win a variety of prizes.

The California Lottery keeps scratch-offs on sale even after all jackpots have been won, but does highlight (on its website) the dates on which tickets will no longer be available for sale and the deadlines for claiming prizes. Claim deadlines are typically around six months after the date scratch-offs are withdrawn from sale.

Detailed information about scratch-offs, prize tiers, payouts and odds is available on the official California Lottery website.

California Lottery Tax Information

The tables below highlight taxes payable on California Lottery prizes.

California Lottery Taxes for U.S. citizens and residentsamount to 24% on prizes exceeding $5,000, as detailed below.

California Lottery Taxes for non-U.S. citizens or non-residentsamount to 30% on all prizes exceeding $5,000, as detailed below.

How to Claim California Lottery Payouts

There are multiple ways to claim winnings.

Prizes of up to $599can be claimed:

• At any lottery retail location
• At any California Lottery District Office
• By mail

Prizes of $600 to $1,000can be claimed:

• At any California Lottery District Office
• By mail

Prizes exceeding $1,000must be claimed by mail.

All claims for prizes exceeding $600 must be accompanied by a completed Winner Claim Form, which can be downloaded here.

Players can also acquire a Claim Authorization Receipt from a lottery retailer before posting in their winning ticket and claim form. This acts as a means of verifying the ticket and may help prizes to be paid out quicker.

How to Contact the California Lottery

Which California Lottery scratch-off has the biggest jackpot?

While the value of the most lucrative California Lottery scratch-offs change periodically, the biggest jackpot on offer is typically around $10 million.

Can I buy California Lottery tickets online?

No. California Lottery tickets are only available from authorized lottery retailers across the state.

How much tax is paid on California Lottery winnings?

Tax of either 24% or 30% applies on California Lottery winnings, depending on where participants live and their citizenship and residency status. No state taxes are levied against lottery winnings in California, with the full tax burden consisting of federal taxes.

For U.S. citizens and residents, 24% taxis levied on all California Lottery prizes of over $5,000.

Non-U.S. citizens or non-residentspay 30% taxon all prizes over $5,000.

How do California Lottery winners get paid?

Some California lottery games provide the opportunity to receive regular payments or lump sums, while others pay out lump sums only.

How long does it take to receive California Lottery winnings?

Winnings of up to $599 can be paid out immediately at any authorized lottery retailer or District Office. Winnings of up to $1,000 can be paid out immediately at the Fresno, Sacramento or San Diego District Offices. All higher-value claims are processed at the California Lottery’s Sacramento headquarters and are paid out in 12 to 14 weeks.