The Lotto Matrix: Now Might Be A Good Time To Discover Lotto America

First things first

How much is Friday’s Mega Millions jackpot drawing worth? Friday night’s Mega Millions is up to an estimated $90 million after nobody won the top prize Tuesday night.

Those numbers were 18, 35, 45, 60, 65, with a gold Mega ball of 17. It was bad news all around, as no one even matched all five white balls to win a multiple of a million bucks. Whomp-whomp.

Maybe there’s better news in Powerball land …

How much is Saturday’s Powerball jackpot drawing worth? Well, now we’re cooking with gas, as this top prize is sitting at $217 million, or a cash value of $97.4 million. 

Clearly, nobody won Wednesday’s drawing — numbers 4, 10, 11, 52, 64 and a red Powerball of 24 — and … and bupkis. Nobody matched five numbers there either.

What’s it going to take to get a millionaire here? Come on!

You hear about Lotto America?

Many people haven’t. It’s another multi-state lottery, but the prizes rarely get into big territory, mostly due to the format — pick five numbers between 1 and 52, and then the “star” ball, which is 1-10.

Drawings are thrice weekly, and the next one is Saturday night, with a jackpot sitting at $21.05 million, only the fifth time the jackpot has crossed the $20 million threshold. 

For those keeping score at home, the biggest Lotto America win was back in 2023 when an Iowa ticket-buyer cashed in for a shade over $40 million.

Lotto America tickets cost a buck and are sold in 15 states. The odds of winning are just under 26 million-to-1, meaning we’re getting close to +EV territory. You’ll just need (checks notes) about 26 million lifetimes to see that EV through.

20 times the charm

Most of us have a number. Prentice Douglas of Hampton, Virginia, has the number: 3-2-3-8. He plays it every single day in the Virginia Lottery’s Pick 4 game.

On March 7, those four digits finally came through in the day drawing, and Douglas didn’t just win once. He won 20 times. That’s 20 plays, same combination, each worth $5,000, for a cool $100,000 payday. He bought all 20 tickets at the 7-Eleven at 2610 Cunningham Dr. in Hampton.

The odds of matching all four numbers in exact order? One in 10,000. The odds of having the conviction to buy 20 plays on the same number on the right day? Incalculable.

As for what he’ll do with the money? Douglas said he has no plans. Which, honestly, might be the most baller response in the history of lottery winners.

Arkansas does it again

If you’re a Powerball player, you might want to move to Arkansas.

A Northwest Arkansas resident recently claimed the $250.8 million Powerball jackpot from the March 2 drawing, taking the cash option of $118 million before taxes. The winner picked their own numbers — 2, 17, 18, 38, 62, and a red Powerball 20 — while ordering the ticket through the Jackpocket app and chose after the win to remain anonymous. No fuss, no press conference, no plans announced. Just grabbed $118 million and disappeared into the Ozarks (we’re assuming).

This is the second major Powerball jackpot won in Arkansas in three months. Back on Christmas Eve 2025, an Arkansas player hit the $1.817 billion Powerball jackpot. The state’s only other Powerball win was a comparatively modest $25 million back in 2010.

The jackpot cycle also generated over $2.3 million in ticket sales and $121,000 in retailer commissions statewide, with net proceeds going toward scholarships for Arkansas students. So even if you didn’t win, some kid’s tuition got a little cheaper.

Lottery Executive Director Sharon Strong called it a run of good fortune for the state. That might be underselling it. Arkansas is on a heater.

No accidents

Listen, if you ever needed proof that your mother is always right, here it is: A 57-year-old Oakland County, Michigan, woman fat-fingered her Fantasy 5 ticket — she clicked 39 instead of 37 — and decided to keep it because, as her mom always told her, “there are no accidents.”

That accidental click? Worth $251,738. She matched all five numbers (08-10-11-22-39) in the March 13 drawing on a ticket she bought at MichiganLottery.com.

Her reaction was basically the opposite of what you’d expect from a quarter-million-dollar winner: She paced her house for hours in “shock and denial,” and her big plan for the money is … to put it in a savings account.

“I’ve been blessed with a good life, so I’m going to put the money in a savings account and just keep on living,” she said.

Most people would be booking flights. She’s booking a higher APY.