Maine Lottery
Encyclopedia
The Maine Lottery is run by the government of Maine. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association
(MUSL), whose flagship game is Powerball
.
Maine originally joined MUSL in 1990, before the Iowa
-based organization began Powerball; Maine pulled out two years later, when Powerball was introduced. Maine did not rejoin MUSL until 2004. (Powerball drawings moved to Florida
in 2009, although MUSL headquarters remain in Iowa
). MUSL's smaller jackpot game Hot Lotto is Maine's first continuing draw game to have its winning numbers drawn via random number generator (RNG) instead of using traditional lottery balls.
Maine's other online games are organized by the three northernmost lotteries within New England; these games are drawn in New Hampshire
. Maine also sells scratch tickets
.
An agreement was reached on October 13, 2009, for Mega Millions and Powerball to be available through every US lottery. Maine began sales of Mega Millions
on May 9, 2010, after most lotteries began offering both games on January 31, 2010. The Portland Press Herald, on March 31, 2010, reported that the Supplemental Budget had passed; it included a provision to require Maine to join Mega Millions on May 9, 2010. WCSH-TV (NBC) in Portland
reported that Gov. Baldacci signed the Supplemental Budget on March 31, 2010. Currently, 42 lotteries offer Mega Millions, and 44 offer Powerball; 41 sell tickets for both games. Since rejoining MUSL in 2004, Maine has not sold a Powerball jackpot ticket. Maine's largest lottery prize was in Lotto*America, which Maine joined in 1990; the Lottery severed ties with MUSL in 1992, when Lotto*America ended.
All of Maine's draw games are shared with other lotteries.
drawings.
Weekly Grand Extra is scheduled to replaced by an expansion of the Connecticut Lottery
game Lucky4Life in March 2012; the game will be played throughout New England when Vermont joins the next month.
Since 2004, Maine has been a member of MUSL, which is best known for Powerball
. Maine had been a MUSL member from 1990 to 1992, offering Lotto*America; Maine dropped out of MUSL when Powerball began. Powerball's jackpots currently start at $20 million; it is drawn Wednesday and Saturday nights. The drawings air on WAGM-TV (CBS/FOX) Presque Isle, WPFO-TV (Fox) Portland, and WABI-TV (CBS) Bangor.
Maine has yet to provide a jackpot-winning Powerball winner, although at least once it sold a Lotto*America top prize; Maine's biggest lottery prize came from that game.
On October 13, 2009 the Mega Millions
consortium and MUSL reached an agreement in principle to cross-sell Mega Millions and Powerball
in US lottery jurisdictions. Maine joined Mega Millions on May 9, 2010; most lotteries that already had either game offered both beginning January 31, 2010. Mega Millions drawings will air on WAGM-TV (CBS/Fox) Presque Isle, WPFO-TV (Fox) Portland, and WABI-TV (CBS) Bangor at 11 P.M. Tuesdays and Fridays.
Multi-State Lottery Association
The Multi-State Lottery Association is a non-profit, government-benefit association owned and operated by agreement of its 33 member lotteries MUSL was created to facilitate the operation of multi-jurisdictional lottery games, including Powerball, Mega Millions), video lottery, and instant ...
(MUSL), whose flagship game is Powerball
Powerball
Powerball is an American lottery game sold in 44 jurisdictions as a shared jackpot game. It is coordinated by the Multi-State Lottery Association , a non-profit organization formed by an agreement with lotteries. Powerball is a game whose advertised jackpot starts at $20 million and can roll into...
.
Maine originally joined MUSL in 1990, before the Iowa
Iowa Lottery
The Iowa Lottery is run by the government of Iowa. It is a charter member of, and home to, the Multi-State Lottery Association , which administers its games on behalf of the member lotteries...
-based organization began Powerball; Maine pulled out two years later, when Powerball was introduced. Maine did not rejoin MUSL until 2004. (Powerball drawings moved to Florida
Florida Lottery
The Florida Lottery is a government-run organization in Florida, USA. With numerous on-line and scratch-off games available, players have a wide variety of prize levels to choose from. Since it began, the Florida Lottery has continued to add variety to its portfolio of games...
in 2009, although MUSL headquarters remain in Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
). MUSL's smaller jackpot game Hot Lotto is Maine's first continuing draw game to have its winning numbers drawn via random number generator (RNG) instead of using traditional lottery balls.
Maine's other online games are organized by the three northernmost lotteries within New England; these games are drawn in New Hampshire
New Hampshire Lottery
Begun in 1964, the New Hampshire Lottery is the oldest US mainland-based lottery. New Hampshire's games include Mega Millions, Powerball, Hot Lotto, and numerous scratch tickets.New Hampshire is part of the Multi-State Lottery Association , which it joined in 1995...
. Maine also sells scratch tickets
Scratchcard
A scratchcard is a small card, often made of thin paper-based card for competitions and plastic to conceal PINs, where one or more areas contain concealed information which can...
.
An agreement was reached on October 13, 2009, for Mega Millions and Powerball to be available through every US lottery. Maine began sales of Mega Millions
Mega Millions
Mega Millions is a US multi-jurisdictional $1 lottery game. Since it replaced The Big Game in May 2002 , Mega Millions' advertised jackpots have started at $12 million, paid in 26 yearly installments , increasing when there is no jackpot winner...
on May 9, 2010, after most lotteries began offering both games on January 31, 2010. The Portland Press Herald, on March 31, 2010, reported that the Supplemental Budget had passed; it included a provision to require Maine to join Mega Millions on May 9, 2010. WCSH-TV (NBC) in Portland
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
reported that Gov. Baldacci signed the Supplemental Budget on March 31, 2010. Currently, 42 lotteries offer Mega Millions, and 44 offer Powerball; 41 sell tickets for both games. Since rejoining MUSL in 2004, Maine has not sold a Powerball jackpot ticket. Maine's largest lottery prize was in Lotto*America, which Maine joined in 1990; the Lottery severed ties with MUSL in 1992, when Lotto*America ended.
All of Maine's draw games are shared with other lotteries.
Megabucks Plus
Megabucks Plus has a similar format as Hot Lotto, Mega Millions, and Powerball. As Megabucks, begun in 1985, it was a "classic"-style six-number game until July 2009. Every Wednesday and Saturday, 5 regular numbers are drawn from a pool of 41, and 1 from a pool of 6 numbers. Games are $2 each; the minimum jackpot is $1,000,000.Weekly Grand Extra
Weekly Grand Extra uses a 4+1 matrix; players choose 4 of 35 in the "white pool", and 1 of 35 in a second pool. Matching all five numbers wins $1,000-a-week for 20 years; there is a present value|cash option]] available. Every wager is eligible for a $5 prize, redeemable immediately if won. Weekly Grand features fixed payouts (e.g. matching four white balls wins $5,000) except for the top prize, which is parimutuel. Drawings are Tuesdays and Fridays. Replacing Weekly Grand in April 2011, the game now produces a raffle ticket with each regular ticket purchased for a chance to win $100 in weekly TGIFTGIF
TGIF is an initialism for the phrase "Thank God It's Friday", celebrating the last day of the work/school week before the weekend. Its origin dates to the 1960s. It was first popularized by the restaurant T.G.I. Friday's which was founded in 1965. However, it became mainstream by the late 1970s,...
drawings.
Weekly Grand Extra is scheduled to replaced by an expansion of the Connecticut Lottery
Connecticut Lottery
The Connecticut Lottery Corporation, also called the CT Lottery, is the official lottery in Connecticut. It was created in 1971 by then-Gov. Thomas Meskill, who signed Public Act No. 865. The first tickets were sold on February 15, 1972. The Connecticut Lottery offers five in-house drawing games...
game Lucky4Life in March 2012; the game will be played throughout New England when Vermont joins the next month.
Since 2004, Maine has been a member of MUSL, which is best known for Powerball
Powerball
Powerball is an American lottery game sold in 44 jurisdictions as a shared jackpot game. It is coordinated by the Multi-State Lottery Association , a non-profit organization formed by an agreement with lotteries. Powerball is a game whose advertised jackpot starts at $20 million and can roll into...
. Maine had been a MUSL member from 1990 to 1992, offering Lotto*America; Maine dropped out of MUSL when Powerball began. Powerball's jackpots currently start at $20 million; it is drawn Wednesday and Saturday nights. The drawings air on WAGM-TV (CBS/FOX) Presque Isle, WPFO-TV (Fox) Portland, and WABI-TV (CBS) Bangor.
Maine has yet to provide a jackpot-winning Powerball winner, although at least once it sold a Lotto*America top prize; Maine's biggest lottery prize came from that game.
On October 13, 2009 the Mega Millions
Mega Millions
Mega Millions is a US multi-jurisdictional $1 lottery game. Since it replaced The Big Game in May 2002 , Mega Millions' advertised jackpots have started at $12 million, paid in 26 yearly installments , increasing when there is no jackpot winner...
consortium and MUSL reached an agreement in principle to cross-sell Mega Millions and Powerball
Powerball
Powerball is an American lottery game sold in 44 jurisdictions as a shared jackpot game. It is coordinated by the Multi-State Lottery Association , a non-profit organization formed by an agreement with lotteries. Powerball is a game whose advertised jackpot starts at $20 million and can roll into...
in US lottery jurisdictions. Maine joined Mega Millions on May 9, 2010; most lotteries that already had either game offered both beginning January 31, 2010. Mega Millions drawings will air on WAGM-TV (CBS/Fox) Presque Isle, WPFO-TV (Fox) Portland, and WABI-TV (CBS) Bangor at 11 P.M. Tuesdays and Fridays.