The Missouri Lottery is run by the government of Missouri

Missouri

Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...

. It is a charter member of the Multi-State Lottery Association

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 first drawing was held in 1988.

History

The Lottery began selling tickets January 20, 1986. An executive director oversees the organization and reports to a five-member commission that is appointed by the governor. May Scheve Reardon took over as Missouri Lottery executive director in December, 2009.

In the beginning, Lottery proceeds were directed to Missouri's General Revenue fund. In 1992, voters approved Amendment 11, which earmarked proceeds for public education. All monies since July 1993 have gone to education programs. Proceeds are appropriated by the Legislature.

The Lottery offers Scratchers

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...

 tickets, plus the online games Missouri Lotto, Club Keno, Pick 3, Pick 4, Show Me Cash

Fantasy 5

The following is a list of lottery games in the United States and Canada in which five regular numbers are drawn from a larger set of numbers. The list includes the name, the number field for each, and the frequency of drawings. All pick-5 games in the U.S...

, 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...

. Powerball's former rival, 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...

, came to Missouri on January 31, 2010. The $250,000 Scratcher card generated much publicity when unemployed couple Robert Russell and Tracie Rogers won the jackpot in July 2010.

The Lottery's mission: "The Missouri Lottery generates funds to provide educational opportunities for Missouri students, support Missouri businesses and entertain millions."

The minimum age to purchase a Missouri Lottery ticket is 18.

Club Keno

Club Keno is a Numbers Game with drawings every four minutes. Traditionally sold in age-controlled environments, the game is now available at any Missouri Lottery retail location as Keno To Go. Prices, prizes, and options vary.

Show Me Cash

Show Me Cash is played daily, drawing 5 numbers from 1 to 39. Games cost $1 each. Jackpots begin at $50,000, increasing by at least $5,000 until there is a 5-of-5 winner.

Missouri Lotto

Missouri Lotto is drawn Wednesdays and Saturdays; 6 numbers from 1 to 44 are chosen. Games cost $1 each. Jackpots begin at $1 million.

Powerball

Powerball began in 1992. Its jackpots begin $20 million, with drawings on Wednesday and Saturday nights.

Mega Millions

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 U.S. lottery jurisdictions. Missouri began selling Mega Millions tickets on January 31, 2010.

Fun & Fortune

For several years in the 1990s, the Lottery aired a television game show called Fun & Fortune

Fun & Fortune

Fun & Fortune was a game show that was part of the Missouri Lottery. The show was broadcast from the 1990s until late 2002. ....

, hosted by Rick Tamblyn. (Nationally-known Geoff Edwards

Geoff Edwards

Geoffrey Bruce Owen "Geoff" Edwards is an American television actor, game show host and radio personality. Over the past decade and a half, he has been a writer and broadcaster on travel. He was born in Westfield, New Jersey....

hosted the pilot.)