The Connecticut Lottery drawings are televised on these TV channels in Connecticut: WCTX 59 (MyTV9) and WCCT 20 (CW20). The daily lottery drawings for games like Play3, Play4, Cash5, Lotto! and Lucky Links are shown on these channels at night.
What time are the CT lottery drawings?
The Connecticut Lottery drawings take place each evening at these approximate times:
- Play3 and Play4: 10:00 PM
- Cash5: 11:12 PM
- Lotto!: 11:21 PM
- Lucky Links: 11:30 PM
So if you want to watch the drawings live on TV, tune into WCTX or WCCT a few minutes before 10 PM to catch all of the games. The Lotto! drawing with the big jackpots happens last at around 11:20pm.
Where can I find CT lottery results online?
If you miss the live Connecticut Lottery drawings on TV, you can find the winning numbers posted shortly afterwards on the Lottery’s website ctlottery.org. The results for each daily drawing are typically posted within 5-10 minutes after they take place.
On the Lottery’s homepage, you’ll see links for “Winning Numbers”. Click the link for the game you want and you’ll see the latest results.
Can I watch CT lottery drawing replays online?
Yes, replay videos of past Connecticut Lottery drawings are available to watch online. The Lottery posts videos of the nightly drawings on its YouTube channel and website.
On the ctlottery.org homepage, scroll down and look for the “Drawing Videos” section. You can choose a video replay of any recent drawing you want to see.
Their YouTube channel called “CTLottery” also has an extensive archive of drawing videos you can watch. This lets you go back and view drawings from any previous date.
Where do the CT lottery drawings take place?
The Connecticut Lottery drawings are held at the lottery’s television studio in New Britain, CT. The studio is located at CT Lottery headquarters at 777 Brook St, New Britain, CT 06053.
This is where the lottery host and officials conduct the drawings in front of cameras for broadcast. Lottery players are not able to attend the drawings in person, as no public viewers are allowed in the studio.
How can I get lottery tickets for the CT drawings?
There are a few ways to buy official lottery tickets to enter the drawings in Connecticut:
- At licensed lottery retailers across the state – These include convenience stores, gas stations, supermarkets, etc. Look for the green CT Lottery logo.
- On the ctlottery.org website – Create an account to buy tickets online.
- Using the CT Lottery mobile app – Download the app and sign up to purchase digital tickets.
- At CT Lottery self-service kiosks – Find kiosks at select retailers to buy tickets.
When you buy quick pick or number-selected tickets at authorized retailers, you’ll get printed paper tickets. With online play through the website or mobile app, you get electronic tickets instead that can be viewed in your account.
What are the biggest CT lottery jackpots?
Here are some of the largest jackpots in Connecticut Lottery history:
| Lottery Game | Jackpot Amount | Date Won |
|---|---|---|
| Powerball | $254.2 million | June 5, 2012 |
| Mega Millions | $122 million | March 30, 2012 |
| Lotto! | $20.1 million | October 9, 2021 |
| Cash5 | $1.5 million | January 1, 2017 |
The Connecticut Lottery has awarded prizes over $100 million on eight occasions for different drawing games over the years. Powerball and Mega Millions have historically had the biggest jackpots.
What are the odds of winning the CT lottery?
Your odds of winning a prize in Connecticut Lottery drawings vary depending on the game:
- Play3: 1 in 1,000
- Play4: 1 in 10,000
- Cash5: 1 in 225,000
- Lotto!: 1 in 3,838,380
- Mega Millions: 1 in 302,575,350
- Powerball: 1 in 292,201,338
As you can see, Cash5 and the daily Play games offer the best odds, while the multistate games have much tougher odds due to their huge jackpots. Of course, your chances go up the more game combinations you play.
What is the CT lottery money used for?
The Connecticut Lottery operates under the Department of Consumer Protection. By law, all of the Lottery’s revenue must go towards the state’s General Fund.
So while no specific programs are funded directly by the Lottery, its proceeds contribute an average of $350 million annually to the state budget. This helps pay for various government services and expenses.
Some of the general areas that receive CT lottery funding each year are education, safety, social services, health programs and more.
Can anyone claim CT lottery prizes anonymously?
No, Connecticut does not allow lottery winners to remain anonymous. The Lottery publicly releases the winner’s name and hometown for any prize over $10,000.
However, certain limited liability entities like trusts can claim lottery prizes while keeping members’ names private. The entity name is announced instead of individual winners’ names.
Do CT and MA have joint lottery games?
Yes, the Connecticut Lottery provides a few joint games that are played together with the Massachusetts Lottery:
- Lucky for Life – A lifetime prize drawing played in 25 states across the country.
- Megabucks Doubler – A regional jackpot game exclusive to CT and MA.
- 2by2 – A Tuesday and Friday night drawing game played in both states.
For these joint games, the two lotteries combine sales and pool jackpots. Tickets can be purchased in either state. Winners are drawn from the combined population of players.
Are lottery winnings taxed in Connecticut?
Yes, like almost every other state, Connecticut does tax lottery prizes over certain amounts:
- Prizes up to $5,000 are tax-exempt.
- Prizes between $5,000 and $50,000 have a 3% state tax.
- Prizes over $50,000 have a 6.99% Connecticut income tax.
The Federal government also takes 24% off lottery prizes over $5,000, regardless of the winner’s state. So combined state and federal taxes quickly add up for big jackpots.
Can lottery winners remain anonymous in CT?
No, the Connecticut Lottery requires the names and hometowns of any winner of a prize over $10,000 to be publicly released. This is done through press releases and news conferences.
Some limited liability trusts and entities can claim prizes anonymously by having the business name announced. But individuals cannot remain secret winners under CT law.
How long do winners have to claim CT lottery prizes?
For drawing games in Connecticut, players have 180 days from the date of the drawing to claim any winning lottery tickets. For scratch tickets, winners have 180 days from the declared official end of that lottery game.
For winning tickets worth over $50,000, you must claim those big prizes directly at CT Lottery headquarters in New Britain. Smaller prizes can be claimed at any licensed Lottery retailer.
If the 180 day deadline is missed, the prize money goes to the State Treasurer’s Unclaimed Property fund instead. So make sure to check those old tickets!
Can I play the lottery online from CT?
Yes, you can play many Connecticut Lottery games right on your computer or mobile device. You need to sign up for an account on the ctlottery.org website or download the CT Lottery app.
Once registered, you can use the website or app to:
- Buy tickets for draw games like Powerball, Lucky for Life, Lotto!, and more.
- Play instant win scratch games.
- Check winning numbers and ticket status.
- Collect any prizes won.
Playing online is convenient for getting in the drawings without leaving your home. Note you have to be within Connecticut state borders when purchasing tickets or making an account.
What games does the CT Lottery offer?
The Connecticut Lottery provides a wide variety of lottery games to play:
- Play3 – Pick 3 numbers for twice-daily drawings.
- Play4 – Choose 4 digits for drawings held twice a day.
- Cash5 – Select 5 numbers from 1-35 for a nightly drawing.
- Lotto! – Pick 6 of 40 numbers for jackpots starting at $1 million.
- Mega Millions – Huge interstate jackpots 2 times a week.
- Powerball – Popular national game with big jackpots on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
- Lucky for Life – Match for a chance to win $1,000 a day for life.
- Lucky Links – Match your 2 numbers to 4 winning numbers to win prizes.
- Keno – Select spots on a board for drawings every 4 minutes daily.
- Scratch tickets – Instant win games range from $1 to $30 per ticket.
Those variety of lottery games offer different prizing structures and odds. So there are many ways to play and win both small and large prizes throughout the year.
Who can legally play the lottery in CT?
In Connecticut, you must be at least 18 years old to legally purchase lottery tickets or claim prizes. 18 is the minimum age per state law.
You also must be physically located within CT state borders when playing the lottery. All lottery ticket sales and games are confined to the state of Connecticut only.
If you meet those two requirements, you are eligible to play the lottery! Tickets can be purchased either in-person or using the CT Lottery’s online play and mobile app options.
How do I play Powerball in CT?
Playing Powerball in Connecticut is easy:
- First, pick 5 numbers from 1 to 69 for the white balls. This can be done by quick pick or selecting your own digits.
- Next, choose 1 number from 1 to 26 for the Powerball. This red ball is drawn separately.
- Each Powerball play costs $2 per ticket. Multi-draw and replay options are available to play multiple drawings.
- Match the 5 white numbers + Powerball to win the multimillion dollar jackpot!
- You can buy Powerball tickets at CT Lottery retailers, the CT Lottery website, or using the mobile app.
- Powerball has drawings every Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59pm in Connecticut.
How late can I buy CT lottery tickets?
On draw nights, you can buy Connecticut Lottery tickets up until close to the drawing for each game:
- Play3/Play4 – Tickets can be purchased until 9:50 PM on draw nights
- Lotto! – Tickets can be purchased until 10:20 PM on draw nights
- Powerball – Tickets can be purchased until 9:59 PM on draw nights
- Mega Millions – Tickets can be purchased until 10:45 PM on draw nights
- Cash5 – Tickets can be purchased until 11:10 PM on draw nights
Lottery retailers usually stop selling tickets 10-15 minutes before each drawing. The ctlottery.org website and mobile app also close sales shortly before drawings.
On non-drawing days or for scratch games, CT lottery tickets can be purchased at any time within normal business hours. Retailers are open from early morning through late evening hours daily.
Where can I watch past CT lottery drawings?
There are a couple places to find replay videos of previous Connecticut Lottery drawings:
- The CT Lottery website – ctlottery.org has a section just for replay videos going back several weeks.
- YouTube – The CT Lottery channel shows an extensive archive of drawing videos.
- Facebook – Replays are posted on the CT Lottery Facebook page.
- Mobile app – The Connecticut Lottery app provides drawing replays.
Being able to look back at past drawings comes in handy if you want to double check your ticket numbers or just see how they looked when drawn live. All the ways above let you easily access any recent lottery drawing.
Can I buy CT lottery tickets as a gift?
Yes, lottery tickets make great gifts in Connecticut for adults. Here are some tips for buying CT Lottery gifts:
- Know the person’s favorite games – Which do they play regularly like Lotto!, Powerball, scratch tickets, etc.
- Buy a variety of tickets – Mix of their preferred games spreads out the fun.
- Get holiday themed tickets – Special editions have prizes like a Sea Doos or Disney trip.
- Add small gifts to make a lottery gift basket – Candy, gift cards, etc. combine nicely.
- Put tickets in a creative delivery – Use a small bucket, box, card, envelope, etc. to present them.
Giving the gift of lottery tickets provides excitement, entertainment, and the chance to win big money. Just be sure the recipient is 18+ years old in Connecticut.
Conclusion
The Connecticut Lottery offers a wide range of drawing and scratch games for players across the state. Drawings can be watched live on television or streamed online after the fact. Tickets can be purchased at thousands of retailers or via the website and mobile app. With different size prizes up for grabs, the Lottery provides fun and an opportunity to win.
