DC Lottery
Since the DC Lottery began in 1982, it has contributed over $2.22 billion to the District of Columbia's General Fund, helping to support vital services such as education. Players also receive over 50% of Lottery sales in prize payouts - more than $4.2 billion so far.
On this page, you'll find information on buying tickets, draw schedule, game details, claiming prizes, and more.
Current lottery games include: Powerball - Mega Millions - Lucky for Life - DC 2 - DC 3 - DC 4 - DC 5. Just click on a link to view the latest winning numbers.
DC Lottery App
You can get all the latest winning numbers from games in the District of Columbia delivered straight to your phone or tablet with the convenient app. Visit the DC Lottery App page to download it for free.
Buying Lottery Tickets
The only DC games currently available to play outside of the USA are Powerball and Mega Millions. Find out more on the Tickets page.
DC Lottery Drawing Schedule
Find out exactly when each game is held and how late you can buy tickets:
| Game | Draw Days | Draw Times* | Ticket Sales Close At* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powerball | Monday, Wednesday & Saturday | 10:59 PM | 9:45 PM |
| Mega Millions | Tuesday & Friday | 11:00 PM | 10:45 PM |
| Lucky for Life | Daily | 10:38 PM | 9:30 PM |
| DC-2 | Daily | 1:50 PM & 7:50 PM | 1:49 PM & 7:49 PM |
| DC-3 | Daily | 1:50 PM & 7:50 PM | 1:49 PM & 7:49 PM |
| DC-4 | Daily | 1:50 PM & 7:50 PM | 1:49 PM & 7:49 PM |
| DC-5 | Daily | 1:50 PM & 7:50 PM | 1:49 PM & 7:49 PM |
| Keno | Daily | Every 4 minutes | - |
| *Times are shown in ET. DC2, 3, 4 and 5 drawings occur immediately after ticket sales close. | |||
Game Information
Games offered by the DC Lottery include Powerball, Mega Millions, and Lucky for Life. As well as these multi-state games, there are also a range of draws exclusively played in the District of Columbia.
DC-2
With a top prize of $50 and the most favorable odds of any DC numbers draw game, DC-2 is a fan favorite. All the details are on the DC-2 dedicated page.
DC-3
Three lucky numbers is all it takes to win up to $500, with nine ways to win a prize twice daily. Learn more on the DC-3 game page.
DC-4
This four-digit draw game offers eleven ways to win and a grand prize of $5,000. Visit the DC-4 page for more information.
DC-5
This District original offers 120 ways to win and a top prize of $50,000 cash for a winning straight bet. Check out the DC-5 game page.
Other Games
District residents can also play local games like Keno, Fast Play and Tap-N-Play, or take part in instant win games called Scratchers that can be purchased from authorized retailers throughout the District. Prizes can reach as high as $1 million and all you have to do to win big aside from beating the odds is scratch off the coating on the game. Pick up one today and see what happens!
Claiming DC Lottery Prizes
If you've won a DC Lottery prize, then you will have 180 days from the date of the drawing or from the announced close of game date (for Scratchers tickets). Any prizes left unclaimed after this period of time are allocated to the District's General Fund.
Prizes of any amount may be claimed by mail - see below.
Prizes worth $600 or less can be claimed at any authorized retailer, or the Lottery Prize Center, which is located on the ground floor of 2235 Shannon Place, SE.
Prizes above $600 and up to $5,000 may be claimed at the Prize Center or a Retailer Plus location.
If you've won more than $5,000, you may claim at the Prize Center. Your payout will be subject to a federal withholding tax of 25 percent and D.C. taxes of 8.5 percent.
Claim a prize by mail
Prizes of any amount may be claimed by mail, but if you've won more than $5,000, please call the Prize Center at 202-645-8000 for information before sending your documents.
Mail the following to the lottery at the address below:
- Your original signed ticket
- A completed claim form
- A copy of your driver's license, state-issued ID or passport
- A copy of your Social Security card
Mail to:
DC Lottery Prize Center
2235 Shannon Place, SE
Washington, DC 20020
Mail-in claims are paid out as checks.
History of the DC Lottery
The DC Lottery was established in 1982 and hit $3.5 million in sales during its first week. The district is a founding member of the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL), along with Iowa, Kansas, Oregon, Rhode Island and West Virginia. The group launched in 1987 and Lotto*America debuted in 1988. Mega Millions tickets went on sale in January 2010.
Revenue from the DC Lottery is allocated to the General Fund for the District. Since the Lottery was established, over $1.8 billion has been raised to provide valuable support to education, public safety, senior services and more.
Rules
You must be at least 18 years old to purchase DC Lottery tickets, but minors can receive lottery tickets as gifts.