News writer, Interviewer
What happens when two multi-state lottery games make room for a new powerhouse? Thirty-one states are about to find out.
Next month, Millionaire for Life launches across the country, replacing both Lucky for Life and Cash4Life with a single, high-stakes daily draw. The stakes? $1 million a year for life. The odds? Better than you'd expect from a multi-state game.
The reason behind the switch
Two separate "for life" games split the player base. One unified game offers bigger jackpots and better odds.
A consortium of state lotteries made the call to retire Lucky for Life and Cash4Life. In their place: a $5 game with a grand prize that dwarfs the old $1,000-per-day top tier.
The upgrade means daily drawings instead of twice-weekly. It means $1 million annually instead of $365,000. And it means odds of 1 in 22.9 million for the top prize—significantly better than other national draws.
"Millionaire for Life offers premier 'for-life' prizing that players, especially younger players, have gravitated toward," said Tom Seaver, Millionaire for Life Product Group Chair and Senior Director of the Colorado Lottery.
The end date for legacy games
Mark your calendar: Saturday, February 21, 2026.
That's the final drawing for both Lucky for Life and Cash4Life in all participating states. Sales close that evening, typically between 8:30 and 9:30 PM local time.
Already bought advance tickets? Most states began a "drawdown" period in late 2025, blocking purchases that would extend beyond February 21. If you hold tickets for draws before that date, they remain valid.
Your claim window stays protected by state law. Depending on where you live, you have 180 days to one year from the drawing date to collect any winnings.
The Millionaire for Life launch timeline
The launch is synchronized across all 31 jurisdictions.
Ticket sales begin Sunday morning, February 22, 2026. The first drawing takes place that night at 10:15 p.m. CT (11:15 p.m. ET).
The New York Lottery is expected to join at launch, pending final regulatory approval.
Participating states at launch
Thirty-one jurisdictions confirmed for launch:
Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
New York will likely join, subject to approval.
A few "for life" states haven't publicly signed on yet.
Florida currently offers Cash4Life and announced the game ends February 21, but hasn't officially joined the Millionaire for Life roster. Delaware and Missouri also offer legacy games, but aren't listed in the initial lineup.
Will they join later? That remains to be seen.
New prize structure
The grand prize pays $1 million a year for life, with a 20-year guaranteed minimum. The second-tier prize offers $100,000 a year for life, also with a 20-year guarantee. Both come as annuities, though winners can opt for a lump-sum cash payout.
The game was built to produce daily winners. Overall prize odds sit at 1 in 8.46—reasonable for a $5 ticket.
Coming soon: full game details
Full game details drop February 12. That includes play mechanics, complete odds tables, and additional prize tier information.
Then on February 22, the game goes live.
The transition marks the end of an era for Lucky for Life and Cash4Life. But for lottery players in 31 jurisdictions, it signals something bigger: a daily shot at generational wealth.
Will it deliver? The odds suggest it might.
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