News writer
The holiday season is gearing up, which means many state lotteries are launching special giveaways and contests.
In Idaho, the lottery's anticipated 19th edition of the 2025 Idaho $1,000,000 Raffle is just around the corner, and there are many ways to win.
Smaller $1,000 raffle prizes
Beginning October 21 at 4 a.m. Mountain Time, players can buy raffle tickets for $10 apiece through December 29, or until all 500,000 tickets are sold out.
There are no online sales in Idaho, so tickets must be purchased at in-store authorized Idaho retailers.
Players should hold onto their tickets and check them frequently, because every day, for the first 15 days, a random ticket will be selected for a $1,000 win. Winning numbers will be posted on the Idaho Lottery website and social media the day after each drawing.
Further, every 25,000th ticket purchased will win $1,000. These winners will know instantly that they've won, because their ticket number will be a multiple of 25,000: for example, 025,000, 050,000, 075,000, 100,000, 125,000, 150,000, 175,000, 200,000, etc., all the way up to 500,000.
The Idaho Lottery announced that 21,000 prizes will be given away by the end of the raffle.
The grand prize
Even if players win $1,000, they still have a shot at the grand prize: $1 million.
Two players will win $1 million in this year's raffle.
Their ticket numbers will be drawn and announced on December 29, 5:59 p.m. Mountain Time on news stations KTVB, KMVT, KPVI, and KLEW.
Last year, 450,000 tickets were sold, and over 17,000 other cash prizes were given out, including two million-dollar prizes.
The tickets sold out in 47 days, so players are encouraged to buy early this year. Winners will have to claim their prizes at the lottery offices in Boise, Idaho, and they will have 180 days to do so.
The Idaho Lottery has been operational since 1989 and has been popular since the very beginning. Funds are given to the state's public schools and buildings fund. The raffle is separate from standard lottery games, which will be conducted as usual.
Other holiday games around the country
Idaho isn't the only state celebrating the holidays with special games and raffles. State lotteries all over the country are giving away big wins. Massachusetts is holding a holiday lottery game starting today and ending December 31, called the Mass Millionaire Holiday Raffle, with prizes of $1 million, $250,000, and $25,000.
- New York's $1,000,000 Holiday Cash is a $10 scratch-off with prizes ranging from $10 to $5,000 to $1 million in $50,000 annual installments.
- The Michigan Lottery is holding a retailer display contest from October 28 through December 11. Retailers can submit photos of their displays for a shot at a grand prize: a book of $1 instant win tickets, valued at $300.
- The Kansas Holiday Millionaire Raffle has been running since September 1. The $1 million prize will be announced on January 5, 2026. Other winners will get $30,000 in drawings held on October 5, November 16, and December 7.
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