News writer, Interviewer
The Pennsylvania Lottery just made its holiday tradition more rewarding. The New Year's Millionaire Raffle now includes eight weekly drawings, each awarding two $50,000 prizes before the big January finale.
Since 2005, this raffle has created 140 millionaires. Now it's giving players more chances to win substantial prizes along the way.
What's different this year?
The Pennsylvania Lottery added $800,000 in extra prizes through weekly drawings. Every ticket purchased automatically enters one of eight weekly drawings based on purchase date. No extra steps required.
Pennsylvania Lottery Executive Director Drew Svitko explained:
What's just as exciting is that, leading up to the final big drawing in the new year, the Lottery is offering two prizes of $50,000 every week.
Each week from November 4 through December 29, two players will claim $50,000. And here's the key detail: weekly winners stay eligible for the January 3 drawing.
How the weekly drawings work
Eight drawings. Sixteen winners. Each ticket enters the drawing for the week it was purchased:
- Drawing 1: November 4-10
- Drawing 2: November 11-17
- Drawing 3: November 18-24
- Drawing 4: November 25-December 1
- Drawing 5: December 2-8
- Drawing 6: December 9-15
- Drawing 7: December 16-22
- Drawing 8: December 23-29
Winning numbers are posted weekly on the Pennsylvania Lottery website. Players can scan tickets at retailers or use the Lottery's official app.
One important note: weekly winners must claim their $50,000 prize in person at a Pennsylvania Lottery office. Not at a retailer. Not by mail.
The January 3 grand drawing
The main event awards 6,000 prizes totaling more than $5.8 million:
- Four $1 million prizes.
- Four $100,000 prizes.
- 100 prizes of $1,000.
- 5,892 prizes of $100.
Ticket sales end January 3 at 8 p.m. ET, unless the 500,000 tickets sell out first. Each $20 ticket gets a sequential number from 00000001 to 00500000.
To win, your ticket number must exactly match a winning number. Every digit. Same sequence.
If all 500,000 tickets sell, each ticket has a 1 in 125,000 chance of winning $1 million or $100,000. Overall odds of winning any prize: 1 in 83.
Why players like this raffle
The odds stand out. With only 500,000 tickets and four million-dollar prizes, your chances beat most lottery games significantly.
Many players buy tickets as holiday gifts. Svitko noted this trend:
Many players tell us they enjoy gifting Raffle tickets to family members for the holidays.
Just remember: players must be 18 or older. And play responsibly.
Where the money goes
Every ticket sale supports programs for older Pennsylvanians. The Pennsylvania Lottery directs proceeds to services that benefit seniors across the Commonwealth. Svitko said:
Players can feel good knowing that proceeds from every ticket sale help support programs for older Pennsylvanians.
How to check if you've won
After 10 p.m. ET on January 3, winning numbers will be posted on the Pennsylvania Lottery website. You can also check tickets at lottery retailers and through the app.
Sign your tickets. Keep them safe. Weekly drawing winners still need their tickets for the January 3 drawing.
Good luck!
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