News writer
For almost two years, lottery insiders have been talking about a bold new concept: a national lottery game built around the NFL. Lottery officials have been slow to share any details about this new concept, but recent conference updates and public comments from lottery leaders are finally shedding some light on what's coming next and how different it could be from anything players have seen before.
The game would be developed by the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) in partnership with the National Football League. It's tentatively titled X's and O's and would represent one of the most ambitious experiments in modern lottery history.
Not all about the big jackpots
Unlike Powerball or Mega Millions, X's and O's is not expected to rely on the appeal of huge jackpots as its primary hook. Instead, lottery officials plan to focus on experiential prizes that connect directly to the NFL. Oklahoma Lottery Executive Director Jay Finks said during La Fleur's 2024 Raleigh Conference:
We're creating a national draw-based game to mimic the strengths of Powerball and Mega Millions while leveraging endemic NFL IP (intellectual property) to reach new audiences.
There will be a modest rolling jackpot to help keep the game self-funded. However, Finks made it clear that the cash prizes won't be the main attraction of this game.
“Everyone wants cash,” MUSL Executive Director Bret Toyne said at a PGRI panel in November 2025. “But they're interested in some of those experiences that you can't buy.”
How would the game work?
Instead of picking numbers, players of X's and O's would be expected to choose eight out of the 32 NFL teams. This would tie gameplay more closely to fandom than luck alone.
Colorado Lottery Director Tom Seaver revealed one possible format discussed with state officials: a tic-tac-toe-style grid filled with NFL team logos.
“It is essentially a tic-tac-toe format game where instead of X's and O's, the logos of the 32 NFL teams will fall into those squares,” Seaver explained. He added that prizes would be determined by the number of spots that are matched.
The drawings would take place on Sundays, which would align the game with the NFL action. It would also help differentiate it from existing national draw games.
The NFL partnership matters
Why a partnership with the NFL? Lottery officials say this would be about reaching players the industry has struggled to connect with, especially younger adults. Finks explained:
What this research is saying is we should be talking to the NFL. Because it can get us a younger player.
The MUSL conducted research, which found that Powerball already enjoyed 85% brand awareness among adults ages 35-54, according to Pennsylvania Lottery Executive Director Drew Svitko. However, awareness and engagement drop among younger audiences. Svitko added:
The NFL is probably one of few brands that are much bigger than Powerball. So it's easy to see the value in that partnership.
Minnesota Lottery Director Adam Prock said the scale of the collaboration could be massive. He estimated the game could reach up to 150 million people if adopted widely.
Lingering questions remain on pricing and timing
Focus groups have been held, with ticket prices ranging from $5 to $12. The MUSL ultimately landed on $5 per ticket.
Drawings are tentatively scheduled for Sundays, with a target launch date for the 2026 NFL season.
Seaver explained:
We're going to huddle up and talk about what type of research we’re going to want to do to try to evaluate that game, to see if it's a good fit for the Colorado Lottery. We're certainly not going to be pressured by any timelines. We measure twice and cut once, and we're not going to vary from that for this proposed game.
What's clear is that codename X's and O's won't be just another lottery game, but a calculated bet that experiences, fandom, and culture can help bring in the next generation of players.
Enjoy playing the lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.
Comments