Khaberni - A new lottery game available in more than half of the American states hosts its first daily draw this weekend, giving players a chance to become lifetime millionaires.
Last month, the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL), which also oversees "Powerball" and "Lotto America", confirmed that the "Millionaire for Life" game will soon be available after being considered by several states.
The "Millionaire for Life" program will replace the "Cash for Life" and "Lucky for Life" programs in those states.
The previous games offered a chance to win $1,000 per day for life, and winners in the latter could choose to win $25,000 annually for life.
The new game raises the stakes by offering a grand prize of $1 million per year for life.
The first daily draw for the "Millionaire for Life" program will be conducted on Sunday.
How is the "Millionaire for Life" game conducted?
The "Millionaire for Life" game is very similar to "Powerball" and "Mega Millions", with two sets of numbers: the first ranging from 1 to 58 and the second from 1 to 5.
In each draw, five numbers will be chosen from the first set, and one number, known as the "Millionaire number", from the second set.
This means that the player must choose five numbers from the first set and one number from the second set for their ticket.
What are the prizes in the "Millionaire for Life" program?
There are nine payout levels in the game, with the top two offering "lifetime" payment options, while the other seven offer one-time payouts.
The two lifetime prizes are granted $1 million and $100,000 annually, as per contest organizers, and a minimum payout period of twenty years is guaranteed.
The jackpot, however, is based on proportional distribution which means its value could vary depending on ticket sales and the number of winners.
Winners in these two categories can also choose to receive a one-time cash prize.
The value of these prizes has been set at $18 million and $2.2 million respectively, according to the game's website.
The odds during play in the "Millionaire for Life" game
They are better than the winning odds in "Powerball" and "Mega Millions", where the odds of winning any prize in the "Millionaire for Life" game are 1 in 8.46, nearly three times better than "Powerball" (1 in 24.87) and "Mega Millions" (1 in 23).
The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 22.9 million, also significantly better than the odds in "Powerball" and "Mega Millions", which are 1 in 292.2 million and 1 in 290.5 million, respectively.
Where is the "Millionaire for Life" program available?
Participants can find tickets in 30 states and the District of Columbia: Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
These states also participate in the "Powerball" and "Mega Millions" contests.
The states that have not yet joined are Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin.
What is the price of "Millionaire for Life" tickets?
The ticket price is $5, the same price as a "Mega Millions" ticket, and $3 more than a "Powerball" ticket.
It also costs $3 more than "Cash for Life" and "Lucky for Life" tickets, which are priced at $2 each.
However, a portion of ticket sales will be allocated to public programs or service funds under the relevant authority, which already benefit from the local lottery.
When are the draws conducted?
The first daily draws will be conducted at 10:15 PM Central Time on Sunday, February 22, which is also the first day tickets go on sale.
These draws will be conducted after "Powerball" draws (Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 9:59 PM Central Time) and "Mega Millions" draws (Tuesday and Friday at 10 PM Central Time).
