What Is Hot Lotto?

          Hot Lotto is a type of lottery game played in certain parts of the United States of America. It is run by the state lotteries that also oversee the Powerball lottery, currently being held in 10 states across the country. The game is played twice a week, on Saturdays and Wednesdays. The cost of play is $1 per line, and multiple lines can be purchased.

           Each line lasts for a single draw. To play, five white numbers are selected from between 1 and 39. An additional orange number is chosen, from between 1 to 19. A random computer generated line can also be purchased. Each draw sees 5 white balls and one orange or "hot ball" drawn from the random number generator.

          The prizes available begin at $2 for correctly matching the orange number, to the jackpot which is won by matching all 6 balls drawn, with the amount won determined by the number of entrants. The next highest prize is $10,000 for correctly matching all five white balls. The order in which the balls are pulled out does not affect the result. The Hot Lotto is popular because there is a one in sixteen chance of winning. Another reason for its success is that it comes in two payment options; either a lump sum or a series of annual payments over 24 years.