Multi-State Lottery Association
Encyclopedia
The Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) is a non-profit, government-benefit association owned and operated by agreement of its 33 member lotteries (see below.) MUSL was created to facilitate the operation of multi-jurisdictional lottery games, including Powerball
, Mega Millions
), video lottery, and instant (scratch) tickets
.
(MUSL will be supervising MegaHits, its second video lottery terminal
(VLT) game; it will begin on July 15, 2011.)
It was formed in December 1987 by seven US lotteries
. Its first game was launched in February 1988, called Lotto*America. That game was changed to Powerball; its first drawing was on April 22, 1992. Powerball was a unique game using two drums, suggested to MUSL by Steve Caputo of the Oregon Lottery
. Powerball is played in 44 jurisdictions, including the District of Columbia
and the US Virgin Islands. (Mega Millions, which became part of MUSL on January 31, 2010 but is operated by its 12 original members, is offered in 43 jurisdictions.)
, including the District of Columbia
, and the US Virgin Islands), which sold Powerball tickets prior to the January 31, 2010 beginning of cross-selling with the 12 lotteries that operated Mega Millions
. The year in parentheses below is when each of the 33 lotteries joined MUSL:
, Hot Lotto
, and Wild Card 2
. It coordinates with the 12 Mega Millions
consortium lotteries concerning their participation in Powerball as well as MUSL member lotteries in Mega Millions.
MUSL has retired several games, including Ca$hola (video lottery), Daily Millions, Rolldown, and the Powerball scratchcard
game; the latter was tied to a weekly television game show produced for two years in Hollywood, California called Powerball: The Game Show
; then for two years from the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas
, called Powerball Instant Millionaire
.
In September 2007, MUSL launched Midwest Millions
, a scratch ticket game, in Iowa
and Kansas
; it was the country's first multi-jurisdictional scratch game since the Powerball television game shows. Midwest Millions returned in 2008 and 2009.
Ca$hola was retired on May 15, 2011 when its 37th jackpot was won. A replacement multi-jurisdictional video lottery game, MegaHits
, began on July 15, 2011 in Delaware, Rhode Island, and West Virginia, the three lotteries which offered Ca$hola. MegaHits will feature five progressives
; Ca$hola's top prize was its only jackpot.
and security standards and inspections of lottery vendor sites; the building of a quantum-based Random number generator (RNG), coordination of common promotions and advertisements, coordination of public relations, and emergency back-drawing sites for lottery games. MUSL also hosts the Powerball web site and the websites for more than a dozen U.S. lotteries. The Powerball web site average over 350,000 pageviews per day (over 10.5 million monthly). MUSL provides these services to the lotteries at no cost. MUSL earns its income from non-game sources such as earnings on its accounts, bond swaps, and licensing of its trademarks. MUSL owns the patents and trademarks involved in its operations, holding them for the benefit of its members.
MUSL's director is Chuck Strutt, who was the association's first employee in 1987. Strutt directly responds to players and writes MUSL's unusual FAQ, which elicits strong responses from readers who may find it humorous or insulting. MUSL currently has 12 full-time employees located in Urbandale, Iowa
. The Powerball drawings moved to Florida when it joined; however, MUSL's other draw games continue to be conducted in Iowa
.
MUSL games operate under the same core game rules in each jurisdiction; however, each lottery is free to vary rules pertaining to such things as purchase age, the claim period, and some validation processes.
consortium and MUSL signed an agreement that allowed MUSL members to sell Mega Millions tickets, and consortium members to sell Powerball tickets. On January 31, 2010, all but 2 of the 12 Mega Millions consortium lotteries began selling Powerball tickets. The consortium members did not join MUSL; they were licensed by MUSL to sell Powerball; the consortium coordinates their Powerball participation with MUSL. Likewise, MUSL members may offer Mega Millions through a special MUSL product group that coordinates with the Mega Millions consortium.
Powerball
Powerball is an American lottery game sold in 44 jurisdictions as a shared jackpot game. It is coordinated by the Multi-State Lottery Association , a non-profit organization formed by an agreement with lotteries. Powerball is a game whose advertised jackpot starts at $20 million and can roll into...
, Mega Millions
Mega Millions
Mega Millions is a US multi-jurisdictional $1 lottery game. Since it replaced The Big Game in May 2002 , Mega Millions' advertised jackpots have started at $12 million, paid in 26 yearly installments , increasing when there is no jackpot winner...
), video lottery, and instant (scratch) tickets
Scratchcard
A scratchcard is a small card, often made of thin paper-based card for competitions and plastic to conceal PINs, where one or more areas contain concealed information which can...
.
(MUSL will be supervising MegaHits, its second video lottery terminal
Video Lottery Terminal
A Video Lottery Terminal or VLT is a gaming machine that allows gamblers to bet on the outcome of a video game.A VLT is similar to a slot machine, in that each terminal is a stand-alone device containing a random-number generator...
(VLT) game; it will begin on July 15, 2011.)
It was formed in December 1987 by seven US lotteries
Lottery
A lottery is a form of gambling which involves the drawing of lots for a prize.Lottery is outlawed by some governments, while others endorse it to the extent of organizing a national or state lottery. It is common to find some degree of regulation of lottery by governments...
. Its first game was launched in February 1988, called Lotto*America. That game was changed to Powerball; its first drawing was on April 22, 1992. Powerball was a unique game using two drums, suggested to MUSL by Steve Caputo of the Oregon Lottery
Oregon Lottery
The Oregon Lottery is run by the government of Oregon. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association .- History :The Oregon Lottery was enabled by an amendment to the Oregon Constitution, approved by voters in the 1984 general election. The Lottery began the next year, eventually offering...
. Powerball is played in 44 jurisdictions, including the District of Columbia
D.C. Lottery
The D.C. Lottery is run by the city of Washington, the US capital. It is a charter member of the Multi-State Lottery Association . Games offered include Powerball, DC Daily 6, DC-5, DC-4, Keno, Mega Millions and numerous scratch tickets.The D.C. Lottery began in 1982...
and the US Virgin Islands. (Mega Millions, which became part of MUSL on January 31, 2010 but is operated by its 12 original members, is offered in 43 jurisdictions.)
MUSL members
MUSL's membership consists of 33 US lotteriesLotteries in the United States
Lotteries in the United States are run by 46 jurisdictions; 43 states, plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands.In the US, the lottery is subject to the laws of each jurisdiction; there is no national lottery.- History :...
, including the District of Columbia
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, and the US Virgin Islands), which sold Powerball tickets prior to the January 31, 2010 beginning of cross-selling with the 12 lotteries that operated Mega Millions
Mega Millions
Mega Millions is a US multi-jurisdictional $1 lottery game. Since it replaced The Big Game in May 2002 , Mega Millions' advertised jackpots have started at $12 million, paid in 26 yearly installments , increasing when there is no jackpot winner...
. The year in parentheses below is when each of the 33 lotteries joined MUSL:
- ArizonaArizona LotteryThe Arizona Lottery is run by the government of Arizona. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association . Its games include Powerball, Mega Millions, Fantasy 5, Pick 3, Cash 4 , 2by2 and The Pick.Arizona requires lottery players to be at least 21; the minimum age was 18 until June 1,...
(1994) - Arkansas (2009)
- ColoradoColorado LotteryThe Colorado Lottery is run by the government of Colorado. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association .The Colorado Lottery began on January 24, 1983, initially selling only scratch tickets. Its first drawing took place on April 23, 1983...
(2001) - ConnecticutConnecticut LotteryThe Connecticut Lottery Corporation, also called the CT Lottery, is the official lottery in Connecticut. It was created in 1971 by then-Gov. Thomas Meskill, who signed Public Act No. 865. The first tickets were sold on February 15, 1972. The Connecticut Lottery offers five in-house drawing games...
(1995) - DelawareDelaware LotteryThe Delaware Lottery is run by the government of Delaware. Unlike most US lotteries, Delaware offers video lottery; its other games include Mega Millions, Powerball, Cash 5, Play 3, and Play 4....
(1991) - District of ColumbiaD.C. LotteryThe D.C. Lottery is run by the city of Washington, the US capital. It is a charter member of the Multi-State Lottery Association . Games offered include Powerball, DC Daily 6, DC-5, DC-4, Keno, Mega Millions and numerous scratch tickets.The D.C. Lottery began in 1982...
(1988) - FloridaFlorida LotteryThe Florida Lottery is a government-run organization in Florida, USA. With numerous on-line and scratch-off games available, players have a wide variety of prize levels to choose from. Since it began, the Florida Lottery has continued to add variety to its portfolio of games...
(2009) - IdahoIdaho LotteryThe Idaho Lottery, which began on July 19, 1989, is run by the government of Idaho. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association...
(1990) - IndianaHoosier LotteryThe Hoosier Lottery is run by the government of Indiana. It is the only US lottery that uses the state's nickname, rather than the state name itself, as its name. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association...
(1990) - IowaIowa LotteryThe Iowa Lottery is run by the government of Iowa. It is a charter member of, and home to, the Multi-State Lottery Association , which administers its games on behalf of the member lotteries...
(1988) - KansasKansas LotteryThe Kansas Lottery is run by the government of Kansas. It is a charter member of the Multi-State Lottery Association .In November 1986, voters approved a constitutional amendment authorizing the creation of a government-run lottery. The Kansas Legislature passed the "Kansas Lottery Act" in 1987,...
(1988) - KentuckyKentucky LotteryThe Kentucky Lottery, consisting of various games of chance, is a government-regulated form of gambling. The Lottery began in April 1989 after a November 1988 vote in which over 60% of voters cast ballots in favor of it. On April 4, 1989, ticket sales began with first day sales of over $5 million...
(1991) - LouisianaLouisiana Lottery (modern)- History :The Louisiana Lottery Corporation began in 1991, after the 1990 Louisiana legislature proposed a government-run lottery as a way to generate revenue without increasing taxes...
(1995) - MaineMaine LotteryThe Maine Lottery is run by the government of Maine. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association , whose flagship game is Powerball....
(2004; Maine had been a MUSL member 1990-92) - MinnesotaMinnesota State LotteryThe Minnesota Lottery is the official lottery association in Minnesota. The minimum age to purchase Minnesota Lottery tickets is 18.As a result of the 2011 Minnesota state government shutdown, sales of Minnesota Lottery tickets were suspended on July 1, 2011...
(1990) - MissouriMissouri LotteryThe Missouri Lottery is run by the government of Missouri. It is a charter member of the Multi-State Lottery Association , whose first drawing was held in 1988.-History:...
(1988) - MontanaMontana LotteryThe Montana Lottery is run by the government of Montana. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association . The Montana Lottery has a large number of games, such as scratch tickets, Powerball, Hot Lotto, Wild Card 2, and Montana Cash....
(1989) - NebraskaNebraska LotteryThe Nebraska Lottery is run by the government of Nebraska. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association . Its games include Mega Millions, Powerball, 2by2, Nebraska Pick 5, Pick 3, and MyDaY....
(1994) - New HampshireNew Hampshire LotteryBegun in 1964, the New Hampshire Lottery is the oldest US mainland-based lottery. New Hampshire's games include Mega Millions, Powerball, Hot Lotto, and numerous scratch tickets.New Hampshire is part of the Multi-State Lottery Association , which it joined in 1995...
(1995) - New MexicoNew Mexico LotteryThe New Mexico Lottery is run by the government of New Mexico. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association . Its games include Mega Millions, Powerball, Pick3, and Roadrunner Cash. ....
(1996) - North CarolinaNorth Carolina Education LotteryThe North Carolina Education Lottery is run by the government of North Carolina. It was established after Gov. Mike Easley signed the North Carolina State Lottery Act and the 2005 Appropriations Act....
(2006) - North DakotaNorth Dakota LotteryThe North Dakota Lottery is run by the government of North Dakota. The Lottery began in 2004. It is unique among US lotteries in that it is allowed only to offer multi-jurisdictional games, i.e., North Dakota-only games cannot be sold. As a result, all of its games are part of the Multi-State...
(2004) - OklahomaOklahoma LotteryThe Oklahoma Lottery, which began on October 12, 2005, is operated by the government of Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Lottery is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association .As with most US lotteries, the minimum age to purchase a ticket is 18.-History:...
(2006) - OregonOregon LotteryThe Oregon Lottery is run by the government of Oregon. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association .- History :The Oregon Lottery was enabled by an amendment to the Oregon Constitution, approved by voters in the 1984 general election. The Lottery began the next year, eventually offering...
(1988) - PennsylvaniaPennsylvania LotteryThe Pennsylvania Lottery is operated by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The lottery was created by the Pennsylvania General Assembly on August 26, 1971; two months later, Henry Kaplan was appointed as its first executive director...
(2002) - Rhode IslandRhode Island LotteryThe Rhode Island Lottery is run by the government of Rhode Island. It is a charter member of the Multi-State Lottery Association . Rhode Island Lottery games include Mega Millions, Powerball, Wild Money, keno, and numerous scratch tickets...
(1988) - South CarolinaSouth Carolina Education LotteryThe South Carolina Education Lottery began in 2002.South Carolina is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association , best known for Powerball...
(2002) - South DakotaSouth Dakota LotteryThe South Dakota Lottery is run by the government of South Dakota. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association . The Lottery is headquartered in Pierre; it is a self-funded endeavor...
(1990) - TennesseeTennessee LotteryThe Tennessee Lottery is run by the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation , which was created on June 11, 2003 by the Tennessee General Assembly through the Tennessee Education Lottery Implementation Law....
(2004) - TexasTexas LotteryThe Texas Lottery is the government-operated lottery available throughout Texas. It is operated by the Texas Lottery Commission, headquartered in downtown Austin.-History:...
(2009) - U.S. Virgin IslandsVirgin Islands Lottery (US)A lottery exists within the United States Virgin Islands, the only US lottery outside the mainland and Puerto Rico. The USVI is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association . It is the smallest US lottery to offer either Powerball or Mega Millions or scratchcard games...
(2002) - VermontVermont LotteryThe Vermont Lottery began fiscal operations as an enterprise fund in October 1977, following a 1976 referendum, and the enactment of Public Act No. 82 by the 1977 General Assembly. It is run by the Vermont Lottery Commission headquartered in Berlin...
(2003) - West VirginiaWest Virginia LotteryThe West Virginia Lottery is run by the government of West Virginia. It is a charter member of the Multi-State Lottery Association . It offers games such as Powerball, Mega Millions, and scratch tickets...
(1988) - WisconsinWisconsin LotteryThe Wisconsin Lottery is run by the government of Wisconsin. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association . Its games consist of Mega Millions, Powerball, Megabucks, Supercash!, Badger 5, Pick 3, Pick 4, and scratch games....
(1989)
Other games
Besides Powerball, MUSL operates 2by22by2 (lottery)
2by2 is a lottery game played in Kansas, Nebraska, and North Dakota. It is drawn nightly at the Iowa headquarters of the Multi-State Lottery Association Kansas and Nebraska started the game in 2002; North Dakota joined in 2006....
, Hot Lotto
Hot Lotto
Hot Lotto is administered by the U.S.' Multi-State Lottery Association , which also operates the Powerball game. Hot Lotto is available in some of the 33 MUSL jurisdictions; Maine is the latest to join, in October 2009. The first drawing was on April 10, 2002 as part of MUSL celebrating the 10th...
, and Wild Card 2
Wild Card 2
Wild Card 2 is a lottery game played in four contiguous states in the northern United States It is administered by the Multi-State Lottery Association , which is best known for Powerball...
. It coordinates with the 12 Mega Millions
Mega Millions
Mega Millions is a US multi-jurisdictional $1 lottery game. Since it replaced The Big Game in May 2002 , Mega Millions' advertised jackpots have started at $12 million, paid in 26 yearly installments , increasing when there is no jackpot winner...
consortium lotteries concerning their participation in Powerball as well as MUSL member lotteries in Mega Millions.
MUSL has retired several games, including Ca$hola (video lottery), Daily Millions, Rolldown, and the Powerball scratchcard
Scratchcard
A scratchcard is a small card, often made of thin paper-based card for competitions and plastic to conceal PINs, where one or more areas contain concealed information which can...
game; the latter was tied to a weekly television game show produced for two years in Hollywood, California called Powerball: The Game Show
Powerball: The Game Show
Powerball: The Game Show was a lottery-based game show that aired from October 2000 to September 2002 in some of the jurisdictions that offered the Powerball game...
; then for two years from the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, called Powerball Instant Millionaire
Powerball Instant Millionaire
Powerball Instant Millionaire is a lottery-based game show that aired from October 5, 2002 to September 2004 in some of the jurisdictions that offered the Powerball game. Todd Newton was the host....
.
In September 2007, MUSL launched Midwest Millions
Midwest Millions
Midwest Millions is a scratchcard game that debuted on September 7, 2007 in Iowa and Kansas. It originally became available in Kansas at the State Fair in Hutchinson and then became available throughout Kansas on September 13, 2007. It was the nation's first multi-jurisdictional scratch game since...
, a scratch ticket game, in Iowa
Iowa Lottery
The Iowa Lottery is run by the government of Iowa. It is a charter member of, and home to, the Multi-State Lottery Association , which administers its games on behalf of the member lotteries...
and Kansas
Kansas Lottery
The Kansas Lottery is run by the government of Kansas. It is a charter member of the Multi-State Lottery Association .In November 1986, voters approved a constitutional amendment authorizing the creation of a government-run lottery. The Kansas Legislature passed the "Kansas Lottery Act" in 1987,...
; it was the country's first multi-jurisdictional scratch game since the Powerball television game shows. Midwest Millions returned in 2008 and 2009.
Ca$hola was retired on May 15, 2011 when its 37th jackpot was won. A replacement multi-jurisdictional video lottery game, MegaHits
MegaHits
MegaHits is a video lottery terminal multiple-progressive jackpot game that began on July 15, 2011. MegaHits replaced Cashola, which was offered from July 2006 to May 15, 2011. Cashola was offered at lottery-run casinos in Delaware, Rhode Island, and West Virginia; the same three lotteries take...
, began on July 15, 2011 in Delaware, Rhode Island, and West Virginia, the three lotteries which offered Ca$hola. MegaHits will feature five progressives
Progressive jackpot
A progressive jackpot is a jackpot for a gaming machine where the value of the jackpot increases a small amount for every game played...
; Ca$hola's top prize was its only jackpot.
Services
MUSL provides a variety of services for lotteries, including: game design, management of game finances, production and uplinking of drawings, the development of common minimum information technologyInformation technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
and security standards and inspections of lottery vendor sites; the building of a quantum-based Random number generator (RNG), coordination of common promotions and advertisements, coordination of public relations, and emergency back-drawing sites for lottery games. MUSL also hosts the Powerball web site and the websites for more than a dozen U.S. lotteries. The Powerball web site average over 350,000 pageviews per day (over 10.5 million monthly). MUSL provides these services to the lotteries at no cost. MUSL earns its income from non-game sources such as earnings on its accounts, bond swaps, and licensing of its trademarks. MUSL owns the patents and trademarks involved in its operations, holding them for the benefit of its members.
MUSL's director is Chuck Strutt, who was the association's first employee in 1987. Strutt directly responds to players and writes MUSL's unusual FAQ, which elicits strong responses from readers who may find it humorous or insulting. MUSL currently has 12 full-time employees located in Urbandale, Iowa
Urbandale, Iowa
Urbandale is a city in Polk and Dallas counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 29,072; a special census taken by the city in 2005 counted 35,904 residents and the United States Census Bureau estimated that 38,369 residents lived there in 2008...
. The Powerball drawings moved to Florida when it joined; however, MUSL's other draw games continue to be conducted in Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
.
MUSL games operate under the same core game rules in each jurisdiction; however, each lottery is free to vary rules pertaining to such things as purchase age, the claim period, and some validation processes.
Powerball/Mega Millions cross-selling begins
On October 13, 2009 the Mega MillionsMega Millions
Mega Millions is a US multi-jurisdictional $1 lottery game. Since it replaced The Big Game in May 2002 , Mega Millions' advertised jackpots have started at $12 million, paid in 26 yearly installments , increasing when there is no jackpot winner...
consortium and MUSL signed an agreement that allowed MUSL members to sell Mega Millions tickets, and consortium members to sell Powerball tickets. On January 31, 2010, all but 2 of the 12 Mega Millions consortium lotteries began selling Powerball tickets. The consortium members did not join MUSL; they were licensed by MUSL to sell Powerball; the consortium coordinates their Powerball participation with MUSL. Likewise, MUSL members may offer Mega Millions through a special MUSL product group that coordinates with the Mega Millions consortium.