The state of Maryland operates the Maryland Lottery. Revenues from the lottery are distributed to the State Lottery Fund, which in turn is deposited in the General Fund of the State Treasury, which supports public safety, education, and the environment.
A large portion of the state’s lottery revenues is used to pay prizes to players, and approximately 27.1% of the revenue is directed to the General Fund. Additionally, the proceeds from Mega Millions, formerly known as the Big Game, are designated for the Maryland Stadium Authority.
There are four divisions within the State Lottery and Gaming Control Agency. These include Operations, Financial Operations, Information Technology, and Sales. Each division is responsible for a specific function. For example, Operations is responsible for Facilities Operation, Contract Management, and Agent Administration. In addition, Information Technology is responsible for developing internal data systems and providing technical assistance to the Agency.
Marketing units are responsible for planning and executing Lottery advertising campaigns. They manage out-of-home ads, print ads, social media ads, and digital advertisements. This includes recruiting new outlets, ensuring all locations have adequate materials, and monitoring retailer compliance. Creative Services is also a subunit of the Marketing Division. It purchases advertising space for promotion and winner awareness, and evaluates the effectiveness of the advertisement.
While the Maryland Lottery offers a wide variety of games, it is the Mega Millions drawing that offers the largest jackpots. Jackpots can reach upwards of $1 billion. However, it is not necessary to purchase a ticket to participate in the drawing. You can play the game online, as well. Online lottery sites offer a variety of wagers, including betting on the first number drawn even or hi, and the color of the bonus ball. The odds of winning a prize vary widely from site to site. Often, the payouts are less than those offered in the traditional drawing.
Aside from the main game, the Maryland Lottery also operates an instant win feature. Players can win prizes up to $5,000 by simply picking a single number on an instant-win ticket. Winning tickets can be redeemed at the Maryland State Lottery headquarters in Baltimore.
Lottery games include Pick 4, Pick 3, and Cash4Life. Each game has a different jackpot. For instance, the jackpot for Cash4Life is $1,000 a day for life, while the jackpot for the Pick 4 game is a top prize of $50,000. Another jackpot game is the Multi-Match game, which has nine prize levels. The minimum prize is $500,000. Tickets cost $2.
Other games available in the Maryland lottery include CyberSlingo and Jackpot Sit & Go. Those games are played as an online lottery card, and are similar to the traditional instant lottery ticket. In addition, the Maryland Lottery offers special lottery events and publications. Some of these include the Special Projects publication, which is a newsletter that is distributed weekly.
For more information on the Maryland Lottery, visit the website or visit one of its retail locations.