New York runs one of the largest state lottery systems in the US — with games ranging from Powerball's 1-in-292-million jackpot odds to scratch-offs with 1-in-4 overall win rates. Here's the complete breakdown of every NY Lottery game's odds, prizes, and what your money actually buys you.
New York Lottery Odds of Winning — Complete 2026 Guide
Multi-State Games (Available in NY)
| Game | Jackpot Odds | Any Prize Odds | Ticket Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powerball | 1 in 292,201,338 | 1 in 24.9 | $2 |
| Mega Millions | 1 in 302,575,350 | 1 in 24 | $2 |
| Cash4Life | 1 in 21,846,048 | 1 in 7.76 | $2 |
NY Lottery Exclusive Games
| Game | Jackpot Odds | Any Prize Odds | Ticket Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| NY Lotto | 1 in 45,057,474 | 1 in 46 | $1 |
| Numbers (3-digit) | 1 in 1,000 | 1 in 1,000 | $0.50+ |
| Win 4 (4-digit) | 1 in 10,000 | 1 in 10,000 | $0.50+ |
| Take 5 | 1 in 575,757 | 1 in 8.77 | $1 |
| Pick 10 | 1 in 8,911,712 | 1 in 17.27 | $1 |
Which NY Lottery Game Has the Best Odds?
If your goal is winning something — not necessarily the jackpot — here's how NY Lottery games rank by overall win probability:
- Best overall odds: Take 5 — 1 in 8.77 chance of any prize, $1 ticket, top prize around $57,000. The best value-per-dollar in the NY Lottery lineup.
- Best daily game: Numbers / Win 4 — draws twice daily (midday and evening), low ticket price, fixed odds. Good for regular players who like frequent draws.
- Best jackpot value: Cash4Life — 1 in 21.8M for the jackpot (far better than Powerball's 1 in 292M), with a unique $1,000/day for life prize structure.
- Biggest jackpots: Powerball & Mega Millions — worst odds but largest potential payouts. Only worth playing when jackpots are exceptionally large.
NY Lottery Jackpot Odds vs Other States
New York players have access to both state-exclusive games and the major multi-state jackpots. Compared to states that only offer multi-state games, NY players have more options at every price point.
| State | State-Exclusive Games | Best Local Odds |
|---|---|---|
| New York | NY Lotto, Take 5, Cash4Life, Numbers, Win 4, Pick 10 | 1 in 8.77 (Take 5) |
| Florida | Florida Lotto, Fantasy 5, Pick 2/3/4/5 | 1 in 8.39 (Fantasy 5) |
| California | SuperLotto Plus, Fantasy 5, Daily 3/4 | 1 in 9.1 (Fantasy 5) |
| Texas | Texas Lotto, All or Nothing, Daily 4 | 1 in 8 (All or Nothing) |
NY Lottery Draw Schedule 2026
| Game | Draw Days | Draw Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Powerball | Mon, Wed, Sat | 10:59pm |
| Mega Millions | Tue, Fri | 11:00pm |
| Cash4Life | Daily | 9:00pm |
| NY Lotto | Wed, Sat | 11:21pm |
| Take 5 | Daily | Midday & Evening |
| Numbers | Daily | Midday & Evening |
| Win 4 | Daily | Midday & Evening |
| Pick 10 | Daily | 10:30pm |
Most Common NY Lottery Numbers
Based on historical draw data, these numbers appear most frequently in NY lottery games:
- Take 5: 13, 15, 33, 34, 36 — consistently above average frequency
- NY Lotto: 23, 10, 17, 34, 5 — most drawn in recent draw history
- Powerball (NY players): 23, 32, 61, 64, 69 — most drawn main numbers
- Mega Millions (NY players): 17, 31, 10, 14, 46 — most drawn main numbers
How to Improve Your NY Lottery Strategy
No strategy changes the underlying odds — but you can play smarter:
- Play Take 5 daily — best value game in the NY lineup at $1/ticket with 1-in-8.77 odds
- Use hot number analysis — track which numbers have appeared most in recent draws for your chosen game
- Avoid all-birthday picks — clustering between 1–31 means you miss half the number range and share combinations with millions of other players
- Consider Cash4Life over Powerball — 13× better jackpot odds for the same $2 ticket price
- Use AI-generated numbers — PickDaddyAI supports all NY Lottery games with 42 strategies including hot numbers, delta system, and balanced mix
NY Lottery Taxes
New York has some of the highest lottery tax rates in the US:
- Federal tax: 37% on prizes over $537,500
- New York State tax: 10.9%
- New York City tax: Additional 3.876% for NYC residents
- Total effective rate (NYC): Up to ~51% on large prizes
A $100M Powerball jackpot taken as lump sum (~$47M before tax) nets approximately $23M after all NY taxes. Still life-changing — but worth knowing before you start planning.
Where to Buy NY Lottery Tickets
NY Lottery tickets are available at over 18,000 licensed retailers across New York State — convenience stores, supermarkets, gas stations, and dedicated lottery retailers. You can also play online at nylottery.ny.gov for registered NY residents.
Generate NY Lottery Numbers Free
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