What are Fast Cash lottery games?
Fast Cash games are a type of instant win games. This means players do not have to wait until the draw for a given lottery has been made – they find out if they are a winner instantly. Cash games often feature progressive jackpots, which grow as more players buy tickets.
Most US lotteries do not offer Fast Cash games online and instead require you to visit a land-based retailer.
Rules of Fast Cash games
To participate in a Fast Cash game, choose the one you’d like to play. You can do this from a self-service vending terminal that will then print out your ticket. Follow the instructions for that specific game to find out if you have won. You can double check the status of your ticket by scanning it via a ticket checker or using a state lottery app.
Fast Cash ticket prices range from$1 to $10. Most Fast Cash games contribute funds towards a jackpot, which grows in size with every ticket purchase. Every ticket has the jackpot’s current size printed on it so that players are aware of what is up for grabs.
Every Fast Cash card has a play area for ‘Your winning symbols,’ another for ‘Your card,’ and a third that contains the payout table. The goal is for as many of symbols in the first two areas to match. The more matches there are, the greater the prize. If multiple prizes are won, the player is only allowed to claim the one with the highest monetary value.
In Fast Cash, the prize for each ticket is predetermined. Therefore, the player cannot select their own symbols or numbers.
Every time a player buys a Fast Cash ticket, they have a chance to win a portion or all of a featured progressive jackpot. When this happens, the jackpot resets to a predetermined minimum and starts building up again. The minimum jackpot size in most states is $10,000.
How are winnings paid out?
In some states, the prize must be claimed within 60 days, whereas other states allow a grace period of up to a year. Prizes are paid out in a lump-sum format, and most states impose taxes on winnings beyond a certain amount.
If you have a winning ticket, ensure that it’s signed and print your name, phone number, and home address on it. If you have won at least $2,500, your prize can be redeemed at any state lottery retailer.
Usually, prizes are handed out immediately as cash, a money order, or a check. Depending on the state, you may have to fill out a claim form if your prize is above a certain amount. This form can be found at lottery retailers or the lottery’s area office.
For example, in Pennsylvania, you need to fill out a claim form if you win over $600. If you win over $2,500, the lottery itself pays out your winnings. You can mail the claim form with the signed ticket to the address found on the form. Some prizes require you to present yourself in person at the state lottery headquarters.
Probabilities for Fast Cash games
Probabilities vary between different Fast Cash games. For example, for games in Pennsylvania, your chance of winning any prize is 1 in 3.37 per ticket.
Depending on the type of ticket you purchase, your odds of winning $100 could be as high as 1 in 960, and the odds of winning $10,000 – 1 in 240,000.
How much can you win with Fast Cash games?
For the normal prize pool on Fast Cash games, the top prize is around $100,000. With progressive jackpots, prizes can significantly increase over time. For example, a Fast Cash player in Oakland County, Michigan won a $1,001,840 jackpot in 2017.