Lucky for Life
Lottery drawing game
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lucky for Life (LFL) was a lottery drawing game. As of June 28, 2021, it was available in 22 states and the District of Columbia. LFL, which began in 2009 in Connecticut as Lucky-4-Life, became a New England–wide game three years later. Another 11 lotteries joined FLF in 2015. LFL's slogan was "The Game of a Lifetime". Drawings were performed by the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) using a digital drawing system to pick the numbers. LFL was drawings were held nightly at approximately 10:30 p.m. Eastern Time.[1]
 | |
| Region | 22 states and the District of Columbia |
|---|---|
| First draw | 2009 |
| Final draw | February 21, 2026 |
| Highest jackpot | $1,000 a day for life |
| Odds of winning jackpot | 1 in 30,821,472 |
| Website | luckyforlife |
LFL was modified on September 17, 2013, adding a second "lifetime" prize tier and a cash option for either annuity tier; it was modified again in January 2015 to its final format. Each LFL play cost $2.[1]
In 2015, Montana joined on January 29, followed by the District of Columbia on February 15 (the first member added without changing the game's double matrix). Kentucky joined on March 22, and Ohio on November 15. In 2016, Iowa joined on January 24, North Carolina on February 7, North Dakota on February 26, Colorado on July 17, Kansas on November 15, andWyoming on December 4. In 2017, South Dakota joined on June 4, and Nebraska on August 20. In 2018, Oklahoma joined on February 25.[2] These additions gave LFL 23 members.
As of June 28, 2021, Missouri, South Carolina, and Minnesota had withdrawn from LFL, with Missouri switching to the Multi State Cash4Life game.
In October 2025, the MUSL announced it would replace both Cash4Life and Lucky for Life with a new lifetime-prize game, Millionaire for Life, in early 2026. The drawdown for Lucky for Life, or the elimination of available multi-draws, commenced on January 24, 2026. The final drawing was held on February 21, 2026.[3][4] The fixed-jackpot Millionaire for Life, which offers a $1 million annuity option (paid out over a guaranteed minimum of 20 years), replaced LFL and Cash4Life in 30 of the successor game's initial 31 jurisdictions on February 22. Delaware was the only Lucky for Life jurisdiction that elected not to transition to Millionaire for Life upon launch.[5][6] It was also one of four jurisdictions offering either predecessor. The other three were Cash4Life participants.
First and second-prize payouts
Lucky for Life had multiple prize levels, two of which were advertised as "lifetime" prizes.[1] Beginning with the 2013 game modification, a first-prize winner could choose cash or a lifetime annuity; second-prize winners were also offered a cash option. If the annuity was chosen, a first-prize winner received or shared, the equivalent of "$365,000 a YEAR, FOR LIFE" (the timing of the payments was determined by the rules applicable where the ticket was sold), with a 20-year guarantee; if the winner died, payments continued to the winner's estate.[7] Second prize was $25,000 a year for life.
The original Connecticut-only version used 4 of 39 white balls and 1 of 19 green balls; hence the name Lucky-4-Life. The format changed to 5/40 + 1/21 when the game adopted its final name. During 2013 game modification, each of the two drums had 43 balls, corresponding to a selection matrix of 5/43 + 1/43. This modification also introduced a new second "lifetime" prize tier and a cash option.
This 5/43 + 1/43 version never produced a top-prize-winning ticket. In January 2015, LFL used a double matrix, consisting of 5 of 48 white balls and 1 of 18 green "Lucky Balls". The first top-prize-winning ticket under this final matrix was sold in South Carolina for the November 19, 2015, drawing. The winner of this ticket, who claimed the prize anonymously under SCEL rules, was also the first winner to choose cash instead of the annuity. Previous top-prize winners are receiving their payments under the game's pre-2013 rules.
Participating lotteries
22 states and D.C. participated in LFL when it was discontinued. Three states participated in the LFL but have later withdrew.
| Members | Joined |
|---|---|
| Arkansas | January 27, 2015 |
| Colorado | July 17, 2016 |
| Connecticut † | 2009 |
| Delaware | January 27, 2015 |
| District of Columbia | February 15, 2015 |
| Idaho | January 27, 2015 |
| Iowa ‡ | January 24, 2016 |
| Kansas | November 15, 2016 |
| Kentucky | March 22, 2015 |
| Maine | March 3, 2012[8] |
| Massachusetts | March 15, 2012[9] |
| Michigan | January 27, 2015 |
| Montana | January 27, 2015 |
| Nebraska ‡ | August 20, 2017 |
| New Hampshire | 2012 |
| North Carolina | February 7, 2016 |
| North Dakota | February 26, 2016 |
| Ohio | November 15, 2015 |
| Oklahoma | February 25, 2018 |
| Rhode Island | 2012 |
| South Dakota | June 4, 2017 |
| Vermont | 2012 |
| Wyoming | December 4, 2016 |
† Original member; the game started as Lucky-4-Life. Connecticut continued to host the drawings.
‡ The minimum age to play LFL in Iowa was 21, while in Nebraska it was 19;[10] elsewhere it was 18.
Former members
Missouri ended sales of LFL on April 8, 2021, and switched to Cash4Life three days later.
South Carolina and Minnesota left LFL after the drawing on June 28, 2021.