Lucky for Life
Lottery drawing game
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Lucky for Life (LFL) was a lottery drawing game, which, as of June 28, 2021, 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, and added eleven lotteries during 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 drawn nightly 7 days a week 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 current format. Each LFL play costs $2.
The District of Columbia joined LFL (the first member added without changing the game's double matrix) on February 15, 2015, Montana on January 29, 2015, Kentucky on March 22, 2015, Ohio on November 15, 2015, Iowa on January 24, 2016, North Carolina on February 7, 2016, North Dakota on February 26, 2016, Colorado on July 17, 2016, Kansas on November 15, 2016, Wyoming on December 4, 2016, South Dakota on June 4, 2017, Nebraska on August 20, 2017, and Oklahoma on February 25, 2018.[2] This gave LFL 23 members.
As of June 28, 2021, Missouri, South Carolina, and Minnesota have dropped out of LFL, with Missouri switching to the Multi State Cash4Life game.
In October 2025, news was released about the game's end, as MUSL and several other state lotteries moved forward with a new lifetime-prize game, Millionaire for Life, in early 2026. The final drawing for Lucky for Life occurred on February 21, 2026, with the draw down for LFL, or the elimination of available multi-draws, beginning on January 24, 2026.[3][4]
First and second-prize payouts
Unlike other American lottery games, Lucky for Life offered two annuitized prize levels; both were advertised as "lifetime" prizes. Beginning with the 2013 game modification, a first-prize winner could choose cash in lieu of the lifetime annuity; second-prize winners also were offered a cash option. A first-prize winner, if the annuity was chosen, receives, or shares, the equivalent of "$365,000 a YEAR, FOR LIFE" (the timing of the payments is according to the rules where the ticket was sold), with a 20-year guarantee; if the winner dies, payments continue to the winner's estate.[5] Second prize is $25,000 a year, for life.
LFL's double matrix, used beginning in January 2015, was 5 of 48 white balls and 1 of 18 green "Lucky Balls". The original, Connecticut-only version, was 4 of 39 white balls and 1 of 19 green balls; hence the name Lucky-4-Life. The format upon the change to its final name was 5/40 + 1/21; the 2013 game modification (including the new second "lifetime" prize tier and the introduction of a cash option) had 43 balls in each of the two drums.
The 5/43 + 1/43 version never produced a top prize-winning ticket; the first winner under the final matrix was sold in South Carolina for the November 19, 2015, drawing. The winner, who claimed the prize anonymously under SCEL rules, was the first winner to choose cash in lieu of the annuity for the game's top prize, as all previous top prize winners are receiving their winnings under the game's pre-2013 rules.
Participating lotteries
22 states and D.C. participated in LFL when it was discontinued. Three states formerly participated in the drawing but have since stopped.
| 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[6] |
| Massachusetts | March 15, 2012[7] |
| 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; game started as Lucky-4-Life. Connecticut continues to host the drawings.
‡ The minimum age to play LFL in Iowa is 21, while in Nebraska it is 19;[8] elsewhere it is 18.
Former members
Missouri ended sales of LFL on April 8, 2021, switching to Cash4Life three days later.
South Carolina and Minnesota left LFL after the drawing on June 28, 2021.