The State Lottery Agency conducts statewide lotteries for instant, daily, keno and lotto games, as well as two lotto subscription games. The Agency also conducts a three-digit daily lottery called "The Numbers Game" (Pick 3); and a four-digit lottery (Pick 4) twice daily. In addition, the Agency runs a pick-6-out-of-49 Lotto Game with minimum jackpots of $1 million with twice-weekly drawings, and a 7-of-31 lotto-type game called "Cash in Hand" with drawings Monday through Saturday for a $500,000 top prize.
Introduced in 2002, "Mega Millions," is a multi-state "big game" with multi-million dollar jackpots and cash prizes. Players select six numbers: five out of 52 and one Gold Mega Ball number out of 52. Prizes are drawn on Tuesday and Friday evenings; the game costs $1 to play. Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, and Washington also participate in this game. Proceeds from "Mega Millions" and certain instant scratch-off games are designated for the Maryland Stadium Authority.
The State Lottery's promotion, "Let It Ride," debuted in April 2001. Let It Ride is a parlay-style game offering a $1,000,000 prize, and up to seven days play with one ticket. The game is played Monday through Saturday.
Official winning numbers are drawn on live television and are posted on the State Lottery Agency website. For the Pick 3 and Pick 4 games, they are drawn midday (Monday through Saturday) and evenings (Monday through Sunday). Evening drawings also are held for the Lotto Game (Saturday and Wednesday), the Cash in Hand Game (Monday through Saturday), and the Big Game (Tuesday and Friday).
Prizes of $600 or less may be claimed through any retail sales outlet. Winning tickets up to $5,000 can be cashed at certain retail locations called Agents Plus (+). Winning tickets of any amount may be redeemed at the Maryland State Lottery Claim Centers in Baltimore and Lanham. Each outlet also provides How-to-Play brochures and other game information.
With the approval of the State Lottery Commission and the Legislative Policy Committee, the Director of the State Lottery Agency may enter into agreements to operate multijurisdictional lotteries with any other political entity outside the state or outside the United States, or with a private licensee of a state or other nation (Chapter 449, Acts of 2002).
The Director of the Agency is appointed by the Governor with Senate advice and consent (Code State Government Article, secs. 9-101 through 9-125).
Within the State Lottery Agency are four divisions: Administration, Finance, and Operations; Information Technology; Marketing; and Sales. The Agency also is aided by the State Lottery Commission.
STATE LOTTERY COMMISSION
The State Lottery Commission serves as an advisory board to the State Lottery Agency. The Commission's five members are appointed to four-year terms by the Governor with Senate advice and consent (Code State Government Article, secs. 9-104 through 9-106).Maryland Constitutional Offices & Agencies
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