LANSING, February 16, 2000 – Saturday, February 24, 2001 marks the date of the very last drawing for the Michigan Lottery’s Michigan Lotto game. Michigan Lotto, which was introduced in 1984, has seen a decline in popularity over the past few years. Therefore, the Michigan Lottery has chosen to replace the lagging game with a new jackpot game called "Michigan Millions," which offers faster-growing jackpots and more ways to win!

"Many players have been looking for a fresh, new game that offers more prizes and bigger jackpots, and we think Michigan Millions is just the game for them!" said Michigan Lottery Commissioner Don Gilmer. "Based on market research and feedback from both players and retailers, we believe Michigan Millions will appeal to people all across the state."

Sales of Michigan Millions tickets will begin on Sunday, February 25, with the first drawing scheduled for Wednesday, February 28. Michigan Millions drawings will be held twice a week -- Wednesday and Saturday -- at 7:28 p.m., and the cost to play is $1 per wager. Tickets will be available at the more than 6,400 Lottery retailers that currently sell tickets for Michigan’s other on-line games (The Big Game, Michigan Rolldown, Keno, and the Daily 3 and Daily 4 games).

Michigan Millions is a departure from Lotto because it offers six different ways to win -- double that of Michigan Lotto. This new game features a "Wild Ball" that offers players more opportunities to win bigger prizes. In addition to the jackpot, there are five other ways to win, from $5 up to an estimated $20,000.*

To play Michigan Millions, players will select six numbers from a field of 51, or use the "easy pick" feature in which the computer terminal randomly picks six of 51 numbers. During the drawing the Lottery draws six numbers from a field of 51. Anyone matching these numbers will win the jackpot. The Lottery then draws a seventh number – the Wild Ball – from the remaining 45. Players matching five numbers and the Wild Ball will win an estimated $20,000* prize. There are four other ways to win, with and without the Wild Ball. Odds to match all six numbers are 1 in 18,009,460, with overall odds to win a cash prize of 1 in 529. (Comparatively, Michigan Lotto offered overall odds of 1 in 1,013.)

Cash prizes are awarded for matching six numbers, five numbers, five numbers plus the Wild Ball, four numbers, four numbers plus the Wild Ball and three numbers plus the Wild Ball. The top five prizes are pari-mutuel and, therefore, may vary from drawing to drawing. Pari-mutuel prizes are based on the number of tickets sold and the number of winners at each prize level. The prize for matching three numbers plus the Wild Ball is always $5.

The launch of Michigan Millions is accompanied by a statewide television and radio advertising campaign.

###