LITTLE ROCK - January 2, 2013 - The four-month-old Arkansas-only Natural State Jackpot broke its own record tonight when the jackpot, which had ballooned to $210,000, was hit by an as-yet unidentified Pine Bluff player. The NSJ game drew fans immediately when it launched on August 27, earlier this year. The easy-to-play, easy-to-win $1 game has sold about $3 Million in tickets in just four months and produced more than $1 Million in Scholarships. During that time, the jackpot has now been hit six times, with prizes of $95,000, $35,000, $55,000, $120,000, and $100,000 and tonight's $210,000. Tonight's big ticket sold at the Harding Street Valero in Pine Bluff, so everyone who bought tickets there should check their numbers very closely.
"With this record jackpot, we saw very heavy sales of Natural State tickets," Lottery Director Bishop Woosley said. "Odds of winning a prize are 1 in 10, so this game has drawn many loyal players. Natural State Jackpot was the idea of Arkansans who wanted a jackpot game that could only be purchased and won in our state. They said they wanted it, we offered it, and it has been selling like hotcakes."
The $1 game is played by picking five numbers between 1 and 39. Five correct numbers hit the jackpot, and every ticket with two or more winning numbers wins a prize. Four correct numbers result in a $300 prize, three a $3 prize, and two a $1 prize.
This NSJ run began with a $25,000 prize offering on November 20. From that day through tonight, almost $1.4 Million in NSJ tickets were bought. During the same period, players have won about $300,000 in prizes between $1 and $300. These numbers do not take into account future sales and multi draws. Tomorrow's jackpot returns to $25,000, and it grows every draw day.
Natural State Jackpot drawings are held Monday through Saturday at 8 p.m. Central time, at the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery headquarters in Little Rock. The jackpot always restarts at $25,000 and increases by $5,000 every draw until the jackpot is won by a lucky player who picks all five drawn numbers. Tickets can be purchased at any of the 1900+ lottery retailers in Arkansas. Draw results are available at myarkansaslottery.com or at any ASL retailer.
(Source: Arkansas Scholarship Lottery)