New Yorkers will get two chances to win a fortune each day starting next week, as the New York Lottery expands its popular Take 5 game to two daily drawings.
Beginning on Monday, July 26, the New York Lottery will offer afternoon and evening drawings for Take 5, which offers top prizes in the tens of thousands of dollars for those lucky enough to get all five numbers right.
Overall, players have a 1 in 9 chance of winning something — at the very least a free play if only two of their numbers are drawn.
“Take 5 created more than 2.5 million cash prize winners last fiscal year. The added drawing for this popular game will give New York players more chances to win,” said New York Lottery Executive Director Gweneth Dean.
As of July 26, players will get to buy tickets for the afternoon drawing, scheduled for 2:30 p.m., and the evening drawing, scheduled for 10:30 p.m.
Players choose five numbers from one through 39. All prizes are paid out on a pari-mutuel basis, with the money distributed based on the number of winners in each tier. If no one hits all five numbers, the top prize money is added to the second prize.
The odds of hitting all Take 5 numbers are high — 1 in 575,757 — but still far more achievable than the astronomical odds of getting a winning MegaMillions or Powerball ticket. The New York Lottery notes that the estimated jackpot for a winning Take 5 ticket, with all five numbers correct, is $57,575, though that figure often scales higher or lower depending on the betting pool.
For more information on Take 5, visit nylottery.ny.gov.
