Q: How do I find information about scholarships?
Visit the Arkansas Department of Higher Education website or call 501-371-2000.
Q: How old do I have to be to play lottery games?
Players must be 18 years or older.
Q: Where can I buy tickets?
Look for the “Play Here” sign at retailer locations or visit our retailer locator.
Q: Can I use a credit card to purchase lottery tickets?
All sales of tickets are for cash only. Payment by check, credit card, charge card or any form of deferred payment is prohibited.
Q: Can I buy lottery tickets through the mail?
Lottery tickets can only be purchased from licensed lottery retailers.
Q: I live out of state. Can I still play the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery?
Sure, if you’re visiting Arkansas.
Q: I won a prize. What do I do?
Sign the ticket in the space provided on the ticket back. Tickets are bearer instruments, meaning if you lose a ticket before you sign it, you no longer have valid ownership of the ticket. Claim instructions and claim center locations can be found here.
Q: What are all the numbers at the bottom of my instant ticket?
The 12-digit number under the scratch-off covering on instant tickets is used for validation purposes by retailers and for entry into the Play It Again program. The numbers are not used to determine if you win an instant prize.
Q: Why do some numbers on my instant ticket have small letters next to them?
Every instant ticket has three small letters that are part of a code that helps retailers sight-validate tickets in the event their lottery terminal is not working properly. These letters are not used in the playing of the instant game.
Q: What are “online” games? Can I buy tickets over the internet?
Lottery tickets can only be purchased from licensed lottery retailers. Online games refer to terminal-generated games like Powerball®, Cash 3 or Cash 4. These games are dispensed by computer equipment connected by satellite to a central lottery system. The player picks a set of numbers, the selection is recorded in the system, and the player receives a ticket with a unique validation number. A drawing determines winning numbers.
Q: What is a playslip and how do I fill it out?
A playslip is used to play an online (terminal-generated) game like Powerball®, Cash 3 or Cash 4. Players mark desired numbers on a playslip by shading a box that represents each number choice. Retailers feed the playslip into the terminal, which automatically reads the numbers and generates a ticket. Players can also verbally state numbers to a retailer, who manually enters the numbers without the use of a playslip. Players can choose to have the numbers randomly selected by the lottery terminal (“Quick Pick”) by either marking the option on a playslip or by asking the retailer.
Q: What are the odds of winning a prize in the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery?
Odds of winning vary by game. Instant game odds are printed on the back of every ticket. Odds for online (terminal-generated) games can be found on the playslip for the game or at the game’s webpage by clicking “GAMES” above.
Q: How are the drawings conducted?
Arkansas Scholarship Lottery (ASL) Cash 3 and Cash 4 drawings will use a Random Number Generator (RNG). Draws will be conducted by ASL Security personnel and certified by an independent auditor. Players will be able to receive the winning numbers after each drawing from the ASL website or any ASL retailer.
Drawings for the multi-state Powerball® game take place at 9:59 p.m. CST every Wednesday and Saturday in Florida. Five white balls are drawn out of a drum with 59 balls and one red ball is drawn out of a drum with 39 balls.
Q: How long do I have to collect a lottery prize?
For an online (terminal-generated) game like Powerball®, players have 180 days from the draw date to claim a prize. For instant games, players have 90 days from the announced last day to purchase tickets for the game to claim a prize.
Q: Are prizes taxable?
Federal taxes are taken out on all claims of $5,000 or more.
Q: What happens if I lose a winning ticket?
The Arkansas Scholarship is not responsible for lost or stolen tickets. A lost ticket cannot be replaced. To protect yourself against theft, sign the back of your ticket. If you are not cashing the ticket immediately, fill out the entire back of the ticket, which may increase your chances of having a lost ticket returned to you.
Q: If a winner dies before collecting an entire lottery prize, what happens to the remaining prize money?
A lottery prize (or any portion of a lottery prize) remaining unpaid at the death of a winner will be paid to the estate of the deceased prizewinner or to a trust established by the deceased prizewinner. See details in the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery Act.
Q: What happens to unclaimed prizes?
An annual amount of at least $200,000 will be directed to the Arkansas Department of Health for compulsive gambling disorder treatment and education programs. Unclaimed lottery prize money remaining after the payment will be added to the pool from which future lottery prizes are to be awarded and for special lottery prize promotions.
Q: I received a letter from an international lottery saying I won a prize. I didn’t buy a ticket. Is this legitimate?
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, says most promotions for foreign lotteries are likely to be phony. According to the FTC, playing a foreign lottery through the mail or over the telephone is a violation of federal law.