Pennsylvania Millionaire Raffle Sold-Out

MIDDLETOWN, Pennsylvania – (PRESS RELEASE) -- Tickets for the Pennsylvania Lottery's Fourth of July Millionaire Raffle game have sold out in five weeks.

Sales of Millionaire Raffle tickets began on May 23, and were to continue for six weeks until 5 p.m. on July 4, or until the tickets ran out. The last remaining Millionaire Raffle ticket was sold on Monday, June 26 at 4:35 p.m.

"We're thrilled by the overwhelming response to the Lottery's second Millionaire Raffle game," said Lottery Executive Director Ed Mahlman. "The Lottery will create five new millionaires on Independence Day."

Millionaire Raffle features 760 cash prizes totaling $6.25 million. The game will award five $1 million top prizes, five $100,000 second prizes and 750 third-tier prizes of $1,000.

The Raffle drawing will be held during the Lottery's live, 7 p.m. drawing show on Independence Day, July 4. The top 10 ticket numbers will be broadcast live as they are drawn; the 750 third-prize tickets will be posted at Lottery retailer locations and published on the Lottery Web site at PALottery.com later that evening.

Mahlman reminded Millionaire Raffle players to sign the backs of their tickets and keep them in a safe place until the July 4 drawing. The eight- digit raffle number printed on Millionaire Raffle tickets must match the eight-digit raffle ticket number combination selected in the drawing - in the exact sequence in which it was selected - to be considered a winning ticket. All winning tickets will be selected by a Random Number Generator - or Automated Drawing Machine - certified by Gaming Laboratories International, the world's premier gaming products and systems testing company.

Mahlman also noted that the success of the second Millionaire Raffle has already created thousands of winners throughout Pennsylvania.

"Millionaire Raffle ticket sales generated more than $5.3 million for programs that benefit older Pennsylvanians," said Mahlman. Lottery-supported programs include PACE and PACENET, which provides prescription drug assistance; Property Tax and Rent Rebate; free and reduced-fare mass transit rides; and a statewide network of more than 650 full- and part-time senior centers.

The odds of winning a $1 million top prize are 1-in-125,000; odds of winning a $100,000 prize are 1-in-125,000 and odds of winning $1,000 are 1-in- 833. The overall odds of winning a Millionaire Raffle prize are 1-in-822.

The Lottery's first-ever Raffle game held on New Year's Eve, Dec. 31, 2005, was also an early sell-out; the 500,000 tickets offered for that drawing sold in less than two weeks.