Georgia: Where the Lottery Funds HOPE
The Georgia Lottery launched in 1993 with a singular mission: fund education. Since then it has raised more than $30 billion for the HOPE Scholarship and Georgia Pre-K programs, sending over 2.25 million students to college and providing free pre-kindergarten for four-year-olds statewide. Georgia was also the first U.S. lottery to sell tickets online, launching digital sales in March 2012. The lottery is privately managed by Allwyn North America (formerly Camelot Illinois) under contract with the state since 2018. Georgia withholds 5.75% state tax on prizes over $5,000, and there are no local income taxes.
Cash 3 (3 digits, 0-9)
Cash 3 is Georgia's most frequently drawn game, with three drawings every day -- midday at 12:29 PM ET, evening at 6:59 PM ET, and night at 11:34 PM ET. Players pick 3 digits from 0-9 and choose a play type: Straight (exact order, 1 in 1,000), Box (any order), Straight/Box combo, 1-Off, or Front/Back Pair. With 1,095 draws per year, Cash 3 generates the deepest dataset of any Georgia game and is ideal for digit frequency and pattern analysis.
Cash 4 (4 digits, 0-9)
Cash 4 follows the same triple-draw schedule as Cash 3 -- midday 12:29 PM, evening 6:59 PM, and night 11:34 PM ET. Players pick 4 digits from 0-9 with the same play types available: Straight (1 in 10,000), Box, Straight/Box, 1-Off, and Pairs. The top Straight prize is $5,000 for a $1 play. Like Cash 3, three daily drawings produce over a thousand draws per year, making Cash 4 another excellent game for statistical analysis.
Georgia FIVE (5 digits, 0-9)
Georgia FIVE is a 5-digit game unique to the state. Players pick 5 digits from 0-9, drawn twice daily at midday and evening. Play types include Straight (1 in 100,000), Box, Straight/Box, and 1-Off. The top Straight prize is $50,000 on a $1 play. With two draws per day, Georgia FIVE generates roughly 730 drawings per year and fills the gap between the shorter digit games and the larger lotto-style draws.
Fantasy 5 (5/42)
Fantasy 5 is Georgia's in-state lotto game. Pick 5 numbers from 1-42, drawn nightly. The jackpot starts at $125,000 and rolls until won. Jackpot odds are 1 in 850,668, making it one of the most winnable jackpot games in the country. An EZ Match add-on provides instant-win opportunities on the same ticket. Fantasy 5 draws seven nights per week, generating 365 draws per year.
- Match 5: Jackpot (starts $125,000)
- Match 4: $500
- Match 3: $10
- Match 2: Free Quick Pick
Cash4Life (5/60 + 1/4)
Cash4Life is a multi-state game offering a unique prize structure: the top prize is $1,000 per day for life, and the second prize is $1,000 per week for life. Pick 5 numbers from 1-60 plus a Cash Ball from 1-4. Drawings are daily. Top-prize odds are 1 in 21,846,048, and overall odds of winning any prize are about 1 in 8. Cash4Life prizes are annuity-based with a minimum guaranteed payout of 20 years.
- Match 5 + Cash Ball: $1,000/day for life
- Match 5: $1,000/week for life
- Match 4 + Cash Ball: $2,500
- Match 4: $500
- Match 3 + Cash Ball: $100
Millionaire for Life (5/58 + 1/5)
Millionaire for Life (branded MILLION 4 LIFE in Georgia) replaced Lucky for Life in February 2026. Pick 5 numbers from 1-58 plus 1 Life Ball from 1-5. Drawings are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The top prize is $1 million per year for life (minimum 20 years guaranteed), and the second prize is $25,000 per year for life. Both top prizes are annuity-only with no lump-sum option available.
Powerball (5/69 + 1/26)
Powerball draws Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday evenings. Pick 5 from 1-69 plus a Powerball from 1-26. The Power Play multiplier (2x-5x, or 10x when the jackpot is under $150 million) boosts non-jackpot prizes. Jackpot odds are 1 in 292,201,338. With Georgia's 5.75% state withholding on top of 24% federal, winners face an effective tax rate of roughly 29.75% before final filing adjustments.
Mega Millions (5/70 + 1/25)
Mega Millions draws Tuesday and Friday evenings. Pick 5 from 1-70 plus a Mega Ball from 1-25. The Megaplier (2x-5x) multiplies non-jackpot prizes. Jackpot odds are 1 in 302,575,350. Georgia was one of the original Mega Millions states and has produced multiple jackpot winners over the years.
Which Georgia Game Should You Play?
For the most data and frequent play, Cash 3 and Cash 4 deliver three draws per day each. For a mid-range jackpot with strong odds, Fantasy 5 (1 in 850,668) is hard to beat. For lifetime income prizes, Cash4Life and Millionaire for Life offer annuity-for-life payouts. For the largest jackpots, Powerball and Mega Millions round out the lineup. Use our Frequency Analysis and Hot & Cold Numbers tools to explore patterns across all Georgia games on the Georgia lottery dashboard.