Washington Hit 5 and Daily Game Rules Changed on August 30th
The Washington State Lottery made changes to two of its biggest games on August 30th. The draw frequency, number matrix, and prizes on offer in Hit 5 all changed, while the long-running Daily Game has been renamed Pick 3.
WA Hit 5 Changes
The update to Washington’s Hit 5 game was a major one, as the numbers that you pick changed, as did the prizes you can win, the odds of winning, and draw days. Here are the Hit 5 changes that came into play on August 30th:
- Draw frequency changed to seven days a week, up from three days
- Players now pick five numbers from 1 to 42, rather than the previous 1 to 39
- The prize for matching four numbers increased from $100 to $150
- The prize for matching three numbers increased from $10 to $15
- The prize for matching two numbers changed from $1 to a free Hit 5 ticket
Changing the number matrix had a knock-on effect on the odds of winning each prize. The following table shows how the odds changed when the game updates were implemented, as well as the differences between the prizes under the old and new rules.
| Numbers Matched | Previous Prize | New Prize | Previous Odds | New Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Cashpot | Cashpot | 1 in 575,757 | 1 in 850,668 |
| 4 | $100 | $150 | 1 in 3,387 | 1 in 4,598 |
| 3 | $10 | $15 | 1 in 103 | 1 in 128 |
| 2 | $1 | Free Hit 5 Ticket | 1 in 9.6 | 1 in 11 |
The overall odds of winning a prize went from 1 in 8.8 to 1 in 10. The Hit 5 Cashpot remains unchanged and still starts at $100,000, rolling over every time it is not won. If more than one ticket holder matches five numbers in the same draw, the Cashpot will be divided equally between them.
The Washington Lottery restricted advance play in order to implement these changes, so you were previously only able purchase tickets up to the Hit 5 drawing on August 29th. You can now purchase advance play tickets for up to 25 draws.
The other big change is to the days on which Hit 5 is played. Draws now take place seven days a week at 8:00 PM Pacific Time, instead of the previous draw days of Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. The cut-off time for ticket sales is 7:45 PM each day, with sales reopening for the next day’s drawing at 7:46 PM.
WA Daily Game Changes
While the changes to Washington’s Daily Game are not as extensive as those Hit 5 underwent, they bring a fresh look to the state’s longest-running lottery game.
- Daily Game has been rebranded and renamed Pick 3
- Advance play has been extended from seven draws to 25
The biggest news is that after more than 30 years, Daily Game has been renamed Pick 3. The move, state lottery officials have said, is because the new name better represents the rules of the game and aligns well with Washington’s other lotteries, such as Match 4 and Hit 5.
The game rules stay the same. You still pick three numbers between 0 and 9 and you still have nine different play types to choose from, as well as different bet amounts. Drawings continue to be held at 8:00 PM every day but you can now purchase entries for up to 25 draws in advance, rather than seven as was previously the case.
To mark the changes, you should now see new Hit 5 and Pick 3 playslips in stores. If your store still has the old playslips on display, let a cashier know as the slips are no longer valid.