Let’s take another journey down memory lane and talk about another fantastic lottery which is already cancelled just like
hot lotto. Decades of Dollars was the name of a Virginia-only lottery game; it began as a multi-state game in January 2011. Georgia and Kentucky joined Virginia in launching Decades of Dollars; Arkansas joined in May 2011. Decades of Dollars replaced Win for Life in Kentucky; WFL ended in 2014 as a Virginia-only game. Decades of Dollars became a Virginia-only game in October 2014 when the other three states joined the ill-fated Monopoly Millionaires' Club drawing game.
Decades of Dollars held its final drawing on April 30, 2015; Virginia replaced it with the multi-state Cash4Life. Georgia, Kentucky and Virginia were able to select six numbers and watch out for the winning numbers on Monday and Thursday nights. Arkansas also joined Decades of Dollars lottery, tickets for the game became available in The Natural State on May 3, 2011 while the first drawing involving the state took place on May 5.
Important Facts of Decades of Dollars
- The last drawing for Decades of Dollars was on April 30, 2015
- Winners don’t receive less than the jackpot amount
- Jackpot starts at
$1 million
- The draw is held twice a week
How to play Decades of Dollars Explained
Decades of Dollars was easy to play- All you had to do is pick six numbers from
1 through 47.
Below are simple step by step outline of how Decades of Dollars was played:
- Pick up a Decades of Dollars play slip at your favorite Lottery Retailer near you at
$2 per play.
- Choose your numbers on a play slip or let the lottery terminal randomly pick your numbers.
- Choose six main numbers between
1 and 47
- Hand your marked play slip to the store clerk and you will receive a ticket with your Decades of Dollars numbers on it.
- Watch the Decades of Dollars drawing on your local television station or check lottery sites the following day to see if got the lucky winning Decades of Dollars number.
Decades of Dollars Drawing Days/Time
Decades of Dollars draws consisted of two draws per week which are conducted on
Monday and Thursday.
Decades of Dollars Participating States
Decades of Dollars was held in Virginia, Georgia, Kentucky and Arkansas
Winning Options for Decades of Dollars
Decades of Dollars jackpot was mouthwatering,
it consists of
30 yearly installments of $250,000.
This leaves single jackpot winners with a maximum of
$10 million.
However, for those who want their money a bit quicker, a
$4,000,000
cash option is also available.
But if you were not able to match all six of the winning numbers, there were more Decades of Dollars prizes available.
Players who match two up to five numbers won prizes varying from
$2 up to $10,000.
Below is a breakdown of the Decades of Dollars cash options that was available to players.
| Correct Numbers Matched |
Prize Amount in $ |
| 6 |
Jackpot ($250,000 per year in 30 installments or $4,000,000 cash) |
| 5 |
$10,000 |
| 4 |
$100 |
| 3 |
$10 |
| 2 |
free play or $2 |
Kentucky and Virginia players received a
free play; Arkansas and Georgia winners won
$2.
Decades of Dollars Payout
Claim period varies from state to state from
90 to 365 days. Jackpot winners can receive their prize as either
lump cash or annuity payment. To claim lump cash, the winner has to claim their prize within 60 days of results otherwise they will have to take their prize as an annuity. A player has 60 days from the date they claim their prize to choose the
"cash"
option or the
"annuity"
option. If the player selects the "cash" option, the prize will be a single cash payment equal to the amount available to the lottery for the jackpot prize pool. The "cash" prize is estimated to be approximately one-half of the estimated jackpots, depending on current interest rates. Annuity option consists of
30 yearly installments of $250,000.
This leaves single jackpot winners with a maximum of
$10 million.
However, for those who want their money a bit quicker, a
$4,000,000 lump
cash option is also available
The steps needed to claim Decades of Dollars cash prize are outlined below
- Sign the ticket straightaway and complete the information on the back of the ticket.
- Simply present your winning ticket to your favorite lottery retailer or mail the signed/completed ticket to the lottery office of the State.
- A player may also download and print a Prize Claim Form from State Lottery website or pick up a form from a lottery retailer, complete and sign the form, and send it along with the signed winning ticket to the Lottery Office of their respective State
- Include a copy of your ID along with the Prize Claim Form and winning ticket.
Tax on Decades of Dollars Payout
US Federal Law necessitates the Lottery to report winnings of $600 or more to the IRS and withhold 25 percent of any claim of more than $5,000.
All the States Law has their deductions percentage of winnings.
But with winnings of $500, you just might be tax free. All prizes over $599 are subject to taxes and other offsets required by law.
Any winnings you receive from Decades of Dollars was subject to federal income taxes, as well as any applicable state income taxes.
Decades of Dollars Ticket Cost
The cost of a Hot Lotto ticket is
$1 per line. The price is the same in all states.
Decades of Dollars Prize Winners Stories
Success stories of Hot Lotto Jackpot Winners abound as there have been lucky winners that won the jackpot. Below is a story
Cornelius Harris of Norfolk will probably always remember Friday the 13th. That's the day he received a $4 million check from Virginia Lottery Executive Director Paula Otto. Mr. Harris matched all six numbers in the April 12 Decades of Dollars drawing to become Virginia's first top-prize winner in that game. The retiree had the choice of taking $250,000 per year for 30 years or a one-time cash option of $4 million before taxes. He chose the cash option.
Available Decades of Dollars Operator/States
Decades of Dollars was available in
4 states.
Tickets for Decade of Dollars were sold in Virginia, Georgia, Kentucky and Arkansas
Decades of Dollars Lotto FAQs
When did the Hot Lotto game end?
The final drawing for Decades of Dollars was held on April 30, 2015.
Will players still be able to claim prizes on Decades of Dollars tickets since the game has ended?
Yes. Each lottery has its own rules about how long players have to claim prizes, e.g. 365 days from the date of a drawing. Players will be able to claim Hot Lotto prizes within each lottery’s allowed time period. Prizes must be claimed in the jurisdiction where the ticket was purchased.
What Should I Do If I Had a Winning Ticket?
Sign the back of the ticket immediately! Remember, lottery tickets are bearer instruments, meaning the person who "bears" the ticket can claim it, regardless of who purchased the ticket. The Lottery advises players to sign the back of their tickets when they purchase them - even before the drawing or the ticket is played.
Where was Decades of Dollars tickets sold?
Decades of Dollars tickets were sold in Virginia, Georgia, Kentucky and Arkansas.
Is the Lottery Only for U.S. Citizen?
You do not need to be a U.S. citizen to play or to claim a prize. Non-residents will be required to provide an address outside of the U.S. But tax on winnings still apply irrespective of nationalization.
At what Age Am I Eligible to Play?
You must be 18 years of age and above, persons under the age of 18 are prohibited from claiming a lottery prize in the US. In some state, players must be 21 years old to partake in Decades of Dollars.
What happened to the Hot Lotto jackpot money?
Prize money remaining from the Decades of Dollars game were either rolled forward to a new game to be awarded as prizes or returned to participating lotteries to be awarded as prizes.
Conclusion: Decades of Dollars and its Exit
In this article, we have gone through Decades of Dollars lottery in details, how tickets were purchased and what prizes was available including the jackpot prize. The draws were done twice weekly. And how
the lottery ended on April 30, 2015.
