We all dream of hitting that big jackpot and getting all the prize money to ourselves. “Tonight’s draw is 10 million dollars!” Yes, we have our tickets. We wait for the draw. Yep got the first number. Second, yes. Oh cool, third number. What, the fourth? We got the fifth and the sixth! OH MY GOODNESS! We got the bonus number too. Come to daddy $10 million bucks! Yeah! We won it! Whoo Hoo!
Reality of a win
Sounds good doesn’t it, and in most cases it really is great to win it all to ourselves.However, just because you won the jackpot, doesn’t mean you won the whole jackpot.
It is quite possible that someone else could have a ticket with the same numbers as you and have also won the jackpot.
And a third ticket holder could also be a winner. What happens when there is more than one winner for a prize?
Dividing the prize
In most cases, the prize is divided up equally amongst the winning ticket holders. Therefore, with two winning tickets on the 10 million dollar jackpot, it means each winner will receive 5 million dollars. With three winning tickets, each winner would get about 3.3 million dollars.
How could this happen?
Well, with a lottery draw, ticket numbers must be selected by the player, either manually or through a quick pick RNG system on the terminal.
Duplicate results of chosen or generated numbers are not blocked or eliminated, as to ensure a totally fair and honest draw.
For example, if a players special number’s are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, with a bonus number of 7, and someone else has the same special numbers, it really wouldn’t be fair to limit only one player to be able to choose those numbers.
How would you decide which player gets to select the numbers?
Allowing the selection of duplicate ticket numbers lets players manually select the same numbers for each draw, or to select a random set of numbers from their head, their dreams, or from a bowl.
It also allows the RNG to potentially generate the same ticket numbers for more than one ticket, giving quick pick players the same chance of getting duplicate ticket numbers.
Since each and every number is available to be selected or generated, it is always possible to get two or more tickets with the same number sequence and to have multiple winners on a jackpot.
When it doesn't get split
But there are a small amount of lotteries out there in which the splitting of prizes for multiple winners is not done.
Some lotteries offer what are called fixed awards. Let’s say the top award is 1 million dollars. If there is one winner, they will receive 1 million dollars. If there are two winners, they each will get 1 million dollars. For one hundred winners, each gets 1 million dollars.
So the jackpot of 1 million dollars is guaranteed to each winner regardless of how many winners there are.
Now, even though the lottery signs may flash, “Tonight’s jackpot is 55 million dollars! Get your ticket now,” you need to be aware that if you get all the numbers for the win, 55 million may not be making its way to you.
You may have to split it with another winner, or several other winners, meaning the final amount you will receive will be less than 55 million.
But even if you have to split it, you’re still going to get a significant amount of money that is going to enhance your life, pay off your debts and bills, and let you be a millionaire.