Pennsylvania Lottery — Best Value Games & the 3.07% Tax Advantage
Pennsylvania Lottery — Best Value Games & the 3.07% Tax Advantage
Pennsylvania is a lottery player's dream for two reasons: incredibly low 3.07% state tax and 7 different state games to choose from. PA has the second-lowest lottery tax rate of any state that actually taxes winnings (only North Dakota at 2.9% is lower).
PA Games Ranked by Expected Value
1. Treasure Hunt — Hidden Gem
- Cost: $1 | Top Prize: ~$50K+ | Odds: 1 in 142,506
- The best odds of any PA jackpot game. Pick 5 from 1-30 — the small pool means dramatically better odds than Pick-5-from-43 or Pick-6-from-49 games.
2. Cash 5 — Daily Value
- Cost: $1 | Top Prize: ~$125K+ (pari-mutuel) | Odds: 1 in 962,598
- Daily drawings. Good balance of odds and prize potential.
3. Match 6 — The PA Jackpot
- Cost: $2 (two panels) | Jackpot starts: $500K | Odds: 1 in 4,661,272
- Unique format: $2 gets you TWO 6-number panels. Essentially 2 plays per ticket, making the effective odds per dollar among the best for any 6-number game.
4. Pick 2 through Pick 5
- PA offers the full range of digit games. Pick 2 is just $0.50 — the cheapest lottery game in Pennsylvania.
The Tax Advantage in Real Numbers
| Prize | PA Take-Home (3.07%) | NY Take-Home (10.9%) | Difference | |-------|---------------------|---------------------|------------| | $100,000 | $73,930 | $65,100 | +$8,830 | | $1,000,000 | $599,300 | $521,000 | +$78,300 | | $10,000,000 | $5,993,000 | $5,210,000 | +$783,000 |
Calculate your exact numbers: Tax Calculator
Fun Fact: The Only Lottery for Seniors
Pennsylvania is the only state lottery in the US where all profits exclusively benefit older adults. Since 1972, the PA Lottery has generated over $35 billion for programs including property tax rebates, free transit, prescription assistance, and senior care services.
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