More and more lotteries in the U.S. are adding games that pay prizes large enough to be lifetime game changers for the winners, including Cash4Life in New Jersey and Lucky for Life in Connecticut.
Rather than paying one-time jackpots these jackpots are spread out over the life of the winner. In the case of the two games named above, they pay $7,000 a week for life. They also offer lesser prizes such as $52,000 a year for life and $25,000 a year for life.
Winners must match five numbers and draw a bonus number.
The “For Life” type of game originated in 2009 with the Connecticut Lottery’s “Lucky-4-Life.”
Such games are proliferating rapidly. In the last 12 months such games have gone from just a few East Coast states to more than half of the United States. They were seen as ways of making more money for lotteries that were seeing disappointing returns from Mega Millions and Powerball.
Eight states joined Lucky for Life last year while Cash4Life added two. This year Iowa will begin offering Lucky for Life. Maryland began selling Cash4Life days ago and North Dakota and North Carolina will soon join Lucky for Life.
