New $2 lotto game "5 Card Cash" kicks off this weekend

MADISON (WITI) -- Most Wisconsin Lottery games either have the opportunity to win instantly, or in the nightly drawing, but the new $2 lotto game "5 Card Cash" offers both!

Sunday, April 6 will see the start of the first brand new lotto game to have both an "instant win" and a nightly drawing.

"It's the best of both worlds," said Michael Edmonds, Lottery Director. "It's a chance to win during the day when you buy your ticket and another chance to win that night."

The new $2 game works like this: When players buy their ticket, five card symbols are printed on it.  If the five card symbols include a pair of 8's or better or a higher winning hand, like three of a kind, a flush or a full house, they win instantly.  The top prize on the instant portion is $5,000 for having a royal flush.

For the nightly drawing, the lottery will draw five random card symbols from the 52 total cards.  A player then wins if they match at least two of the five cards drawn.  If they match all five, the player wins $250,000!

"We're excited about it!  It's the Lottery's first new Wisconsin only lotto game in over ten years," said Edmonds.

"5 Card Cash" tickets are Quick Pick only, meaning that no playslips are needed.  The drawings will be conducted by the Lottery each night between 9pm and 10pm.  Winning cards will be available on the Lottery's website, www.wilottery.com, as well as by calling (608) 266-7777.

The overall odds for winning a prize on "5 Card Cash" are 1:2.9.  The odds of hitting the $5,000 instant top prize are 1:649,740.  The odds of winning the $250,000 prize are 1:2,598,960.