Lucky for Life® is ending February 21
Play for your final chance to win $1,000 a day, every day, for LIFE before the game ends on February 21, 2026. Read more below about the
Game Ending Notice and Game Ending FAQs.
Game Ending Notice
Lucky for Life® will be ending nationwide and the last draw will be held on February 21, 2026 around 9:38 p.m. The Iowa Lottery
will limit the number of drawings for which players can purchase tickets in advance. The “step down” process is designed to ensure that no one mistakenly
ends up with an invalid play.
Here is the Iowa Lottery schedule for the step down on advance plays in Lucky for Life:
| Date |
Future Draws Available After Draw Break |
| February 11 |
10 |
| February 12 |
9 |
| February 13 |
8 |
| February 14 |
7 |
| February 15 |
6 |
| February 16 |
5 |
| February 17 |
4 |
| February 18 |
3 |
| February 19 |
2 |
| February 20 |
1 |
| February 21 |
0 |
Game Ending FAQs
What is going to happen to the money in the jackpot pool when Lucky for Life ends?
Any jackpot amount not awarded at the conclusion of the Lucky for Life game will be distributed towards prizes in other lottery games and lottery promotions.
Will players still be able to claim prizes on Lucky for Life tickets after the game ends?
Yes. All prizes won with Iowa Lottery games, including Lucky for Life prizes, must be claimed within 180 days of the drawing in which they were won.
In Iowa, players have 60 days from the date they claim their prize to choose the cash or annuity payment option in Lucky for Life.
Will current Lucky for Life annuity prizes continue?
Yes. Annual annuity payments already in effect for Lucky for Life winners will continue.
How To Play
Lucky for Life costs $2 per play.
Choose 5 out of 48 numbers for the white balls, then pick your Lucky Ball number from 1 to 18.
You can choose your own numbers or ask for an easy pick to have the lottery terminal or self-service kiosk to select the numbers on your ticket. Check the multi-draw box to buy tickets for up to 10 consecutive drawings at a time.
Lucky for Life drawings are held daily at about 9:38 p.m. each day. Tickets can be purchased until 8:30 p.m. on the evening of the drawing.
Prizes & Odds
*The set prize amounts published here are based on the expected number of winners sharing in the prize pool. In some cases, these prizes may be paid on a pari-mutuel basis
and will be lower than these prize levels.
There are 10 prize levels in the game, so be sure to check your ticket after each drawing.
Lucky for Life prizes won in Iowa must be claimed within 180 days of the drawing in which they were won.
Lucky for Life Top and Second Prize Options
Lucky for Life’s top two prize levels are described as “lasting as long as you do,” meaning that they are truly for life. The minimum guaranteed payout for those two prize levels is 20 years,
and there is a lump-sum option for players who prefer that rather than lifetime annuity payments.
Top Prize
Second Prize
**Divided by the number of winners
Players have 60 days from the date they claim their prize to choose the cash or annuity payment option. Prizes that are governed by "split-prize" liability are divided
equally among the winning tickets and may be less than shown.
For further details, click the Game Rules link at the top of this page.
History
Lucky for Life got its start in Connecticut in 2009 before becoming a New England-wide game three years later. It went on to add even more lotteries in the years that have followed.
Iowa became the 18th state to join the game when ticket sales began here in 2016. Lucky for Life moved to daily drawings in July 2021.
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