State’s ‘Little Lotto’ Will Have Better Odds, $500,000 Prize

Trying to boost sagging revenues, the California Lottery will offer players a new game beginning Sunday called “Little Lotto,” which has a $500,000 top prize and improved odds of winning.

Players will pick--or let a computer pick--six numbers from a field of 39. Matching all six numbers with those drawn wins $500,000; five correct numbers wins $2,000; four numbers, $50 and three numbers, $3.

The odds of winning the smallest Little Lotto cash prize are 1 in 28, compared to 1 in 67 in big Lotto. Chances of winning Little Lotto’s top prize are 1 in 3.3 million, compared to 1 in 23 million for big Lotto.

Little Lotto’s prizes are fixed, rather than shared as in big Lotto. All prizes will be paid in a lump sum, the lottery said.

Drawings will be held at 7:57 p.m. every Tuesday and Friday.