Security

The Wisconsin Lottery games, drawings, and operations are heavily audited. Every game is reviewed by independent auditors (not affiliated with the Lottery) to ensure its odds of winning are accurate and, when a drawing is involved, that each drawing is conducted using a random process.

For scratch games in particular, winning tickets are distributed randomly within each game. The Lottery does not know the specific location of where winning tickets will be sold.

Every day, lottery drawings are held at the Wisconsin Lottery's headquarters in Madison. Lottery Draw staff conduct all drawings within a secure room which are witnessed by an independent certified public accountant.

All in-state Wisconsin Lottery games are drawn using a Random Number Generator (RNG), a standalone machine with the sole purpose of picking random numbers. It is not connected to the internet or the Lottery gaming system and is in a secure room under audio and video surveillance.

The following steps take place for every drawing, in addition to meeting all requirements of state law (Chapter 565.27(2)(b) Wis. Stats.).

• Inspection of equipment
• Pre-drawing systems test
• Official drawing of numbers
• Entry of winning information into the Computer Gaming System and recording the time the drawing closed
• Report of the drawing results to the public

Wisconsin games include:

• All or Nothing, SuperCash!, Badger 5, Pick 3 and Pick 4 are drawn every day
• Megabucks is drawn on Wednesdays and Saturdays
• Super 2nd Chance is drawn every week
• May Madness, Holly Jolly, and State Fair 50/50 raffles

Drawings of multi-state games are conducted by other states and are coordinated by the Multi-State Lottery Association:

• Powerball drawings are held on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays in Tallahassee, Florida
• Mega Millions drawings are held on Tuesdays and Fridays in Atlanta, Georgia

Results of drawings can be found at wilottery.com, your local retailer or news outlet, or by calling the 24-hour player hotline at 608-266-7777.

Game integrity is the foundation of the Wisconsin Lottery and keystone to an enjoyable player experience. Security begins in the creation of fun new games for players, that are challenging and easy to understand. All Wisconsin Lottery products are designed with multiple security features to prevent tickets from being counterfeited or altered.  

The Wisconsin Lottery is a leader in securing both the Instant Scratch game and ticket process. Tickets are sourced from multiple, secure, and well-vetted vendors which are monitored from the time of print until they are either purchased or returned to the Wisconsin Lottery for destruction.

In addition, the Wisconsin Lottery's Office of Enforcement and Compliance communicate regularly with other state lotteries to alert each other of emerging threats or trends. Information sharing allows for quick and efficient response.

If you are told your ticket is not a winner by a retailer, you may ask for it to be returned to you.

If you believe you have won more than you are paid, you may also ask the retailer for a validation receipt to confirm the ticket's winning value.

We encourage players to contact us immediately if ever they have a concern about cashing a winning ticket at (608) 261-4916.

More information about how and where to claim a prize can be found on the How to Claim a Prize page

To ensure the integrity of your Fast Play ticket, make sure that the ticket was printed by the Lottery terminal at the time of purchase. You can find the time and date stamp near the barcode on your ticket. 

If you feel the Fast Play ticket was generated in advance of your purchase, please notify the store manager or contact Wisconsin Lottery Security.

When jackpots get high, you may see some stores pre-print Powerball and Mega Millions tickets to sell, since they are going through so many of them. This is acceptable, as long as the drawing they are giving you a ticket for has not happened yet – and that it's not a Fast Play ticket.

Some stores will also try to sell a ticket they mistakenly printed previously (e.g., the numbers on the ticket weren't the numbers the player wanted), which is fine as well as long as the drawing has not yet happened and that it's not a Fast Play ticket. Some people like to purchase "mistake tickets" thinking that they may be lucky.

You may always ask the retailer to print you a new ticket.

Scams - attempts to trick someone into providing money or personal information. Scammers may use email, social media, or phone calls, pretending to be someone or something else to gain a victim’s trust. Scammers frequently pose as Lottery winners offering a portion of winnings in exchange for a small fee or personal information. Scammers will also pretend to be lottery officials, banks, or other government agencies.

Fraud - any activity that involves intentional dishonest activity or wrongdoing.

Fraud is typically a broader term that covers any intentional dishonest activity. A scam may refer to a type of fraud that can involve a deceptive scheme with the intention to exploit someone directly.

Scams should be reported to the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection website or by calling (800) 422-7128.

If you believe you may have been a victim of Lottery-related fraud, you should contact Wisconsin Lottery Security.

• Always remember, the Wisconsin Lottery does not know you even bought a ticket until you claim a prize using your ticket. This means the Wisconsin Lottery does not know who winners are until they come forward to claim a prize.
• If you have not entered a giveaway or drawing, and you receive a call, email, or letter saying you are a winner, this could be a scam.
• Do not give out your personal or confidential information to someone who contacts you claiming to be from a government agency.
• Be sure to independently find or otherwise verify the contact information from an official source like this website. Be careful using any contact info from the caller, email, or letter.
• Call the Wisconsin Lottery directly at (608) 261-4916 to verify if the Lottery really was trying to contact you.
• More consumer protection information can be found on the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection website or by calling (800) 422-7128.

The success of the Wisconsin Lottery relies on honesty, integrity, and security. With that goal in mind, all of our games are designed and produced to protect them against any type of fraud or manipulation.

To ensure the public’s trust and confidence, our Lottery Security personnel oversees security including:

• Drawing security - monitoring Lottery drawings for compliance with regulatory requirements and industry standards
   
• Fraud investigation - observing retailer awareness of Lottery standards to safeguard both player and retailer and, if need be, investigating reported or suspected incidents involving authorized retailers
   
• Scam protection – investigating fraud activity and potential scams, protecting the integrity of lottery drawings and scratch game production, and raising public awareness of current scams

In addition, an independent audit of the Lottery's security is conducted on a regular basis.

The Wisconsin Lottery's Office of Enforcement and Compliance is available to answer your questions and assist with your concerns. We will continue to be vigilant to guard against any incidents of theft or fraud involving all our games, drawings, and Limited Time Offers. If you have any concern about Wisconsin Lottery products or operations, we can be reached during the hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday – Friday.

Contact Us
Wisconsin Lottery Office of Enforcement and Compliance
608-267-6882

wilottery.security@wisconsin.gov

The Wisconsin Lottery takes pride in having great relations with vendors and retailers. We routinely visit our retailers to ensure their needs are being met and their experience with the Wisconsin Lottery is positive. Players can feel confident that when they play the Wisconsin Lottery at one of our retailers, our practices are sound and prizes are fairly awarded.

Lottery Special Agents conduct periodic and random retail security compliance checks. These inspections are to ensure the retailer is operating within Wisconsin Lottery standards to safeguard both player and retailer. Handling of paid winning tickets, strict adherence to laws regarding underage gaming, and secure product placement are some areas covered. Also, a review of a retailer's ticket security, property security, and player safety concerns is done. This ongoing dialogue is beneficial for all involved. Wisconsin Lottery needs its retailers to be successful, and when retailers are successful we all win.

Occasionally, this is a situation warranting further review. Formal investigations are reserved for state law violations (sec. 565.12, Wis. Stats.) and often are the result of overt disregard of the terms of the Lottery Retailer Contract. These investigations can include Lottery investigators, local law enforcement, Department of Justice, or Capitol Police. Fraud against our players or the Lottery can result in an immediate suspension or termination of their account, and/or issuance of criminal charges.

The Wisconsin Lottery takes all allegations of fraud very seriously. Anyone found engaging in fraud will be reported to law enforcement and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

If you know of, or suspect any impropriety associated with the Wisconsin Lottery, we can be reached during the hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday – Friday.

Contact Us
Wisconsin Lottery Office of Enforcement and Compliance
608-267-6882

wilottery.security@wisconsin.gov

Other resources available:

Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection – The Bureau of Consumer Protection is available to help if you believe you are a victim of fraud. Please visit their website for a fact sheet on Lottery, Contest and Sweepstakes Scams. Consumers can call the toll-free hotline at (800) 422-7128 or email at DATCPHotline@Wisconsin.gov.

Cross-border fraud – Reports of false lottery prizes reaching across national borders are increasing with the technology of today. Do not purchase tickets from foreign lotteries by phone, mail, or the internet. It is illegal to play a foreign lottery. To find out more about the schemes scammers use to steal large amounts of money and how you can avoid being a victim, please visit the Federal Trade Commission's website at https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0060-10-things-you-can-do-avoid-fraud or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). To file a complaint, use the FTC Complaint Assistant.

Remember - you must play to win.
Scams are getting more sophisticated. They look and sound like the real thing. Don't become a victim of fraud. Remember, unless you personally played a Wisconsin Lottery game, drawing, or Limited Time Offer, you will not be contacted by the Wisconsin Lottery.

Calls, letters, emails, and texts
The Wisconsin Lottery will only call you about winnings if you intentionally entered a drawing, such as the Packers, or Super 2nd Chance Drawing. For all Scratch tickets, and Lotto drawings, we don't know you're a winner until you tell us.

Beware of all other calls, even if caller-ID displays a real phone number from the Wisconsin Lottery or has a local area code. It may be a scammer trying to get your personal information, Social Security number, credit card number, or worse yet, your hard-earned money. It is best to hang up if you receive such a call. If you want to double check, you can ask for the name of the individual and contact the Wisconsin Lottery at 608-261-4916 for confirmation.

Do not engage with automated calls. Do not press 1 for more options. This may put your number on the list for future calls.

"Official" letters received by mail, or by email, may look legitimate. However, if they ask you for personal information or money, it is a scam. Do not respond to it.

Delete any emails saying there is an unclaimed prize in your name or has an "urgent" message saying you must act right away. It is important to not reply, open attachments, or click on links. Also, do not click unsubscribe. This may lead to further problems with your personal computer or being put on the scammer's contact list.

Never send any money for "processing fees" in order to claim your prize, especially if you are offered a "guaranteed" prize. The Wisconsin Lottery does not require money upfront to claim a legitimate prize, nor do we guarantee a prize. In addition, do not give your bank account routing number so they can deposit your "winnings." This can compromise the security of your financial accounts. In addition, financial institutions can make customers who deposit fraudulent checks repay any money spent.

The only texts you receive from the Wisconsin Lottery is if you sign-up to receive winning numbers, jackpot amounts, or daily news. You will never receive a text saying you won any prize.

Scams can also be in-person. Never take a ticket from someone who claims they can't claim the prize themselves for a variety of reasons. Don't buy a ticket second-hand. These tickets are often stolen, fake, or unable to be redeemed. Only purchase through an authorized retailer.

Social media and websites
The Wisconsin Lottery has one official website, wilottery.com, and has pages on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. If in doubt, double check all IP addresses and never provide any personal, banking or other information. Do not click, share, respond, or re-post anything saying you have won. Delete the post without engaging. Also, remember the Wisconsin Lottery does not notify winners through internet pop-ups. Do not interact with those types of ads.