Ohio Pick 5 Lotto FAQs

Welcome to the frequently asked questions page for the Ohio Lottery Pick 5 game! Here, you'll find quick and helpful answers to common questions about how to play, drawing times, ticket cut-offs, winning odds, and more.

Question: What time do the Pick 5 drawings take place?

Answer: Pick 5 drawings occur twice daily, generally at 12:29 PM and 7:29 PM. However, the Saturday evening drawing takes place between 7:30 PM and 8:00 PM during the Cash Explosion TV show.

Question: How can I play Pick 5?

Answer: To play Ohio Lottery's Pick 5, simply visit any Ohio Lottery retailer. When you play, you'll choose five digits, each between 0 and 9. You have a choice of play styles and can wager either $0.50 or $1. For details on the different ways to play, take a look at the How to Play page.

Question: How much does a ticket cost?

Answer: You can wager $0.50 or $1.

Question: What time do ticket sales close?

Answer: Ticket sales for Pick 5 end daily at 12:25 PM and 7:25 PM. The Saturday evening ticket sales close slightly later at 7:45 PM.

Question: What is the top prize in Pick 5?

Answer: The prize payouts always depend on the amount you wager and your bet type. The most you can win on Pick 5 is $50,000.

Question: What are the odds of winning a prize?

Answer: The chances of winning a Pick 5 prize vary depending on the play type you choose and the amount you wager. For specific odds information, please refer to the Ohio Pick 5 Prizes page.

Question: What are the different "Ways" in Pick 5?

Answer: For Boxed plays in Pick 5, using the same digit multiple times affects the odds of winning and prizes available. "Ways" is short for the number of 'ways' you can rearrange your digits to make a winning combination. You can play a 120-Way number like 12345, all the way down to a 5-Way number like 11112. For more info, visit our main Ohio Pick 5 page.

Question: What are the different Pick 5 Play Types?

Answer: In Pick 5, the player needs to decide on their playslip how their numbers can win a prize. This is known as the Play Type. You can play a Straight, Boxed, Straight/Boxed, Back-Up, or Pair play. To find out how these all actually work, head to our main Ohio Pick 5 page.

Question: Is there an age limit to playing Pick 5?

Answer: Yes, you need to be 18 or older to play lottery games in Ohio.

Question: When do Ohio Pick 5 tickets expire?

Answer: Ohio Lottery tickets (including Pick 5) must be claimed within 180 days of the winning draw, or else they will expire, and can no longer be redeemed.

Question: How can I claim my Pick 5 prize?

Answer: Ohio Pick 5 prizes up to $599 can be claimed in any Ohio Lottery-authorized store. For prizes between $599 and $5,000, you can get a pay-to-bearer certificate from an Ohio Lottery-authorized store, which can be cashed in at the bank or by mail. For prizes over $5,000, you'll need to visit the Ohio Lottery offices in-person with your ticket and ID.