3770:1-9-50 Game rule number fifty.

 

 

 

3770:1-9-50                 Game rule number fifty.

 

 

 

(A)Title and term. Ohio lottery commission game rule number fifty, "Lot 'O Play™," shall be conducted at such times and for such periods as the commission may determine. For the purpose of this rule, "sales cycle" shall mean any such period beginning on the date when ticket sales are commenced and continuing through the date established by the director as the date on which sales agents are to make their final settlement with respect to such period.

 

(B)General design.

 

(1)game rule number fifty is a lottery game of the type generally known as a number match game.

 

(2)Each ticket in game rule number fifty shall be imprinted with five rows of five unique numbers from the set of integers zero through ninety-nine inclusive for a total of twenty-five integers. The first row of five unique numbers may be determined by the choice of the ticket purchaser or the auto pick feature of the on-line computer system, and recorded on the ticket at the time of purchase. The auto pick feature shall apply to the remaining four rows of five unique numbers imprinted on the ticket. All five rows of five unique numbers shall constitute one game. Integers will not be repeated on a ticket. Tickets purchased in game rule number fifty are automatically deemed by the on-line gaming system to reflect payment of the grand prize jackpot in twenty-six annual installments. As set forth in paragraph (H)(2) of this rule, at the time of claim, any grand prize jackpot prize winner(s) shall have sixty calendar days from the date of presentation for payment of their claim to the lottery, to opt for a cash equivalent grand prize known as the "cash option." All other prizes in game rule number fifty shall be paid out in a lump sum. A player may only win one prize award on a ticket and such prize award shall be the highest eligible prize. In addition, each ticket printed may be eligible to win a prize award instantly for reaching a predetermined number of tickets sold as designated by the director. A ticket may not be canceled once the ticket is printed by the Lottery terminal, even if such ticket is printed in error.

 

(3)At such times as determined by the director, drawings will be conducted during which five unique numbers shall be selected at random from the set of integers zero through ninety-nine inclusive.

 

Holders of valid winning tickets for a given drawing bearing the numbers drawn in that drawing, in whole or in part, shall be entitled to a prize award in accordance with this rule.

 

(C)Price of tickets. The price of a ticket issued by the commission in game rule number fifty shall be two dollars per wager.

 

(D)Structure, nature and value of prize awards. Based upon the numbers drawn in each

 

 

 

regular drawing for game rule number fifty, prizes shall be awarded to holders of valid tickets for that drawing as follows:

(1) For each ticket bearing a selection which matches two, and only two, of the five integers drawn on any one of the horizontal, vertical or diagonal lines, the player shall win a regular prize award of two dollars.

(2) For each ticket bearing a selection which matches three, and only three, of the five integers drawn on any one of the horizontal, vertical or diagonal lines, the player wins a regular prize award of ten dollars.

(3) For each ticket bearing a selection which matches four, and only four, of the five integers drawn on any one of the horizontal, vertical or diagonal lines, the player wins a regular prize award of one thousand dollars.

(4) For each ticket bearing a selection which matches all five integers drawn on any one of the horizontal, vertical or diagonal lines, the prize pool to be paid shall be equal to the amount designated by the director (hereinafter "jackpot"). The director or his designee shall designate and certify the amount of the jackpot for each drawing in writing prior to each drawing.

In addition to the main play of each ticket, for every wager, each ticket printed may be eligible to win a prize award instantly for reaching a predetermined number of tickets sold as designated by the director.

In any event, the director shall have discretion to change the prizes and percentages which represent the prize pools in each of the categories referred to in paragraphs (D)(1) to (D)(4) of this rule.

(5) The minimum total jackpot amount in any jackpot for which at least one ticket bears a winning selection which matches five of the five integers drawn on a horizontal, vertical or diagonal line, as validated by the on-line computer system, shall be one million dollars, and shall be divided equally among the winning selections if there is more than one winning selection. The director may set the jackpot at levels higher than the minimum amount in accordance with paragraph (D)(4) of this rule.

(6) Any amounts remaining in the prize pools described in paragraphs (D)(1) to (D)(4) of this rule after any given drawing, due to residual amounts after prize disbursements, shall be retained by the commission.

(7) When there are no winning tickets issued for the prize pool described in paragraph (D)(4) of this rule, the director shall, in accordance with paragraph (D)(4) of this rule, establish what amounts from such prize pool shall be carried forward into the jackpot for the next drawing.

(8) When  there  are  no  winning  tickets  issued  for  the  prize  pool  described  in

paragraph (D)(4) of this rule, the jackpot prize amount shall roll pari-mutuelly based on sales as set by the director or increase by a guaranteed amount established by the director, whichever jackpot prize amount is greater.

(E) Frequency of prize drawings. Drawings shall be held at times determined by the director.

(F) Manner of prize drawings.

(1) Prize drawings shall be open to the public and may be held at such places in the state that the director shall determine. The director shall inform the public as to the time and place of each prize drawing.

(2) All holders of valid tickets for a given drawing are eligible to win in that drawing. If the holder of a winning ticket does not have the ticket fully validated and the prize is not claimed and presented for payment within one hundred eighty days after the date of the drawing, in accordance with the procedures set forth in lottery rules, such unclaimed prize shall be paid into the state lottery fund and distributed in accordance with section 3770.06 of the Revised Code.

(3) All drawings in game rule number fifty will be conducted in accordance with random procedures approved by the director. For every drawing in game rule number fifty, the director will approve procedures and mechanisms for the selection of winners and the awarding of prizes in order that random selection by the on-line computer system will be achieved.

(4) Valid prize winners are determined by the numbers drawn and not the numbers reported. The lottery shall not be responsible for game rule number fifty numbers reported in error.

(G)Validity of tickets.

(1) Each purchaser of tickets in game rule number fifty shall be responsible for verifying the numbers designated by the purchaser on the lottery official bet card. A ticket may not be canceled once printed by the Lottery terminal, even if the ticket is printed in error. The lottery shall be free of any liability in connection with this paragraph.

(2) Each ticket issued in game rule number fifty shall have imprinted thereon at the time of purchase a control number, bar code data, or both, supplied by the commission. No prize shall be paid by the commission for any tickets without such control number or bar code data.

(3) All winning tickets in game rule number fifty are subject to validation by the on-line computer system under procedures established by the director before the payment of any prize.

(4) In addition to, but not in limitation of, all other power and authority conferred on the director by the commission's rules, the director may declare a ticket in game rule number fifty void if it is stolen, not sold or deemed not sold in accordance with commission rules; if it is illegible, altered, or counterfeit; or if the ticket fails any of the validation tests or procedures established by the director. The commission's liability and responsibility for a ticket declared void, if any, is limited to refund of the retail sales price of the ticket.

(5) For the purpose of determining the number of winning wagers, division of the jackpot is contingent on the on-line computer system's determination of winning wagers sold, and not by the number of winning tickets presented for payment.

(H)Annual payments or the cash option.

(1) Because the advertised "Lot 'O Play™" jackpot is payable over twenty-six years, jackpot prizes from game rule number fifty are payable in twenty-six equal annual installments, less the appropriately withheld state and federal income taxes as required by law. As dictated by the interest rate set by the treasurer of state, the lottery transfers to the deferred prize trust fund an amount of cash determined by the director which equals the present value of the gross prize award won in a drawing to supply investment principal for funding long-term prize obligations, less the amount determined to be payable to the winner as a first annual installment. This present value transfer is less than the advertised jackpot.

(2) Upon completion of internal validation and claiming procedures established by the lottery, at the time a valid claim is presented for payment of the grand prize jackpot, the estimated cash option prize amount along with the amount of appropriately withheld state and federal income taxes shall be disclosed in writing to the prize winner. Commencing with the date of presentment of a valid winning grand prize jackpot ticket, and for sixty calendar days thereafter, claimants may choose the cash option instead of annual installments. Notice of such selection must be received by the lottery or post office stamped by the end of the sixty calendar day deadline. Such option, once chosen, may not be revoked. If no selection is made during the allowed time period, the prize winner shall be paid in twenty-six annual installments as provided for herein. The discounted cash value of a jackpot amount shall be determined by the director based on a formula established pursuant to authority granted under rule 3770:1-8-04 of the Administrative Code.

(3) A single winning "Lot 'O Play™" jackpot ticket may be paid pursuant to these rules in either annual installments or in a discounted cash value lump sum. Prize winners who claim a joint prize from a single winning ticket will all receive prize payments in either annual installments or in a discounted cash

value lump sum. Prize winners who claim a joint prize from a single winning ticket may not opt to receive different forms of payment.

(I)Director's conduct of game rule number fifty.

(1) The director shall conduct game rule number fifty in a manner consistent with the Lottery Act, the rules of the commission, including without limitation this rule, and the regulations of the director. As deemed necessary or advisable, the director shall adopt management regulations, orders or directives to implement and operate this lottery game.

(2) Names and definitions of elements of game rule number fifty used in this rule are considered generic terms used solely for the purpose of this rule. In actual operation, game rule number fifty and these elements may be given names or titles chosen by the commission.

(3) Should the director determine that drawings conducted pursuant to game rule number fifty are to be discontinued, the director has the discretion to transfer any existing funds from the game rule number fifty jackpot that was not won before such drawings were discontinued, to any lottery game or to allocate the entire or partial funds to the lower tiered prizes.

(4) The director shall have discretion to combine existing or future games for promotional purposes in order to increase revenues and to create a different payment structure for prizes to be paid if games are combined, and to authorize any funding mechanism deemed necessary to accomplish payment of any prize pool.

Effective:	10/09/2005
R.C. 119.032 review dates:	10/09/2010
CERTIFIED ELECTRONICALLY
Certification
09/29/2005
Date
Promulgated Under:	119.03
Statutory Authority:	3770.03
Rule Amplifies:	3770.01, 3770.02, 3770.03, 3770.04, 3770.05,
	3770.06, 3770.07, 3770.08