Lottery language, made plain.
These definitions explain the terms used on LottoGlance. A game’s official rules control whenever its wording or prize structure is more specific.
Last reviewed: July 30, 2026
- Advertised jackpot
- The estimated annuity value promoted for an upcoming jackpot drawing. It is not the same as the cash option, and estimates can change before the draw.
- Annuity
- A prize-payment option that distributes a jackpot over a schedule of payments set by the game, rather than as one immediate payment.
- Cash option
- The estimated one-time amount offered instead of the advertised annuity. Taxes and shared winning tickets can further reduce what a claimant receives.
- Claim deadline
- The last date a winning ticket may be submitted under the selling jurisdiction's rules. Deadlines and cash-option elections vary, so the official lottery must be checked.
- Dated snapshot
- A previously source-checked result shown with its draw date when the current official source cannot be reached. It is not labeled as a live retrieval.
- Draw or drawing
- The event in which a game determines its winning numbers. The draw date identifies the specific result being displayed.
- Jackpot
- The top prize for a game or drawing. Some jackpots roll forward when no eligible ticket wins the top tier.
- Jurisdiction
- A state, district, territory or other authorized lottery area whose rules govern sales, validation, claims and payment.
- Main numbers and special ball
- Many games draw a main set from one number pool and a differently labeled ball from another. LottoGlance displays the special ball in a contrasting color.
- Multiplier
- A game feature that can change eligible non-jackpot prizes. Availability, price and effect depend on the official rules for the game and jurisdiction.
- Odds
- The mathematical likelihood of a specified outcome. Prior draws do not make a random number more likely to appear in the next independent drawing.
- Official source
- The lottery operator or multi-state game record LottoGlance identifies for a result. The selling lottery remains the final authority for a physical ticket.
- Pari-mutuel prize
- A prize whose value depends on the money allocated to its tier and the number of winning tickets, rather than a fixed published amount.
- Prize tier
- A category of prize based on a ticket's matching numbers, add-ons and applicable game rules.
- Rollover
- An increase carried into a future drawing after no qualifying ticket wins the jackpot, subject to the game's rules.
- Ticket checker
- A convenience tool that compares numbers you type with the result on screen. It does not authenticate a ticket, scan a barcode or establish a right to payment.
- Ticket validation
- The authorized lottery's process for confirming that a ticket is genuine, eligible, unclaimed and entitled to a particular prize. Only that process can establish a payable win.
- Unclaimed prize
- A prize not yet paid to an eligible claimant. A published winner location does not necessarily mean a prize remains unclaimed.
- Winner location
- The state, jurisdiction, city or retailer location officially published for a winning ticket. LottoGlance does not infer a claimant's identity or a more precise location.