The unusual lottery game where you can win by picking the WRONG numbers
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Here’s a unique lottery game that pays out whether you picked all the right numbers or NOT.
The Minnesota Lottery game gave out both prizes together for the first time in 2016 to both types of winners.
The father and son from Halstad were both named Pedro Ruiz, and both took home $100,000 each.
Shortly after the drawing, Ruiz Sr. learned that he was a $100,000 winner because his ticket did not match any of the winning numbers.
But a few hours later his son Ruiz Jr. realized that his ticket had matched all of the winning numbers to win his own $100,000 prize.
“It’s a miracle, a true gift from God,” said Ruiz Sr. when the pair arrived at the Lottery’s headquarters in Roseville to claim their prizes.
This 2016 win was the first time since All or Nothing started in 2012 that tickets matching all of the winning numbers - and none of the winning numbers - were sold for the same drawing.
Started in Texas, the game rewards gamblers for hitting all the numbers, but also provides the same payout for getting none of them right.
Lottery officials said the idea for the game came from feedback offered by players lamenting when they've been skunked playing.
"This is a fun concept that definitely tweaks the traditional lottery drawing," said Ed Van Petten, executive director of the Minnesota State Lottery when the game was launched.
Terry Rich, Van Patten's Iowa counterpart, added, "If you never match anything in lottery drawings, have we got a game for you."
There are 24 possible All or Nothing numbers and to take home the $100,000 top prize, a ticket must either match all of the 12 winning numbers or none of the winning numbers.
The All Or Nothing game is currently played by lotteries in Texas and Wisconsin.
Some states, like Arizona, Georgia, Iowa, Minnesota, Massachusetts, and North Carolina, used to offer "All or Nothing" games but have since discontinued them.
ABOUT: Texas Lottery All Or Nothing
Jackpot Prize and Game Format: In the Texas Lottery's All or Nothing game, players can win the top prize of $250,000 by matching all 12 numbers drawn from a pool of 24 or by matching none of the numbers.
Drawing Times: The game holds drawings four times a day, six days a week. The Central Time specific times are:
Morning (10:00 a.m.)
Day (12:27 p.m.)
Evening (6:00 p.m.)
Night (10:12 p.m.)
Ticket Price and Odds of Winning: Each ticket costs $2. The odds of winning the jackpot (by matching all or none of the numbers) are 1 in 2,704,156, and the overall odds of winning any prize in the game are 1 in 4.5.
