Play Responsibly

Playing Responsibly is All About Playing Within Your Means.

Our games are intended to be a fun, low-cost form of entertainment. Plus, you get the added benefit of helping fund Florida education. We know that most of our players enjoy playing our games for the fun and excitement of it, but for others, gaming of any kind can create a problem. We aim to help those players, too.

We see a man ready to enjoy the beach. As he walks towards the water we see him carrying a bunch of beach related items.

Inflatables
Three hats
Beach chair
Umbrella
Balls
Small surf board

We see him having a hard time carrying all these things. He even trips once or twice and drops a few items. He’s not having a good time.

Narrator: It’s good to know your limits. When playing the Lottery, always play responsibly.

How to Be a Responsible Player

Don’t think of the Lottery as a way to make money.

All of our tickets are intended to be fun games, not a source of income.

Set a dollar limit and stick to it.

It’s important to set a budget for what you can afford to spend on the Lottery, using your discretionary income. Don’t spend more money than you initially intended or can afford.

Never chase your losses.

Not winning is part of playing the Lottery. Don’t assume that you can earn back the money you have already lost. Know when to stop.

Never borrow money to play the Lottery.

Friends don’t play with friends’ money.

Don’t play when you are upset or depressed.

You should avoid doing many things if you are upset or depressed. Playing the Lottery is one of those things. Keep the fun in playing

Know when to ask for help.

Resources are available if you are struggling with an addiction. Find more information about the organizations that may be able to help.

Pocket Change Only

Only play with money you can afford to lose. A big part of being a responsible Lottery player is only using discretionary income to play. Discretionary income is the amount of money you have left to spend, invest or save after you have paid for necessities such as food, shelter and clothing. Some other things you could buy with discretionary income are new shoes, movie tickets or that new best-selling book.

To determine your discretionary income, the Florida Department of Financial Services created the Your Money Matter$ tool. This website aims to provide you with resources for creating personal budgets and spending plans so you can manage your money wisely. View other financial resources provided by the Department of Financial Services.

Know Your Odds Before You Play Them

We’ll always tell you the odds. It’s very important that you understand the odds associated with each game. While the odds vary from game to game, the odds of winning all work the same way. We want our players to have fun when playing, so remember, it only takes one ticket to win.

Today, we’re going to learn about odds.

Let’s say you have a 1 in 4 chance of randomly picking an orange per crate.

Multiple crates with the same odds do not guarantee that you will pick an orange once.

Just like the lottery, if there is a 1 in 4 chance of winning, that applies to every individual ticket. Having multiple tickets does not increase your odds.

The odds are the same, no matter how many times you try.

Must Be 18 or Older

Our games aren’t child’s play. We are committed to preventing underage gaming. Lottery games are designed to be a fun, low-cost form of entertainment for those over the age of 18. Sure, Lottery tickets can make a great gift for birthdays, holidays, or other special events, but please remember they should only be given to, or played by, adults.

Know When to Ask for Help

Gambling Addiction is Real. We want our games to remain fun for our players at all times. But we recognize that over-playing can happen. If you or a loved one is struggling with a gambling addiction, we encourage you to seek help by contacting one of the organizations below.

These organizations provide all kinds of resources to those who may have a gambling problem, some of which include support group meetings, treatment with a certified counselor, and self-help recovery workbooks. The selected organization(s) will work with you or your loved one to determine the resources best suited for their needs.

We see a living room. A man is excitedly watching a game on the TV seated on his recliner. Suddenly, we see a drop of water coming from a roof leak.

The man, aware of that, tries to fix the problem putting a bucket under that leak. A moment later, we see another drop of water coming from a different side. The man, without much movement, puts another bucket under the other leak.

We zoom out to reveal the living room is full of buckets containing different water leaks.

Narrator: Don’t ignore a serious problem. If you or a loved one has a gambling issue, help is available. Call 888-ADMIT-IT (888-236-4848).

Help is just one call away

Our Mission

At the Florida Lottery, we care about all our players and ask that you always play responsibly. We hope you use this website as a resource to access information and tips to help guide you in making informed decisions throughout your Lottery experience. From knowing the benefits of playing responsibly, to being informed of the necessary steps to claim a Florida Lottery prize, this website provides all the tools you may need to keep the fun in playing, as long as you’re 18 or older.

When you play responsibly, everyone wins.

For additional resources, download the Player’s Guide.

Download now a PDF of the Player's Guide

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