Quick answer: Poker Lotto is a $2 Michigan Lottery game where the terminal deals you five playing cards. You win instantly if those cards form a paying poker hand, and the same five cards are automatically entered into a nightly drawing at 7:29 PM, where matching all five drawn cards pays $100,000.
How does Poker Lotto work?
It is two games on one ticket, which is what makes it unusual.
- The instant game. Ask for a Poker Lotto ticket and the terminal deals five random cards from a standard 52-card deck. If they make a paying hand — pair of aces or better — you can collect immediately, before any drawing happens.
- The nightly drawing. Those same five cards are entered into that evening's draw, held at 7:29 PM Eastern, seven nights a week. Five cards are drawn; the more of them your ticket holds, the more you win.
You cannot pick your own cards, and you cannot enter the drawing without also getting the instant hand. One $2 play buys both.
What does the nightly drawing pay?
| Cards matched | Prize |
|---|---|
| 5 of 5 | $100,000 |
| 4 of 5 | $500 |
| 3 of 5 | $25 |
| 2 of 5 | $3 |
Prize amounts above are the tiers published on recent Poker Lotto drawings in our data. The instant poker-hand prizes run on a separate scale that tops out well below the drawing's $100,000 — the instant side is designed to give you something back on the walk out of the store, not to be the main prize.
What counts as a winning hand on the instant game?
Standard poker hand rankings apply, with a minimum paying hand of a pair of aces. Better hands pay progressively more: two pair, three of a kind, straight, flush, full house, four of a kind, straight flush, and a royal flush at the top. Suits matter for flushes, so the ticket prints both rank and suit for each of the five cards.
Because the instant portion is settled the moment the ticket prints, a clerk can validate and pay small instant wins on the spot — but hold on to the ticket regardless, because the drawing entry is still live until 7:29 PM.
Where can you play Poker Lotto?
Michigan only. Poker Lotto is a Michigan Lottery game and is not part of any multi-state group, so there is no version of it in neighbouring states. Michigan also runs it through its online iLottery platform for players physically located in the state.
Quick answers
How do you play Poker Lotto?
Buy a $2 Poker Lotto ticket at a Michigan Lottery retailer. The terminal deals five random cards; a paying poker hand wins instantly, and the same cards are entered into the 7:29 PM nightly drawing.
What time is the Poker Lotto drawing?
7:29 PM Eastern, every night of the week. Sales for that night's draw close shortly beforehand.
What is the top prize?
$100,000 for matching all five cards drawn in the nightly drawing.
Can you choose your own cards?
No. Every Poker Lotto hand is dealt at random by the terminal.
Bottom line
Two dollars, five dealt cards, an instant result and a nightly $100,000 draw at 7:29 PM — Michigan only. Check the latest cards drawn on our Poker Lotto results page, or browse every Michigan lottery game.
Draw time and prize tiers verified against Lottery Atlas draw data, September 2026. Play responsibly — 1-800-GAMBLER.
