You've probably seen the signs at the gas station while grabbing a coffee. The ones flashing a jackpot for a game that sounds more like a mascot than a multi-million dollar opportunity. Honestly, most people just walk past them to buy a Powerball ticket, thinking the bigger the numbers, the better the dream. But if you’re actually looking to win something—like, realistically win—the minnesota gopher 5 lottery is basically the best-kept secret in the North Star State.
It's local. It's cheap. It's kinda predictable in a way the massive national games aren't.
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While everyone else is chasing a billion-dollar pipe dream with odds that are essentially "never," Gopher 5 sits there with a jackpot that starts at $100,000 and rolls over three times a week. It’s been around since May 1991. That’s decades of Minnesotans quietly cashing checks while the rest of the country stares at Powerball drawings.
How the Minnesota Gopher 5 Lottery Actually Works
The setup is simple. You pick five numbers. You're choosing from a pool of 1 to 47.
Wait, just 47?
Yeah. Compare that to the 70 numbers in Mega Millions or the 69 in Powerball. Because the pool is smaller, your math is just better. You aren't fighting against the entire population of the United States; you're just playing against other people in Minnesota.
Each play costs exactly $1.
You can walk into any retailer—Kwik Trip, Holiday, your local corner bodega—and ask for a "Quick Pick" if you’re feeling lazy. Or you can use the little red pencil and fill out the slip yourself. If you’re the type who likes to set it and forget it, you can buy a ticket for up to 14 consecutive draws.
When are the drawings?
The drawings happen every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. They usually go down around 6:17 p.m.
Just a heads up: you have to buy your ticket by 6:10 p.m. on the day of the draw. If you’re at the counter at 6:11 p.m., you’re playing for the next one. Don't be that person holding up the line for a ticket that won't even be valid for another two days.
The Odds: Why This Game is Different
Let's talk about the 1 in 1.5 million.
That is the approximate odds of hitting the minnesota gopher 5 lottery jackpot. specifically, it’s 1 in 1,533,939.
Now, look at Powerball. The odds there are about 1 in 292 million. You have a better chance of being struck by lightning while being attacked by a shark in a Land of 10,000 Lakes than winning Powerball. But 1 in 1.5 million? People win that. In fact, on average, someone hits the Gopher 5 jackpot about 17 or 18 times a year.
It’s not just the big one, either.
- Match 4 of 5: You win $500. The odds are 1 in 7,304.
- Match 3 of 5: You win $15. The odds are 1 in 178.
- Match 2 of 5: You win $1. Basically, you get your buck back. The odds are 1 in 13.
The overall odds of winning anything are 1 in 12. That's actually pretty decent for a buck.
Where Does the Money Go?
This is the part that makes people feel a little better about losing. It isn't just disappearing into a black hole. Since 1991, the Minnesota Lottery has generated billions for the state.
Specifically, Gopher 5 contributes to the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. We're talking about protecting local wildlife, cleaning up lakes, and maintaining those hiking trails we all use. About 25 cents of every dollar played goes toward these environmental projects. The rest goes to the winners (obviously), retailer commissions, and the state’s General Fund, which handles things like schools and public safety.
So, if you lose, you basically just donated a dollar to a loon or a park.
Real Jackpots and Big Winners
Sometimes people think local games only pay out "small" change. Tell that to the person who hit the $2,032,201 jackpot back in 2005. That's the record.
More recently, in early 2026, we’ve seen some solid movement. On January 16, 2026, the winning numbers were 6, 8, 13, 21, and 32. The jackpot for the next draw on January 19 is already sitting at an estimated $400,000.
It grows fast.
Because it’s a "rolling" jackpot, it doesn’t reset to zero. It starts at $100k and just keeps climbing every time nobody matches all five. I've seen it hit $800,000 or $1 million several times in just the last couple of years.
Claiming Your Prize (The Boring but Important Part)
If you actually win, don't just run into the woods.
First, sign the back of your ticket. Immediately. A lottery ticket is a "bearer instrument," which is a fancy way of saying whoever holds it owns it. If you drop it and I find it, and it's unsigned? It's mine. Sign it.
For prizes up to $50,000, you can actually claim them by mail or at any of the Minnesota Lottery regional offices (like in Roseville, Detroit Lakes, or Owatonna). If you're lucky enough to win more than $50,000, you have to go to the headquarters in Roseville in person.
Keep this in mind: you have exactly one year from the drawing date to claim your prize.
Also, Minnesota law has changed recently. If you win more than $10,000, your name and city are kept private unless you explicitly tell the lottery you want to be famous. Most people choose the "stay quiet and pay off the mortgage" route.
Tax Reality Check
If you win the minnesota gopher 5 lottery, the government is going to want its cut.
For prizes over $5,000, the lottery is required by law to withhold taxes. Usually, that’s 24% for federal taxes and 7.25% for Minnesota state taxes. If you win $100,000, you aren't actually walking home with $100,000. You're getting a check for roughly $68,750.
Still a great day, but don't go out and buy a $100,000 boat the next morning.
What to Do Next
If you’re going to play, do it smart.
- Check your tickets: Use the official Minnesota Lottery app. You can scan the barcode on your phone and it’ll tell you instantly if you’re a winner. No more squinting at the newspaper or trying to remember if 21 was your lucky number or your nephew's birthday.
- Budget it: It’s a dollar. Don't spend your grocery money on Gopher 5. Play for fun, play for the loons, but keep it at a buck or two.
- Check the "Unclaimed Prizes" list: Seriously, go to the MN Lottery website. People forget to check their tickets all the time. There are often six-figure prizes just sitting there waiting for someone to look in their glove box.
- Join a pool: If you want to increase your odds without spending more, get ten people at work to chip in a dollar. You split the jackpot, sure, but 1/10th of a million is still a lot better than 100% of nothing.
The minnesota gopher 5 lottery isn't going to make you as rich as Elon Musk. It won't buy you a private island. But it might just buy you a nice cabin Up North or pay off your car. For a game that only costs a dollar and supports our state's outdoors, it's a hell of a lot more grounded than the national alternatives.
Go grab a ticket for the Monday draw. Just remember to sign the back.