On Tuesday, December 26, 2023, the Montana Lottery announced the three grand-prize winning tickets in its annual Montana Millionaire raffle.
The three ticket numbers that are worth $1 million each, and where they were sold:
- 299951 - Town Pump of Kalispell (2910 US 93 South)
- 315800 - Town & Country Supply (Hilltop Road in Billings)
- 346589 - Heidelberg Lounge (Division Road in Great Falls)
NOTE: Ticket #346589 was originally said to have been sold in the town of Stanford, but the Montana Lottery now says it was sold in Great Falls. Lottery officials said: "Our apologies; as a result of human error, we initially misidentified the location where one of the winning tickets was sold."
The three tickets were drawn from the 380,000 eligible tickets that were bought on November 1st at $20 each. This year's event featured three grand prize tickets, rather than two as in last year; and also had 100,000 more tickets available than last year's 280,000.
In addition to the three grand prizes, the Montana Millionaire has also yielded winners of smaller amounts. There were a total of 4,100 “instant win” tickets worth either $100 or $500 each. There were also two "early bird" drawings. The first was worth $25,000 and was announced on November 24. It was ticket #172886, and was sold at the Albertsons store on Grand Avenue in Billings. The second one was worth $100,000 and was announced on December 15. It was ticket #274028, and it was sold at the Albertsons store on Third Street NW in Great Falls.
Previous million-dollar winners include three from Butte, two from Great Falls, four from Billings, two from Columbia Falls, and one each from Winnett, East Helena, and Laurel.
“A lot of states struggle to sell out their raffle game, even in immediately neighboring states,” said Montana Lottery content manager Dan Iverson. “Montana is kind of an anomaly on a national scale, because our raffle game is so popular. Out of the 17 we have done, I don't think two have been exactly the same. We’ve always switched up the number of tickets or the number of prizes.”
Money generated from the lottery is used in several ways. “The lottery exists to generate revenue for the State of Montana. Most sales go towards paying prizes, operations, and essentially whatever is left at the end of that is what goes back to the state. That’s determined by state legislative action and the beneficiary, as we call it, has changed a number of times,” said Iverson
Currently, the first $2.25 million goes to the Montana Stem/Healthcare Scholarship Program, operated by the Office Of The Commissioner Of Higher Education and the Montana University System. Whatever is left goes to the state's general fund, which is dictated by the legislature.
The Montana Lottery has provided responses to several frequently-asked questions:
Why don’t you limit Montana Millionaire to Montana residents only?
The Montana Lottery is available to everyone of legal age, whether resident or visitor. Limiting the sale of a product to some people while excluding others is discrimination. It would also be contrary to our mission and place an undue burden on our retailers.
Why don’t you limit the number of Montana Millionaire tickets someone can buy?
The mission of the Montana Lottery is to maximize revenue for the State of Montana. Our proceeds fund Montana’s STEM/Healthcare Scholarship Program and contribute to the General Fund. To limit sales of our products would be contrary to our mission and result in less positive impact for the residents of Montana.
Why don’t you offer Montana Millionaire or another raffle game more than once per year?
The Montana Lottery has a large selection of games available every day of the year. We believe Montana Millionaire is special and successful because it’s exclusive. While it is not impossible that we may introduce other raffle games in the future, currently we have made this strategic business decision based on detailed market research and analysis.
Last year, no one claimed one of the two Montana Millionaire prizes, so the money went into the State General Fund.
“We don’t know who bought (it) and we just know that the transaction occurred,” Iverson explained. “Where it occurred, when it occurred, what numbers were printed on the ticket, that kind of thing, so we can verify it on the back end.”
Last year’s two grand prize tickets were sold in Great Falls and Butte. Previous winners of the Montana Millionaire grand prize:
- 2020: Megan Thorstenson, Butte
- 2019: Casey Petero, Columbia Falls
- 2018: Richard Mai, Billings
- 2017: Amy Lambert, Butte
- 2016: Daniel Thompson, Great Falls
- 2015: Jack Barisich, Winnett
- 2014: Jeffrey Fallang, East Helena
- 2013: Russell Miller, Columbia Falls
- 2012: Sam Polesky, Laurel
- 2011: Vern & Mara Wallace, Billings
- 2010: William Morse, Billings
- 2009: Dana Delguerra, Great Falls
- 2008: Mike & Carole McGivern, Butte
- 2007: Gary & BJ Klipstein, Billings
Due to a change in legislation, the Montana Lottery is no longer allowed to release names of Montana Millionaire winners unless they have given consent.
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