Most states sell a five-number game that sits between the daily Pick 3 and Pick 4 games and the national jackpots. The names differ (Cash 5, Fantasy 5, Take 5, Hit 5), but the format barely changes: five numbers, one drawing a day or more, no bonus ball, and a top prize that is large but not life-altering. This guide covers how the games work, how the odds are calculated and where the state versions differ.
How do Cash 5 and Fantasy 5 games work?
You choose five numbers from a single pool, or let the terminal pick them. The lottery draws five numbers. Match all five and you win the top prize; match four or three and you win a smaller amount; in many states matching two gets you a free ticket. There is no separate bonus ball in the versions covered here.
Each state runs its own game with its own drawing, so the numbers in Georgia's Fantasy 5 have nothing to do with California's game of the same name. A few of the better-known versions:
| Game | Pool | Price | Drawings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Fantasy 5 | 1–36 | $1 | Twice daily, 1:05 and 11:15 p.m. ET |
| California Fantasy 5 | 1–39 | $1 | Daily, 6:30 p.m. PT |
| New York Take 5 | 1–39 | $1 | Twice daily, 2:30 and 10:30 p.m. ET |
| Michigan Fantasy 5 | 1–39 | $1 | Daily |
| Arizona Fantasy 5 | 1–41 | $1 | Daily |
| Georgia Fantasy 5 | 1–42 | $1 | Daily, 11:34 p.m. ET |
| Washington Hit 5 | 1–42 | $1 | Daily, 8:00 p.m. PT |
| Palmetto Cash 5 (SC) | 1–42 | $2 | Daily |
| North Carolina Cash 5 | 1–43 | $1 | Daily |
| Pennsylvania Cash 5 | 1–43 | $2 | Daily |
| Jersey Cash 5 | 1–45 | $2 | Daily, about 10:57 p.m. ET |
| Virginia Cash 5 | 1–45 | $1 | Daily, 11:00 p.m. ET |
Colorado, Connecticut, Ohio (Rolling Cash 5) and Oklahoma also run five-number games, and you can find each one from its state page on our homepage.
What are the odds of winning Cash 5 or Fantasy 5?
The jackpot odds depend only on the size of the pool. They equal the number of different five-number combinations the pool allows:
| Pool | Jackpot odds | Example games |
|---|---|---|
| 1–36 | 1 in 376,992 | Florida Fantasy 5 |
| 1–39 | 1 in 575,757 | California Fantasy 5, Take 5, Michigan Fantasy 5 |
| 1–41 | 1 in 749,398 | Arizona Fantasy 5 |
| 1–42 | 1 in 850,668 | Georgia Fantasy 5, Hit 5, Palmetto Cash 5 |
| 1–43 | 1 in 962,598 | North Carolina Cash 5, Pennsylvania Cash 5 |
| 1–45 | 1 in 1,221,759 | Jersey Cash 5, Virginia Cash 5 |
Powerball's jackpot odds are 1 in 292,201,338, so per ticket these games are roughly 240 to 775 times more likely to pay their top prize. The prizes are smaller in proportion. Most start at $100,000 to $200,000 and some roll past $1 million before someone wins. Our explainer on how lottery odds work shows the arithmetic, and what actually works discusses choosing a game by the kind of prize you'd value.
Better odds do not mean a better return. Every one of these games pays out less in prizes than it collects in sales, the same as Powerball.
Do Cash 5 jackpots roll over?
It depends on the state. There are three common designs.
Rolling jackpot, fixed lower prizes. The top prize starts at a set amount and grows each drawing until someone matches all five. The smaller prizes are fixed dollar amounts. North Carolina Cash 5 starts at $100,000, Washington Hit 5 at $100,000 (4 of 5 pays $150), Pennsylvania Cash 5 at $150,000, Jersey Cash 5 at $150,000, Palmetto Cash 5 at $100,000 and Virginia Cash 5 at $200,000. If more than one ticket hits the top prize in the same drawing, the winners share it.
Rolling, but pari-mutuel. In California Fantasy 5 the top three prize levels are pari-mutuel: a set share of sales goes to each level and is split among that level's winners, so amounts change from drawing to drawing. The top prize still grows until it is won. Georgia's Fantasy 5 also pays its 3-, 4- and 5-number prizes on a pari-mutuel basis, with a jackpot that starts at $125,000. Because winners in a pari-mutuel tier share the pool, picking less popular number combinations can mean fewer people to split with, though it doesn't change your odds of matching.
Rolldown. New York Take 5 and Florida Fantasy 5 never build a big jackpot. If nobody matches all five, the top-prize money is spread across the lower tiers instead of carrying over. The New York Lottery describes the Take 5 jackpot money as guaranteed to be won every drawing.
What add-ons and extras do states offer?
Several states have moved to $2 tickets with a feature built in, while others sell an optional add-on for an extra $1.
- Pennsylvania relaunched its game as Cash 5 with Quick Cash in March 2021. Every $2 play includes the evening drawing and a Quick Cash instant game that can pay $2 or $6.
- New Jersey raised Jersey Cash 5 to $2 on July 1, 2024 and added Bullseye: the fifth number drawn is the Bullseye, and matching it raises the 4-of-5 prize from $250 to $500 and the 3-of-5 prize from $15 to $30. The optional $1 XTRA multiplies non-jackpot prizes by up to five times.
- South Carolina reworked Palmetto Cash 5 on March 3, 2024, moving from a 1–38 pool to 1–42, raising the price to $2, building a 2x, 3x, 5x or 10x multiplier into every ticket for non-jackpot prizes, and adding a rolling jackpot.
- Virginia's EZ Match and Georgia's Ca$h Match are $1 instant-win add-ons. Virginia's pays up to $500 instantly.
Before paying for an add-on, look at the state's odds sheet. The extra dollar buys its own prize chart, and its overall odds often look better than they are because they include small prizes.
How are Cash 5 prizes claimed and taxed?
Smaller prizes can usually be cashed at any retailer, up to a limit each state sets, often a few hundred dollars. Mid-sized prizes go to a lottery office or claim center, and top prizes go through the state's full claim process. Our step-by-step claim guide covers what to bring.
On the tax side, a lottery must withhold 24% federal income tax from a prize of more than $5,000 (30% for nonresident aliens), so a six-figure Cash 5 jackpot will arrive with tax already taken out, as described in the IRS instructions for Form W-2G. State tax depends on where you live and where you bought the ticket; see our lottery tax rates by state and tax on small winnings.
Cash 5 and Fantasy 5 FAQ
How do Cash 5 and Fantasy 5 games work?
You pick five numbers from a pool of roughly 35 to 45 and the lottery draws five. Matching all five wins the top prize, and matching three or four (and in many states two) wins a smaller prize. Most versions cost $1 and draw every day.
What are the odds of winning Cash 5 or Fantasy 5?
Top-prize odds range from 1 in 376,992 for a 1–36 game like Florida Fantasy 5 to 1 in 1,221,759 for a 1–45 game like Jersey Cash 5 or Virginia Cash 5. That is a few hundred times better than Powerball's 1 in 292.2 million.
Is Cash 5 the same game in every state?
No. Each state runs its own version with its own number pool, price, prize chart and drawing. Jersey Cash 5, Pennsylvania Cash 5, Palmetto Cash 5 and the various Fantasy 5 games all have separate winning numbers.
Do Cash 5 jackpots roll over?
In most states, yes: the top prize starts at $100,000 to $200,000 and grows until someone wins it. New York Take 5 and Florida Fantasy 5 are exceptions; when nobody matches all five, the top-prize money rolls down to the lower prize tiers instead.
How much does a Cash 5 ticket cost?
Most cost $1 per play. Pennsylvania Cash 5, Jersey Cash 5 and Palmetto Cash 5 cost $2 because a feature (Quick Cash, Bullseye or a multiplier) is built into every ticket.
Sources: Georgia Lottery, Fantasy 5; Washington's Lottery, Hit 5; New York Lottery, Take 5; New Jersey Lottery, Jersey Cash 5 Bullseye announcement; NC Education Lottery, Cash 5; Virginia Lottery, Cash 5; Pennsylvania Lottery and South Carolina Education Lottery game pages. Game rules change; the state lottery's own rules are the final word.
