 Gopher 5 is an exclusive lottery for the state of Minnesota, named after the Minnesota Golden Gophers, operated by the Minnesota State Lottery. It is currently the most popular lottery game that is exclusive to the state. Gopher 5 was established May 22, 1991.
Playing the game
To play the game, a player pays one dollar and picks five distinct numbers from 1 to 47. The player wins according to the following:
| Matches |
Payoff |
Odds of winning |
| 2 of 5 numbers |
$ 1 |
1: 13 |
| 3 of 5 numbers |
$ 15 |
1: 178 |
| 4 of 5 numbers |
$ 500 |
1: 7,304 |
| 5 of 5 numbers |
Jackpot |
1: 1,533,939 |
| Overall odds of winning a prize are 1 in 12 |
The jackpot is paid in cash and will be divided equally if there is more than one winner. The minimum jackpot amount for a drawing is $100,000.
Tickets must be purchased before 6:10 p.m. to be eligible for that day's drawing at 6:25 p.m.
Gopher 5 drawings are held every Tuesday and Friday evening.
Largest payoff
The largest drawing in the history of Gopher 5 was held on November 8, 2005. The drawing was for $2,000,000 cash. It had been building in size since August 30 after 20 drawings in a went with zero tickets sold matching all five numbers.
Minnesota Golden Gophers
The Minnesota Golden Gophers are the college sports team for the University of Minnesota. The university fields both men's and women's teams in basketball, cross country, gymnastics, golf, ice hockey, swimming, tennis, and track and field. Men's-specific sports include baseball, football, and wrestling. Women's-specific sports include rowing, soccer, softball, and volleyball. Joel Maturi has been the Athletic Director since 2002.
In men's and women's ice hockey, the teams compete in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. In all other sports, the Gophers compete in the Big Ten Conference. Most of the facilities that the teams use for training and competitive play are located on the East Bank of the Minneapolis campus. There are arenas for men and women basketball (Williams Arena) as well as hockey (Mariucci Arena and Ridder Arena). A notable exception is the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, a mile from the East Bank across Interstate 35W, where the Gophers will play their home football games until 2009, when TCF Bank Stadium opens.
Cheerleaders, the Dance Team, the University of Minnesota Marching Band and the university's pep band are also part of the university's athletic department; they are present at events for basketball, hockey, football, and volleyball.
During the 2006-2007 academic year, the Golden Gophers wrestling team won the NCAA national championship and the Big Ten team title. The Golden Gophers also won conference championships in men's hockey, men's golf, women's rowing, men's swimming and diving, and women's indoor track and field.
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Millionaire
