The Maryland Lottery has introduced a new $20 Holiday Raffle, launched Nov. 3 and positioned as the game with the best odds to win $1 million among current Maryland offerings. Holiday Raffle is its first raffle in almost two decades, with the Countdown to Millions Raffle ending in 2007.
The game features a limited run of 325,000 tickets, with a Jan. 2, 2026 drawing that will award a $1 million grand prize, a $100,000 prize, and more than 10,000 additional cash prizes. Tickets are being marketed as a scarce, seasonal product available only through Jan. 1 or until sold out.
To drive early participation and sustain momentum, the Lottery added $50,000 “Early Bird” drawings, the first of which was held in mid-November and produced a $50,000 winner in Rockville. By Nov. 30, thousands of Holiday Raffle tickets had already been sold, indicating strong initial uptake. The campaign messaging emphasizes the combination of favorable odds, limited ticket inventory, and multiple prize tiers to frame the Holiday Raffle as a time-bound, “life-changing” opportunity for players.