In The Sims 3: Into the Future and The Sims 4: Seasons, the lottery (or lotto) is a competition Sims can enter which can potentially award them with a large sum of Simoleons. It also appears in The Sims 4: Romantic Garden Stuff as a wishing well outcome.

The Sims 3: Into the Future

Lotto is a lottery feature in The Sims 3: Into the Future. Sims can buy a lotto ticket from the grocery, and the drawings are held at 7 PM (19:00) every day. Buying multiple tickets will increase the chance to win. By default, Sims have 20% chance to win, and each additional lotto ticket will increase the winning chance by +0.9%.

There are 8 prizes that Sims can win in the lotto. The higher the amount of the prize, the less the chance to win. The chances to win prizes of §1,000 and above are modified by the Sim's traits; the Lucky trait will increase the chance of winning, while the Unlucky trait will decrease them.

Sims who time travel to Oasis Landing can check the lotto records at the city hall. Checking the records will give the Sim an "Insider Tip" moodlet, which will greatly increase the chance to win grand prizes. Having the moodlet will also guarantee that the Sim will win the lotto draw, and will win at least §5,000.

Chance modifiers affect the weighted chance, and the weighted chances will only add up to 100 if no modifiers are applied. The total may be as low as 47.5 for an Unlucky Sim without an "Insider Tip" to as high as 172.5 for a Lucky Sim with one. This is significant because the total weighted chance is a factor in determining which prize a Sim will win.

Having the Advanced Technology skill will increase the amount of the prize. The multiplier, based on the Sim's skill level, is listed below:

This means that it's possible for a Sim to win up to §3,000,000 with a grand prize and level 10 of Advanced Technology skill.

Winning a lotto is necessary to earn The Renowned Philanthropist legacy statue. Once Sims win any of the lotto prizes, they must donate §50,000 at the city hall which takes 5 donations at minimum. After that, they will receive their legacy statue when they visit Oasis Landing. Earning The Renowned Philanthropist legacy statue enables Sims to give money to other Sims, which will boost their relationships. Sims will also get the "Honored Philanthropist" moodlet for +15, which will not expire while they're visiting Oasis Landing.

Notes

• Having the Lucky or Unlucky trait only affects which prize a Sim will win. It has no effect on whether or not the Sim will win.
• The "Insider Tip" moodlet allows Sims to win at least §5,000, by offsetting the weighted chance of winning between §50 and §1,000. Since the Lucky trait slightly increases the chance of winning §1,000, a Lucky Sim with the "Insider Tip" moodlet has a small chance of winning §1,000.
• The chance modifiers for Unlucky Sims are only relevant for those who also have the "Insider Tip" moodlet. Combined with the modifiers for the moodlet, they give Unlucky Sims a chance of winning a grand prize if they have the moodlet. Without the moodlet, the way weighting affects the game's calculation of the lotto prize makes it mathematically impossible for Unlucky Sims to win more than §100. For a discussion of this, please see the talk page.
• When a Sim wins the lottery, it will play the same tune as when a Sim gets promoted in The Sims 2.
• Physical size of the lottery check varies depending on the amount that is won.
• Though the prize itself does not need to be paid immediate taxes on, they are not tax-exempt since bills in The Sims 3 are fortune taxes.

The Sims 4

The Sims 4: Romantic Garden Stuff

In The Sims 4: Romantic Garden Stuff, Sims can wish for Simoleons at the Whispering Wishing Well. If the outcome is "overwhelmingly positive", the wishing Sim receives a random amount between §10,000-§25,000, and a +2 happy moodlet stating that they have won the lottery. However this is only a moodlet; the money is randomly generated for that Sim and no lottery ticket can be purchased.

Sims who win the lottery will receive a large fame boost.^[TS4:GF]

The Sims 4: Seasons

True lottery returns with The Sims 4: Seasons. The lottery is a surprise holiday that may pop up in a household's calendar in any season. Any Sim aged young adult or older can enter by buying a ticket from their phones or computers, which costs §100. There is a limit of one ticket per Sim, so larger households have a better chance of winning if every Sim buys a ticket. Materialistic and ambitious Sims particularly enjoy the holiday.

The winner is announced at 10 AM the next day, and the prize is §1,000,000. Sims who win will receive a +3 dazed moodlet from being overwhelmed by their new fortune. Every eligible Sim outside of the current household is considered to have entered, including homeless townies. There is a glitch that occasionally enters stray pets into the lottery.^[TS4:C&D]

Sims who win the lottery will receive a large fame boost.^[TS4:GF]

With The Sims 4: Growing Together, Sims earn the "Won the Lottery" milestone if they win the competition.

Moodlets

Icon	Name	Effect	Cause	Description	Notes	EP
	Won the Lottery	+2 Happy 4 hours	Making a Wish	<Sim name> just beat the one in 175 million odds and won the lottery! That's a lotta Simoleons!		&SP06
	Won the Lottery!!!	+3 Dazed 8 hours	Winning the Lottery!	It's wild how one's whole life circumstances can be completely transformed in a single moment!		&EP05
	Lost Lottery	+1 Sad 2 hours	Losing the Lottery	The odds were never in <Sim name>'s favor. With this lotto loss <Sim name> will have to go back to <his/her> normal budget.		&EP05
	Wishes of Riches	+1 Inspired 4 hours	Entering the Lottery	<Sim name> has a greater chance of growing a plant with a bovine head than winning the lotto. <He/She> still has a good feeling about this.		&EP05