What a cannabis lottery winners list is
A cannabis lottery winners list is a public record. A state regulator draws names or applicant numbers at random from a pool of qualified applicants. The agency then posts the results as a PDF or a table on its own site. The list shows who won a license. It does not mean a store opens that week. Winners still pass background checks, pay fees, and secure a location.
Cannabis Lottery Application Costs: A Practical Buying Guide
No national list exists. Each state runs its own drawing and publishes its own results.
Best States for Cannabis Lottery: Missouri Leads, Maryland Follows
States that use lotteries
- Ohio: 1,463 applications for 76 dual-use licenses. The drawing ran June 2, 2023, and the state posted the winner list the same day.
- Illinois: social equity license lotteries in 2020 and 2021. Winner lists use applicant numbers in place of some names.
- New York: Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary licenses went to lottery winners in November 2022. Results came out in batches.
- Maryland: lotteries in 2023 for social equity, micro, and other license categories, with results posted by the state cannabis agency.
What appears on the list
- Applicant name or applicant ID number
- License type and category
- Region, county, or district
- Draw order or ranking
What the list leaves out
Most lists omit ownership detail, financing, and proposed store addresses. Some states redact names for social equity applicants. Category names differ from state to state, so read the header before you compare two lists.
How to read the results
A lottery breaks ties. It does not score merit. A spot on the list is provisional in most states. Ohio labeled its 76 names provisional on June 2, 2023. Final licenses came after inspections and fees. Check the regulator's site for the current status of any name.
If a state does not publish a list, the state may require a public records request. Ask the agency that ran the drawing.