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Texans voted to approve House Bill 54 and amend the Texas Constitution in 1991 to authorize the sale of lottery tickets. Since 1992, the Texas Lottery has generated more than $36 billion in revenue to support educational programs and veterans’ services.
The Texas Lottery features draw games, interstate and state lotteries, scratch tickets, and more. The biggest and most popular lottery draws include Lotto Texas, Powerball, Mega Millions, and Texas Two Step.
While the guidelines state that you have to purchase your tickets from a licensed retailer, there are safe and legal ways to buy lottery tickets online in Texas using apps such as Jackpocket, theLotter, or Jackpot.
These lottery apps allow you to directly choose your lottery draw and lucky numbers in the app. When you place the order, an authorized person will buy the ticket for you from an official retailer in Texas.
You’ll get the scan of your ticket via the app and the order confirmation through your email. Meanwhile, the original paper ticket will be in a fireproof safe. The winnings automatically go to your app if they are under $600. If you win more than that, the winning ticket will be delivered to you so you can go to your local state lottery to pick up your winnings.
Using Jackpocket to Buy Lottery Tickets Online in Texas
Jackpocket is an official third-party lottery app that lets players buy lottery tickets online directly from the Texas state lottery. The entire process is very straightforward. After you’ve registered an account with Jackpocket, you just need to fund it.
You can link your bank account with PayPal, Venmo, or Apple Pay, or use your debit card to send funds to your Jackpocket account. Then, you can select the lottery draw and pick your numbers before submitting your order.
Once you place your order, you’ll first receive a confirmation email with your transaction details. When the Jackpocket’s staff secures the ticket for you, you’ll get another email containing high-resolution front and back scans of your ticket. The actual paper ticket is going to be locked away securely in a fireproof safe.
If you win $600 or less, Jackpocket will credit your account automatically. For winnings more than that, they will arrange a secure ticket delivery so that you can claim them directly from the state lottery.
When signing up for Jackpocket, you can get $3 off your first order. No promo code is required.
Here’s how the lottery ticket purchase works with Jackpocket:
- Choose the lottery draw you want to play directly in the app.
- You can use the Quick Pick option to have the app randomly select the numbers or you can enter your own numbers. Even after you’ve opted to pick the numbers, you can shake your phone, and the app will automatically generate random sequences. You can then replace the ones you don’t like with the ones you do.
- Once you’ve finished, you can click on the Add to Cart button.
- Review the order and hit the Place Order button to complete it.
Jackpocket Games in Texas
Here is the full list of Jackpocket games currently available in Texas:
- Powerball
- Mega Millions
- Daily 4 Evening
- Daily 4 Night
- Pick 3 Evening
- Pick 3 Night
- Daily 4 Morning
- Daily 4 Day
- Pick 3 Morning
- Pick 3 Day
- Lotto Texas
- All or Nothing Evening
- All or Nothing Night
- All or Nothing Morning
- All or Nothing Day
- Two Step
How to Sign Up for Jackpocket
Here’s how you can become a registered Jackpocket member:
- Download and install the app from Google Play or the App Store, depending on your mobile device.
- Open the app, confirm your state and go to Sign Up.
- Fill out the registration form, including your email and valid phone number, which you must confirm via SMS.
- Make a deposit and have fun!
Using theLotter to Buy Lottery Tickets Online in Texas
theLotter is another online ticket purchase service provider that lets you buy lottery tickets online in Texas. It works pretty much the same as Jackpocket.
Once you’ve downloaded the app, you can pick the lotteries you wish to play from the top draw games. Then, you can select your numbers and options just like at the retailer.
The agent from theLotter will then purchase your ticket from an authorized vendor. The service provider will scan the ticket and store it in your personal account for your reference. If you happen to win, theLotter will notify you by email and SMS, and you can get your winnings commission free.
Prizes up to $600 will be transferred directly to your account, just like with Jackpocket. For larger prizes, you’ll have to go to your state lottery to pick up your winnings.
Here’s how to get started with theLotter:
- Register for an account.
- Deposit funds using a debit card, PayPal, Skrill, or bank transfer.
- Choose your favorite Texas lottery from the list of 45+ lotteries available in the app.
- Fill out the ticket online manually or use the random Quick Pick selection.
- Click Play to complete the order and purchase.
- Complete the payment and the amount will be automatically deducted from your account. If there are insufficient funds, you can choose the payment method listed in your account to finalize the transaction.
- After making the ticket purchase, you will receive an email confirmation.
theLotter Games in Texas
theLotter offers you a chance to play the state’s top lotteries, including:
- Powerball
- Mega Millions
- Lotto Texas
- Lotto Texas Extra
- Mega Millions Just the Jackpot
- Texas Two Step
- Cash Five
How to Sign Up for theLotter
No matter if you are using theLotter on your desktop computer or through the dedicated mobile apps for iOS and Android devices, the registration process is remarkably straightforward. There are only a few simple steps you need to take to get started:
- Go to theLotter and click the Sign Up button in the upper right corner of the screen.
- Provide your email and choose a strong password.
- Fill in additional personal information such as name, full address, birthday, and phone number. theLotter will use the information to perform due diligence to verify that you are at least 18.
- Confirm that you are over the age of 18 and agree to the terms and conditions of use.
More Information About Texas Lottery Games
The Texas Lottery is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association, which allows it to participate in Powerball and Mega Millions draws. Apart from these bi-weekly drawings, the Texas Lottery also offers popular proprietary lotteries. All of these games are available via the Jackpocket and theLotter.
- Powerball – Powerball is the lottery that paid the world’s largest jackpot of $2.04 billion. The ticket costs $2, and players must choose five numbers from the 1 to 69 range and one Powerball number from 1 to 26. For an additional $1, you can activate Power Play, a feature that boosts non-jackpot prizes. You can play the Powerball online in Texas.
- Mega Millions – To play Mega Millions, you need to choose five numbers between 1 and 70 and a single Mega Ball number from 1 to 25. The ticket price is set at $2, plus the service fee.
- Lotto Texas – Lotto Texas is a local lottery where you fill out your entry with six numbers between 1 and 54. The draws take place Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:12 p.m. CST. The jackpot starts off with $5 million and keeps growing until someone gets it. The ticket price is $3 plus the service fee charged by theLotter or Jackpocket.
- Lotto Texas Extra – Lotto Texas Extra works just like the standard Lotto Texas, only this variation increases all non-jackpot prizes by up to $10,000.
- Texas Two Step – Texas Two Step lottery requires only two steps to get the action going. First, you must select four main numbers, 1 – 35, and a single Bonus Ball number from the same range. The jackpot prizes start at $200,000, plus there are six additional prizes. The ticket price for the lottery is $2, plus the service fee.
- Texas Cash Five Lottery – Cash Five Texas lottery draws take place six times per week, from Monday to Saturday at 10:12 p.m. CST. To participate in the draw, select five main numbers from a field of 35. If all five of your numbers match those drawn, you’ll win the jackpot prize that starts at $25,000.
Is It Safe to Buy Lotto Tickets Online?
Jackpocket and theLotter are safe and reputable online lottery platforms that comply with all applicable state and federal laws and regulations.
They boast an impeccable track record regarding the security of your personal information and payments. For example, theLotter relies on the Geotrust 128 SSL bit encryption system to encrypt all your data.
What’s more, the systems are fully compliant with the Responsible Play policies. They allow users to establish limits for purchases, use Time Out and Self-Exclusion options, and other tools promoting responsible play.
Online Lotto FAQs
Do I have to be present in Texas to play the lottery online?
Yes, you do. Due to regulations, you will only be able to play the lottery in the state that you are physically in.
Can I play Powerball online in Texas?
Yes, you can. You can purchase Powerball tickets online using Jackpocket and theLotter apps.
Can I play Mega Millions online in Texas?
Absolutely! Mega Millions is an interstate lottery supported by both Jackpocket and theLotter.
How old do I have to be to play the lottery in Texas?
You must be at least 18 years old to play the lottery in Texas.
How do I get my lottery winnings if I buy tickets online?
All winnings worth $600 or less are credited to your online lottery account, while larger prizes must be claimed by presenting the physical ticket at the local Texas Lottery office.
