Can You Buy Lottery Tickets Online?

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For many decades, you could only buy a lottery ticket in person through an official retailer. Even though many states still do it that way, some have introduced a more convenient purchasing option.

The lottery is legal in 48 U.S. jurisdictions, including 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Among these, only a handful allow people to buy lottery tickets online—although that number is slowly rising and is expected to grow over the next several years.

Online lottery purchases through state lottery websites and legal apps like Jackpocket and theLotter have been well received. They have enabled people to buy a lottery ticket in a few minutes without visiting the nearest retailer.

This guide goes over which states allow you to buy lottery tickets online and the best options for doing so.

On this page

Can You Buy Lottery Tickets Online?

Yes, you can buy lottery tickets over the internet but only in those states that have authorized it.

If you live in a state where this is possible, you simply need to go to the lottery website or app or use an officially sanctioned third-party service like Jackpocket or theLotter.

Either way, you’ll get to buy draw games and play instant win games and Keno wherever you are—as long as you’re within the borders of your jurisdiction.

People from those states where the online lottery isn’t available yet may also run into websites that market themselves as lottery couriers. They may offer to buy a ticket on your behalf, but since these are usually unofficial services, we do not recommend using them.

States Where You Can Buy Lottery Tickets Online

How to Buy Lottery Tickets Online

There are multiple ways to buy a lottery ticket online. The exact purchasing options may vary by state, but the general procedure looks pretty much the same no matter where you are:

  • Choose your platform. You can buy online lottery tickets through the official state lottery apps and websites or by using state-sanctioned third-party services like Jackpocket or theLotter. Download the app or go to the lottery website.
  • Sign up. Register for the chosen platform by stating your name, email address, date of birth, and other details. If you select Jackpocket or theLotter, you must verify your age and phone number as well. You need to be 18 or above to play.
  • Fund your account. You can use a multitude of options, including PayPal, credit card, ApplePay, transferring money directly from a bank account, and more.
  • Browse available games. Depending on the state’s regulations, you may be able to buy draw games, instant win games, an online lottery subscription, or all three.
  • Pick your game and numbers. Choose among the available draw games and pick your lucky numbers.
  • Buy the ticket. Place an order. You’ll receive an email confirmation that your ticket has been purchased, alongside its details. Your physical ticket will be securely stored in a safe.
  • Claim your winning ticket. If you win, a prize worth up to a certain amount will automatically be paid to your online account. In case the sum is larger, you’ll get your ticket delivered to you, or you will receive instructions on how to claim your prize in person.

State Lottery Apps

If purchasing tickets through the official lottery app is permitted in your state, you simply need to download it from Google Play or the App Store and install it on your device.

Different state lottery apps may have varying options and features, but the process remains the same no matter the state—register for an account, deposit money into it, choose your game and numbers, and place an order.

Jackpocket App

Jackpocket is a third-party lottery purchasing app available in 14 states and the District of Columbia.

In case your state lottery doesn’t sell tickets on its official website or app but has given Jackpocket the right to do so, you may download it, register for an account, choose your state, and place an order.

Jackpocket will then buy the ticket from the official lottery retailer for you and keep it in a safe.

>> Join Jackpocket & receive $3 off your first order

theLotter App

theLotter works pretty much the same as Jackpocket but it is only available in Colorado, Minnesota, Oregon, and Texas.

You can purchase many types of lottery tickets through theLotter, including Powerball, Mega Millions, and many more.

theLotter is available for both iOS and Android devices and the sign-up process is easy.

>> You Can Join theLotter & Play the Lottery Online Here

On the Computer

In this case, you will not be required to download an app since you can buy lottery tickets directly from the state lottery’s website. Jackpocket and theLotter also allow you to place orders via a computer browser.

Online Lotteries by State

Connecticut Online Lottery

After signing a sports betting and online gaming agreement with Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribal nations in 2021, the CT Lottery was allowed to modernize its business and start selling tickets online. The Connecticut Lottery Corporation also gained the right to operate a statewide online sports betting skin and up to 15 retail betting locations.

Georgia Online Lottery

The Georgia Lottery was one of the first to introduce an online lottery service in 2012. At first, the state’s lottery offered only major multi-state draw games like Powerball and Mega Millions. However, it soon allowed the online purchase of Keno and instant win scratchers branded “Diggi Games.”

Illinois Online Lottery

Just like Georgia, the Illinois Lottery started selling tickets online in 2012. Today, you can subscribe or purchase individual tickets for Mega Millions, Powerball, and Lotto, while Pick 3 and Pick 4 daily games are subscription-only. The IL Lottery also offers a lineup of branded instant play games called Fast Play™.

Kentucky Online Lottery

The Kentucky Lottery started selling online tickets in 2016 in an effort to attract more participants and target younger players in particular. You can buy 9 different draw games as well as a series of instant win games through the lottery’s website and app.

Michigan Online Lottery

The Michigan Lottery went online in 2014. You can now purchase plenty of games via its website or mobile app, including multi-state favorites like Mega Millions, Powerball, and Lucky 4 Life, several in-state draw games, over 150 instant win games, and Keno.

New Hampshire Online Lottery

The New Hampshire Lottery introduced its branded iLottery in 2018. However, it also allows the online ticket purchase of Powerball, Mega Millions, Lucky 4 Life, and Tri-State Gimme 5 draw games, as well as a set of e-Instant games.

North Carolina Online Lottery

The NC Education Lottery features an Online Play system through which you can purchase Powerball, Mega Millions, Lucky 4 Life, and Cash 5 tickets. You can also collect Lucke-Rewards points and redeem them for prize entries later.

North Dakota Online Lottery

By introducing the convenient Pick & Click, the North Dakota Lottery has given its players the opportunity to purchase Powerball, Mega Millions, Lucky for Life, Lotto America, and 2by2 draw games from their homes or while on the go.

Pennsylvania Online Lottery

The Pennsylvania Lottery launched its online operation in 2018. It offers individual tickets and subscriptions for Mega Millions, Powerball, Cash 4 Life, and Match 6 draw games, as well as tickets for several daily draw games. You can also play eInstants on the lottery’s website or app.

Rhode Island Online Lottery

The Rhode Island Lottery is a little different from other online lotteries since it only allows you to play if you are a VIP Club member with an upgraded VIP+ Purchase Power account. Also, you can only engage in eInstant games and Keno.

Virginia Online Lottery

The Virginia Lottery offers individual tickets and subscriptions for Mega Millions, Powerball, and Cash 4 Life draw games online. You can also play a set of daily draw games and instants.

Washington DC Online Lottery

The iLottery product of the DC Lottery gives players across the district a chance to play Powerball, Mega Millions, Lucky 4 Life, DC-3, DC-4, DC-5, and a range of instant games using their smartphones, tablets, and computers.

>> Read More: How to Play the Lottery Online in Texas

Online Lottery Game Types

Each online lottery offers several types of games, such as draw games, in which you pick numbers and wait for a draw, instant win games, where you buy an online ticket and immediately reveal whether you have won a prize, and Keno, which is a numbers game similar to bingo.

In certain states, only some of these game types may be available for online purchase.

Draw Games

Draw games are typical lottery games where you pick a series of numbers and get a prize depending on how many are drawn.

Multi-state games like Powerball and Mega Millions are the easiest to understand—plus, they feature the biggest prizes.

You need to select five numbers from a larger pool (1 through 69 or 70) and a special number called Powerball or Mega Ball from a smaller set of numbers (1 through 25 or 26).

To win a jackpot, you must match all six numbers. Should you match fewer, you will win one of the smaller prizes.

The lottery in your state may also offer a series of in-state daily and weekly games. For instance, the Georgia Lottery features several draw games aside from Mega Millions and Powerball, including Cash 3, Cash 4, Cash Pop, and Fantasy 5.

You can learn more about buying Powerball tickets online here.

Instant Win

As their name suggests, in instant win games the prizes are determined immediately after you’ve made your purchase. They usually come in the form of virtual cards.

You need to reveal the symbols in a specified area, and you will see whether you’ve won a prize based on their type.

Keno

Keno is a numbers game in which you need to choose up to 10 numbered spots between 1 and 80. When filling out the ticket, you’ll also get to decide on the amount of money you want to play per draw and the number of consecutive draws you wish to take part in. The prizes depend on how many spots you’ve chosen and how many numbers you’ve matched.

There are usually hundreds of daily Keno draws as they take place every few minutes.

Online Lottery Subscriptions

Lottery subscriptions allow you to participate in draws continually without making individual purchases. You can subscribe to a state lottery game for a week, a month, a year, or any other available time frame.

Once you pick your numbers, they will be played in every draw until you change them. You can also have the computer choose your numbers randomly for each draw.

Online lottery subscriptions allow you to do all this from the comfort of your home. Register at your state’s lottery website or app, look for the Subscriptions section, and sign up for the game (or games) you’ve had in mind. This option is also available on the Jackpocket app.

How Jackpocket Can Help You Buy Lottery Tickets Online

Jackpocket is a New York City-based tech company founded in 2013 by Peter Sullivan. It initially operated in New York and New Jersey only, as these were the first two states to allow digital lottery courier services. You can download the Jackpocket lottery app from both Google Play and the App Store.

The company currently has over 200 employees and is available in 15 jurisdictions, including:

  • Arizona
  • Arkansas
  • Colorado
  • District of Columbia
  • Idaho
  • Minnesota
  • Montana
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • New Mexico
  • New York
  • Ohio
  • Oregon
  • Texas
  • West Virginia

Jackpocket is partnered with official lottery retailers in the listed jurisdictions. Once you go to its website or install the app, you’ll need to choose your state and complete the registration process, during which you’ll be asked to verify your age (you must be at least 18) and phone number.

Once your account is set up (register here), you can fund it using several different payment methods. From there, you will get to choose which draw game you wish to participate in and place your order.

The Jackpocket will then buy the ticket on your behalf and store it in a safe. If you win a prize $600 and under, the money will go directly into your account, after which you may choose to withdraw it or use it to purchase more tickets. For all prizes worth $601 or more, you can claim your ticket in person or request to have it transferred to your home address safely.

You can learn more about how this service works by reading our detailed Jackpocket review.

Jackpocket has received over 120,000 ratings on the App Store, with an impressive average score of 4.7/5. More than 7,300 people have reviewed the app on Google Play, rating it 4.5/5.

Get $3 off your first order when signing up here.

Common Deposit & Withdrawal Methods for Buying Lottery Tickets Online

To buy a lottery ticket online, you must register an account through the state’s lottery website, its app, or the third-party courier service and complete a deposit. You’ll later have the option to withdraw the money from your account as well.

The usual deposit and withdrawal options for online lottery include:

  • Credit/debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Discover)
  • PayPal
  • ApplePay
  • Bank transfer
  • Venmo
  • Play+
  • eCheck

Is It Safe to Buy Lotto Tickets Online?

It is perfectly safe to buy lottery tickets online as long as you do so through the official channels, including the state lottery’s websites and apps or authorized courier services like Jackpocket.

Once you buy your ticket, it will be stored in a safe at an undisclosed location. If you happen to win up to $600, the money will be sent to your online account.

When the prize exceeds this amount, two scenarios can occur. If you’ve purchased a ticket via the official lottery website or app, you will get additional instructions on how to claim it. With Jackpocket, prizes over $600 are usually delivered securely to your home.

Online Lotto FAQs

What states can I play the lottery online in?
Buying lottery tickets online is available in the following jurisdictions: Arkansas, Arizona, Connecticut, Colorado, District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Idaho, Kentucky, Michigan, Montana, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, North Carolina, Oregon, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Do I have to be present in the state to play the lottery?
Yes, you must be located within the state’s borders when making an online purchase.

Can I play Powerball online?
Yes, you can buy Powerball tickets online in those states where online lottery tickets are available for purchase.

Can I play Mega Millions online?
You can order Mega Millions tickets over the internet, but only in the states where it’s allowed.

How old do I have to be to play the lottery online?
In all states that offer online lottery tickets, you must be at least 18 in order to make a purchase. You will have to verify your age when creating an account on a lottery app or website.

What is a lottery courier service?
A lottery courier service like Jackpocket buys a lottery ticket for you from the state’s official retailer. Once you place an order online, you will receive information about your ticket via email. Meanwhile, its physical counterpart will remain stored in a safe.

How do multi-state lotteries work?
Multi-state lotteries are games offered by the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL). They are played across several jurisdictions at once. The draws are conducted several times a week. Around 30 cents of every $1 sale goes into each game’s jackpot, 20 cents goes into other cash prizes, and the remaining 50 cents is kept by each MUSL member state.

How do I get my lottery winnings if I have bought tickets online?
If you win a prize worth up to $600, the money will be credited back to your online account, after which you can request a withdrawal or use it for future ticket purchasing. The tickets with bigger prizes will be sent to your home address, or you’ll receive instructions on how to claim the reward.

Dave Rathmanner

Dave Rathmanner is the Founder & CEO of Odds Assist. After struggling to find helpful sports betting resources and honest reviews when he first started betting, he decided to create the site he always wished he had. Dave has been betting on sports since NJ legalized it in 2018 and regularly analyzes sportsbooks to find the best options for bettors. Aside from creating new content for OA readers, Dave is also passionate about researching betting markets, creating models, and developing profitable betting strategies.