Amid changing demographics and increased competition from other forms of gambling, a growing number of state lotteries are exploring the idea of selling lottery tickets online. Only a handful of states have authorized online lottery ticket sales, but more are likely to follow suit over the next few years.
There are also a handful of offshore lottery providers that claim to sell tickets online by sending people out to buy tickets on your behalf from official retailers.
Offshore lottery sites are unregulated in the United States, and their legality is questionable.
BettingUSA experts recommend players only use official state lotteries or authorized online lottery courier services like the Jackpocket lottery app, which is available in a growing number of states.
Continue below for BettingUSA’s complete guide to US online lotteries. This page explains how to buy lottery tickets online, outlines which lottery sites are legit, answers frequently asked questions, and much more.
Online Lottery Sites
Ticket DiscountsToday, 44 states and the District of Columbia operate a state lottery. Each state has its own mix of instant win scratch off tickets and draw games with large jackpots.
The majority of states require you to visit a retailer in person to purchase tickets, but a growling list of states allow online sales of lottery tickets and/or subscriptions.
Several states operate online lottery sites that don’t just sell tickets, but also offer instant win games with top prizes with huge prizes.
Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Virginia are examples of state lottery websites that offer instant win online lottery games, scratch off tickets, and direct ticket sales.
Online lottery states that only authorize courier services limit availability to in-state draw games and multi-state pools like Powerball and MegaMillions.
How To Buy Lottery Tickets Online
There are two ways to buy lottery tickets online in the United States.
First, players in states with legal online lotteries can visit their state lottery’s official website to buy tickets, or play instant win games.
Availability varies by state, but readers can see the map on this page for an overview of which lotteries offer which games online.
In addition, players can use legal online lottery courier services to order official tickets. The most popular lottery courier app is Jackpocket, which only operates in states with regulators’ approval.
Ticket couriers such as Jackpocket do not directly sell lottery tickets directly to consumers, instead, agents buy tickets from authorized retailers on behalf of customers.
It may sound like a minor difference, but it’s important from a legal standpoint. Players can install the Jackpocket app, make a deposit, select a game, and pick their numbers.
Note: Whether players buy online lottery tickets directly from the state or through a courier service, they must be physically located within that state’s border. Federal law prohibits lottery sales across state lines.
Legal online lottery websites use geolocation technology to ensure every customer attempting to pay for lottery tickets online is located within state lines.
Attempts to purchase lottery tickets online from out of state will be detected and automatically blocked.
US States With Online Lotteries
More than a dozen states allow online lottery ticket sales, subscriptions, or instant win scratch card-style games.
Additionally, third-party couriers like Jackpocket, TheLotter, and Jackpot.com facilitate lottery ticket purchases in even more states.
The list of states with legal online lotteries is growing by the year, and more states are likely to approve online lottery sales in the near future.
The following states have either authorized online lottery products (tickets, instant win games, and keno) or have approved third-party lottery courier services that players can use to order tickets online.
Lottery
Types Of Online Lottery Games
| State Lottery | Draw Games | Instant Win | Keno | Subscriptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CT Lottery |  | | ||
| DC Lottery | | | | |
| GA Lottery | | | | |
| IL Lottery | | | | |
| KY Lottery | | | | |
| MA Lottery | | |||
| MD Lottery* | | |||
| ME Lottery* | | |||
| MI Lottery | | | | |
| NC Lottery | | | ||
| ND Lottery | | | ||
| NH Lottery | | | | |
| NY Lottery | | |||
| PA Lottery | | | ||
| RI Lottery | | | ||
| VA Lottery | | | | |
*Lottery subscriptions may be managed online, but payment and request must be sent via mail.
Online Lottery Subscriptions
A handful of states offer lottery subscriptions that players can use to purchase tickets automatically on a recurring basis.
States that allow you to buy and/or manage lottery subscriptions online include:
- Maine
- Maryland (subscriptions managed online, but players must send requests via mail)
- Massachusetts
- New York
- Virginia
Lottery subscriptions allow players to pick numbers ahead of time, and the lottery will automatically buy your tickets and check them for winning numbers.
For prizes under $600, most states will send you a check in the mail. For bigger prizes, the state will send you a form with instructions for claiming your prize.
Online lottery subscriptions in most states allow players to register, pay for subscriptions, check winning numbers, see past results, and renew subscriptions.
An online lottery subscription is almost as convenient as individual ticket sales over the internet. The only real difference is that online subscriptions require you to purchase entries into at least a few drawings at a time.
Online Lottery Courier Services
Third-party lottery courier services offer a hybrid form of online lottery sales by taking orders online and sending agents out to buy tickets in person from authorized retailers.
The legality of such services is unclear in some states, especially states where online lottery ticket sales are prohibited.
However, online lottery courier services are taking a smart approach by working directly with state regulators and only selling lottery tickets online to customers in states that have given their tacit approval.
Jackpocket Lottery App
$3 Off First TicketsRegulators in 18 states have authorized Jackpocket.com to act as an online lottery courier service. Lottery players can place online ticket orders through the app, and Jackpocket agents purchase tickets in person at authorized retailers on behalf of the customer. Tickets are then scanned, and an image of each ticket is uploaded into customer accounts.
Jackpocket automatically notifies winners of prizes.
Prizes under $600 are usually credited to customers’ accounts, while larger prizes are paid by either mailing the winning ticket or having the customer pick up the ticket in person at a Jackpocket office.
The Jackpocket lottery app is now available in the following jurisdictions:
TheLotter
Ticket DiscountsTheLotter.com is an online lottery courier that purchases official lottery tickets for customers, notifies winners, and provides quick payouts.
Players can order tickets to Powerball, Mega Millions, and various state-level drawings through TheLotter app and receive confirmation once orders have been fulfilled.
In addition, TheLotter provides lottery subscriptions, readymade syndicates, and pools with automatic prize splitting. Each purchase from TheLotter includes a small delivery fee, but players always keep 100% of their winnings.
Players 18 or older in the following states can visit TheLotter online or download the mobile app for iOS/Android to purchase lottery tickets today:
Jackpot.com
Jackpot.com is one of the newer lottery courier brands to hit the US market, but it boasts a solid leadership team and funding from high-profile investors.
In addition, Jackpot.com takes a methodical approach to expanding its reach by ensuring its offerings are legal in each state where it operates.
Players can download the Jackpot app or visit its website to buy official tickets for Powerball, Mega Millions, and state-specific draw games.
After processing each order, Jackpot.com uploads a scan of each ticket to confirm proof of purchase.
Jackpot.com charges an excessively high 15% fee on all deposited funds, but it does not keep a percentage of players’ winnings.
Jackpot.com is available in Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, and Texas today, but company reps have confirmed it plans to enter additional states soon.
Multi-State Lotteries
Instead of limiting ticket sales to a single state, multi-state lotteries sell tickets in multiple states, pooling prizes and creating bigger jackpots. Bigger jackpots lead to more ticket sales, which in turn lead to bigger jackpots
It’s a powerful cycle that works to generate enormous prizes that have reached over a billion dollars.
Powerball and Mega Millions are the two largest and most popular multi-state lotteries.
Multi-state lotteries are governed by the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL). 33 states participate in the MUSL and share their pools to increase ticket sales and jackpots.
Some of the lotteries within the MUSL are available in all 33 member states, while others are limited to a select few states.
For example, Mega Millions and Powerball is played in 43 states, the District of Columbia and the US Virgin Islands.
The biggest multi-state lotteries include:
- How to Play Powerball Online
- How to Play Mega Millions Online
- Cash4Life
- Lucky for Life
- Lotto America
- 2 by 2
Are Online Lottery Ticket Sales Legal?
It is legal to buy lottery tickets online in a growing number of states.
However, lottery laws vary by state, so there are differences in which types of lottery games are available online in each state:
- Some states only allow players to purchase tickets to draw games like Powerball and Mega Millions.
- Other states offer a full suite of lottery games online, including instant win scratch cards and keno.
- Yet others authorize online ticket sales through third-party couriers like Jackpocket.
Players can see the map, tables, and state listings above for more information about which games are available in each state.
How the US Legalized Online Lotteries
Legal online lotteries in the US began when a few states began allowing players to purchase subscriptions online.
However, the Federal Wire Act remained a significant roadblock to the widespread adoption of online ticket sales. At the time, it was unclear if the Wire Act applied to online lotteries.
In 2011, lottery officials in New York and Illinois asked the Department of Justice to clarify its stance on the Wire Act. Specifically, they wanted to know if it would be legal to authorize online lottery ticket sales in their states.
The Department of Justice responded by revising its opinion on the Wire Act, stating that the Act only applies to sports betting. The revised opinion cleared the way for states to regulate online lotteries.
Numerous states have legalized online lottery ticket sales since then.
That trend will likely continue because most states grant the lottery significant authority to introduce new game formats. As a result, most state lotteries can take their games online without going through the legislative process that bogs down efforts to legalize other types of online gambling.
Do Online Lotteries Cannibalize Retail Ticket Sales?
Oft-cited concerns that online lotteries would cannibalize retail ticket sales have thus far failed to materialize.
In states that have legalized online lotteries, there are no signs that retail ticket sales have declined.
For example, traditional lottery sales in Pennsylvania have consistently grown every year since PA iLottery launched in 2018. In the year before the Pennsylvania online lottery launched, the state reported just over $4 billion in total game sales. The following year saw traditional game sales increase to $4.2 billion, and growth has continued every year since.
Online lottery opponents have valid concerns regarding problem gambling and the state’s constant search for new sources of revenue, but cannibalization isn’t among them.
The data makes a clear case for online lotteries having little to no impact on retail sales.
In fact, states have good reasons to consider making it legal for players to buy lottery tickets online:
- Legislatures across the country continually face budget deficits.
- To date, there are no signs of online lottery products cannibalizing retail lottery sales.
- The spread of sports betting has normalized online gambling.
Online Lottery FAQ
Wes Burns has more than a decade’s worth of experience as a writer, researcher and analyst in the legal gambling industry and is co-founder of BettingUSA.com. As a former professional online poker player, Wes approaches his work from the viewpoint of players.
Steve Ruddock is the content director for BettingUSA and the Editor-in-Chief of Gaming Law Review.
Steve has covered the legal and legislative developments in the US gambling sector for more than a decade for online and print publications.