Is It Legal To Buy Us Lottery Tickets Online
With more and more of our lives being organized, scheduled and orchestrated by technology, it is no surprise that purchasing lottery tickets online is becoming more widespread. But is buying lottery tickets online even legal in the US? And if so, how do you know which sites you can trust to purchase your tickets from. You will find all these answers and more here at legalonlinelottery.com.
Lottery ticket messenger services, of which theLotter is the oldest and most established, buy official Powerball tickets on behalf of their customers. After the tickets are purchased, the courier service scans them and then uploads them to an encrypted online account, which can only be accessed by the player. It is legal in almost every state. Even though only 12 states does not promote or has banned sale of lotteries. But, still, you can buy paper lottery tickets from other states by post and claim prize by producing documents/proof. Online lottery is also banned.
Is It Legal To Purchase Lottery Tickets Online In The United States?
In a nutshell, playing or buying online lottery tickets is completely legal in most countries. But for countries such as the United States that have anti-gambling measures in place, it can be extremely confusing for players. In 2011 the DOJ ruled that the Federal Wire Act only applies to online sports betting. One of the primary reasons that the DOJ issued this legal opinion was because individual states wanted to launch online lottery ticket sales. They got the answer they were hoping for. The Federal Wire Act was the only obstacle, and the Department Of Justice removed it for them. Now there are no federal laws that deem it illegal to buy lottery tickets online through licensed state lottery sites.
After the DOJ’s legal opinion was announced, several states began offering online lottery ticket purchases immediately. There are are also offshore legal online lottery sites that are basically a messenger service that goes on your behalf to a lottery retailer to purchase a ticket. Those destinations are perfectly legal, however, we recommend sticking to the official state lottery sites for playing US based lottery games. We have provided links to those sites in this guide. You will find options for purchasing tickets, playing instant win games signing up for lottery ticket subscription services.
Legal US Online Lottery Sites
Below you will find access to several official state lottery programs. These websites are licensed and regulated by the state in which it is located. They offer the option for buying tickets online to their state lottery games, as well as the multi-state games that they participate in, such as Mega Millions and Power Ball.
Please note you must reside in the actual state to be able to signup and play their real money lottery games.
| Site Name | Current Bonus | States | Play |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50% Max $100 | MI Only | Play Now Review | |
| $5 Free | PA Only | Play Now Review |
Popular Lottery Games Where You Can Buy Your Tickets Online
- MegaMillions
- New York Lotto
- California Super Lotto
Which States Legally Allow Online Lottery Ticket Purchases?
A total of 44 states host lottery games in the US. Of those 44, a handful has already integrated online lottery games into their offerings. So far, you can buy online lottery tickets from these states: Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, North Dakota and Pennsylvania. In addition, the following states offer online lottery subscription services: Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Virginia. The one caveat here is that you have to be a resident of the state that you are trying to purchase a lottery ticket from. State lottery regulations in these regions have included a stipulation that states that lying about your residency or address is a crime punishable by law.
A few states have opted for a lottery messenger service that deploys an employee to visit a physical retail location and purchase your tickets for you. New Jersey is one such region, and California is another. This is the same concept used at offshore online lottery agents.
How To Play The Lottery Online
The first step is visiting the official website for the state lottery that you intend to play. You will find a table above with several such options. Once you have registered for an account you will be able to make deposits and purchase the tickets you want. Find the game, pick your numbers, and purchase your tickets. The next step is just waiting for the draw.
What is a Lottery Subscription?
A lottery subscription service offered by a state lottery site allows you to play any lottery you want on a scheduled and regular basis. You can designate the number of draws you would like and how frequently you would like the subscription to purchase tickets on your behalf. The number of draws you can subscribe to varies by region. Playing regularly may increase the likelihood of a life changing lottery win, though there are arguments both for and against that theory.
How Do I Collect My Winnings?
Typically, for relatively small amounts of 600 or so, you will be credited that amount into your online lottery account. For larger amounts, you may be asked to complete an online claim form or visit the lottery headquarters in person to claim your winnings. The specific process will depend on the amount that you win and the procedures in place in the state hosting the game that you’ve won.
How Do I Know I Will Receive The Full Amount Of My Winnings?
The lottery websites you see featured in this guide all adhere to state regulations and licensing requirements. This guarantees they must payout winnings according to established state lottery guidelines. There are some state lotteries that withhold winnings for individuals who have certain debts on file with the state, such as back owed child support or restitution.
Common Lottery Myths
If I just play long enough – I will definitely win! – mathematically speaking, this is not true. Is it worth playing the lottery? If you are looking for some fun and keep your efforts in moderation – then yes, it can be a lot of fun. The lottery should be played as a form of entertainment for fun when you happen to have a few extra bucks to spare. When you look at the number of tickets purchased vs the number of winners, it is easy to see that the lottery should not be considered a sound investment.
The more tickets I buy, the better my chances of winning! – statistically, this has been proven to be false. The odds are not in the players’ favor and buying 100 tickets vs 1 ticket does not improve them for you. The number of tickets you would have to buy to make this statement true would negate the benefits of winning it.
Playing the same numbers every week improves my chances of winning! – there have been more winners who have had their numbers selected through a quick pick feature than by those who manually select their numbers. Does this negate the original statement – we’re not sure, but we do know that the majority of winners didn’t even pick their own numbers.
I don’t need to worry about my retirement as long as I play the lottery every week, I’m bound to win eventually – the lottery should NEVER be considered a substitute for a retirement plan. It is possible for you to play twice a week for 30 years and never win a dime. We strongly recommend that you do not play the lottery in lieu of planning for your retirement. The lottery is a form of entertainment, not a long-range financial plan.
The Powerball lottery is one of the most high-paying lotteries on the planet (right up there with Mega Millions). Recent changes to the way in which drawings are held have led some to predict that we’ll see our first $1 billion winner by the year 2020. That’s not as far-fetched as it may sound, by the way. In recent years, numerous people have won single prizes worth more than $500 million.
Best Powerball Lottery Sites
The smart way to play Powerball online is to do it at a trusted and reputable lottery website. Powerball officials do not endorse online lotto websites, so it is absolutely vital that you buy your tickets from a website that has a verifiable history of paying all winners without exception. These are my top picks based on trust and history of payouts.
Powerball sites offer two distinct advantages over buying your tickets in person. Most importantly, they open the lottery to people located outside the USA. This means you can test your luck in the next Powerball drawing no matter where you live. Secondly, Powerball sites offer convenience and instant purchases from the comfort of home.
When you buy Powerball tickets online, your lottery site actually sends real people out to go and buy tickets with the numbers you want. Your tickets are scanned and e-mailed to you for confirmation and then all you have to do is wait for the drawing. If you win a prize, they will contact you to arrange full payment of whatever you won.
Note: Legitimate Powerball sites will never keep a percentage of your prize as commission. You pay for the service up front when you purchase tickets. Once you have a ticket, 100% of anything you win is yours to keep. If you decide to play Powerball online at a website not recommended on this page, proceed with caution.
Powerball Subscriptions and Syndicates
Powerball lottery sites do offer both subscriptions and syndicates. You can purchase a subscription on the same screen where you buy tickets. To purchase a subscription, all you have to do is specify how many weeks you want to participate in and how many drawings per week you want (one or two per week). The lottery website will then collet your payment and automatically enter you in all upcoming drawings for the duration of your subscription.
You can also go with the syndicate option for more chances to win. In a syndicate, your lottery website pools the money from numerous people and then splits prizes equally among everyone involved in a syndicate. You can read more about Powerball syndicates below.
Is it Legal to Buy Powerball Tickets Online?
You should check the laws in your jurisdiction to be safe, but every country I’ve researched does not have any laws against buying lottery tickets online. However, Powerball officials do not endorse or support online sales except in a few specific states in the US. What this all means for most people is you’re free to buy Powerball tickets online, but you better be sure you do it at a reputable lottery website.
Powerball Jackpots Explained
Buy Powerball Tickets Online Legally
Powerball jackpots are so big because the lottery is set up as a coordinated effort between 44 states plus D.C., Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. Millions of people buy tickets each week and prizes grow to outrageous levels if a few drawings go by without producing a jackpot winner.
In some cases, the jackpot exceeds half a billion dollars before it is won. When this happens, people tend to buy tickets in even greater numbers, which in turn pushes the jackpot even higher. Every jackpot begins with at least $40 million up for grabs and then grows from there. The single largest jackpot to date was hit for more than $590 million in 2013.
How to Win the Powerball Jackpot
You win the grand jackpot if you match all five numbers plus the Powerball pick within a single line on your Powerball ticket. This is the best possible outcome as it results in you winning the biggest prize on offer. The minimum you could possibly win would be $15 million, but that rarely happens. The jackpot has usually had enough time to grow and be worth $100 million or more.
Most grand jackpot winners take home something in the range of $100 million. Sometimes it is more, sometimes it is less. It is always a life-changing amount of money in any case. There are also secondary prizes that are paid if you hit some but not all of the numbers. The following chart shows all potential prizes.
| Numbers Matched | Prize | 2x Multiplier | 3x Multiplier | 4x Multiplier | 5x Multiplier | 10x Multiplier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 + Powerball | Jackpot | Jackpot | Jackpot | Jackpot | Jackpot | Jackpot |
| 5 | $1,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 |
| 4 + Powerball | $50,000 | $100,000 | $150,000 | $200,000 | $250,000 | $500,000 |
| 4 | $100 | $200 | $300 | $400 | $500 | $1,000 |
| 3 + Powerball | $100 | $200 | $300 | $400 | $500 | $1,000 |
| 3 | $7 | $14 | $21 | $28 | $35 | $70 |
| 2 + Powerball | $7 | $14 | $21 | $28 | $35 | $70 |
| 1 + Powerball | $4 | $8 | $12 | $16 | $20 | $40 |
| Powerball Only | $4 | $8 | $12 | $16 | $20 | $40 |
You can see that this chart includes Power Play payouts as well. Remember, you can take the Power Play option when you buy your ticket for an extra $1. If you do, all non-jackpot prizes will be multiplied by a factor of 2x to 10x based on a randomly-drawn multiplier number.
Annuity or Lump Sum Payout?
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The Powerball lottery is one of the most high-paying lotteries on the planet (right up there with Mega Millions). Recent changes to the way in which drawings are held have led some to predict that we’ll see our first $1 billion winner by the year 2020. That’s not as far-fetched as it may sound, by the way. In recent years, numerous people have won single prizes worth more than $500 million.
Best Powerball Lottery Sites
The smart way to play Powerball online is to do it at a trusted and reputable lottery website. Powerball officials do not endorse online lotto websites, so it is absolutely vital that you buy your tickets from a website that has a verifiable history of paying all winners without exception. These are my top picks based on trust and history of payouts.
Powerball sites offer two distinct advantages over buying your tickets in person. Most importantly, they open the lottery to people located outside the USA. This means you can test your luck in the next Powerball drawing no matter where you live. Secondly, Powerball sites offer convenience and instant purchases from the comfort of home.
When you buy Powerball tickets online, your lottery site actually sends real people out to go and buy tickets with the numbers you want. Your tickets are scanned and e-mailed to you for confirmation and then all you have to do is wait for the drawing. If you win a prize, they will contact you to arrange full payment of whatever you won.
Note: Legitimate Powerball sites will never keep a percentage of your prize as commission. You pay for the service up front when you purchase tickets. Once you have a ticket, 100% of anything you win is yours to keep. If you decide to play Powerball online at a website not recommended on this page, proceed with caution.
Can I Purchase Subscriptions or Participate in Syndicates Online?
Yes. Online Powerball sites do offer both subscriptions and syndicates. You can purchase a subscription on the same screen where you buy tickets. To purchase a subscription, all you have to do is specify how many weeks you want to participate in and how many drawings per week you want (one or two per week). The lottery website will then collet your payment and automatically enter you in all upcoming drawings for the duration of your subscription.
You can also go with the syndicate option for more chances to win. In a syndicate, your lottery website pools the money from numerous people and then splits prizes equally among everyone involved in a syndicate. You can read more about Powerball syndicates below.
Is it Legal to Buy Powerball Tickets Online?
You should check the laws in your jurisdiction to be safe, but every country I’ve researched does not have any laws against buying lottery tickets online. However, Powerball officials do not endorse or support online sales except in a few specific states in the US. What this all means for most people is you’re free to buy Powerball tickets online, but you better be sure you do it at a reputable lottery website.
Powerball Jackpots Explained
The first question lottery officials will ask you if you win the big one is “annuity or lump sum?” There’s really not a wrong answer to a question like that when you’ve just won a half-a-billion-dollar lottery, but it is still something to consider.
The lump sum payout gives you instant gratification and control over your own money. You get it all right now, pay your taxes and may then go live your life however you see fit. You don’t get as much money overall, but you also don’t have to wait 30 years to get it all. The lump sum payout is worth less money because the lottery just takes all the money currently in the prize pool and gives it to you.
The annuity option is worth more money because you are paid in installments while the state invests the rest in government-backed securities. Thus, the annuity option is only an estimate of what those securities will be worth as they are liquidated and paid to you.
The state agrees to pay you the full amount no matter what happens to its investments, but you still have to consider the risk of the state going bankrupt or some other disaster occurring within the next 30 years that somehow results in the state not paying what you’re owed. The advantages are that your spending is kept under control and you have a guaranteed income for the next 30 years no matter how poorly you manage your money. This is something to seriously consider because we all know the horror stories of lottery winners going broke later down the road.
You can read more at the official Powerball website.
Online Powerball Syndicates
A Powerball syndicate is just a group of people who agree to pool their money, buy a bunch of tickets and split the prizes equally no matter whose ticket wins. Doing so gives you more chances to win at the cost of having to split your money with other people in the syndicate. That’s the trade-off: you get more chances to win less money.
Buy Powerball Lottery Tickets Online
Syndicates are definitely worth a look for large lotteries like Powerball in which prizes routinely exceed $100 million. The best Powerball sites also offer syndicate programs that you can join. If you do so, all you have to do is pay in your share and the lottery website handles the rest. Winning tickets are automatically claimed and split evenly among the winners.
Changes Made in 2015
Powerball lottery organizers changed the way drawings are held in 2015. They decided to increase the main pool of numbers from 59 to 69 and to decrease the pool of Powerball numbers from 35 to 26.
Purchasing Lottery Tickets Online
This has resulted in several changes. First, it allows for more overall winners due to it now being easier to hit Powerball numbers. Second, it made it less likely for anyone to win the big jackpot by increasing the main pool of numbers. These changes result in the following:
Is It Legal To Buy Us Lottery Tickets Online Official Site
- It is now easier to win smaller non-jackpot prizes
- It is now more difficult to win the grand jackpot
- Grand jackpot prizes are expected to grow in size due to being hit less frequently