US Lotteries: Where To Play And Buy Tickets Online

Welcome to USGambling’s lottery information hub. Whether it’s discussing how to play online lotteries legally or where to buy tickets at retailers, we cover the ins and outs of every national and state-specific lottery in the USA.

Here, visitors will find news and information, real-time jackpot updates, results, and drawing updates. Other topics of discussion include interesting information about odds and payouts, winners’ stories, and much more.

USGambling.com also wishes to serve as an advocate of players by taking a realistic and no-nonsense approach to every lottery topic. We openly discuss the true odds of winning, how to avoid scams and how to play responsibly.

US Lotteries are managed at the state-level, which means the rules and types of games on offer vary depending on where you live. On this page, we provide the full rundown with a description of every lottery in the United States complete with links to official websites, game descriptions and other key information to know before you play.

While it may be fair to criticize the lottery for offering notoriously poor odds compared to other games of chance, the lottery overcomes that objection by pure brute force with the biggest payouts in all of gambling. No other game in the world comes even close to matching the jackpots generated by major state and multi-state lotteries.

Powerball and Mega Millions in particular capture the imagination with jackpots that occasionally tread into 10-figure (read: billions) territory. Even the smaller, state-exclusive lotteries put other gambling games to shame with multi-million-dollar jackpots paid out on a regular basis.

US Online Lottery Sites

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Online Lotteries In The USA

Every state with a legal lottery is “online” to some extent. In most states, the online lottery is limited to a website and mobile app in which customers can sign up for an account to receive alerts, see results, find nearby lottery retailers, and enter second-chance drawings.

However, a growing number of states are indeed taking their lotteries fully online. States such as Michigan and Pennsylvania among others now offer instant win scratch games and online tickets for purchase online and through mobile apps. In those states, customers can make deposits, buy tickets, and receive instant payments from anywhere within state lines.

Additionally, third-party ticket courier service Jackpocket.com has received the blessings of multiple state regulators to sell official tickets through its mobile app. Jackpocket is the only regulated service of this type and is available in multiple states.

A second service, TheLotter, offers ticket purchases in three states:

Minnesota
Oregon
Texas

State	Lottery Games Offered Online	Where to Buy Online

Arkansas*	Tickets	Jackpocket.com
Colorado*	Tickets	Jackpocket.com
Georgia	Tickets, instant win games, and keno	GALottery.com
Illinois	Tickets and instant win games	IllinoisLottery.com
Kentucky	Tickets and instant win games	Play.KYLottery.com
Maine	Buy and manage subscriptions online, but payment is completed with a check or money order by mail.	MaineLottery.com
Maryland	Subscriptions to draw games	Rewards.MDLottery.com
Michigan	Tickets, instant win games and keno	MichiganLottery.com
Minnesota*	Tickets	Jackpocket.com
Montana*	Tickets	Jackpocket.com
New Hampshire	Tickets via Jackpocket / Tickets and instant win games via state lottery	NHLottery.com
New Jersey*	Tickets	Jackpocket.com
New Mexico*	Tickets	Jackpocket.com
New York*	Tickets via Jackpocket / subscriptions via state lottery	MyNYLottery.org
North Carolina	Tickets	NCLottery.com
North Dakota	Tickets	Lottery.ND.gov
Ohio*	Tickets	Jackpocket.com
Oregon*	Tickets	Jackpocket.com
Pennsylvania	Instant win games and ticket purchases	PAiLottery.com
Rhode Island	Instant win games and keno	RILot.com
Texas*	Tickets	Jackpocket.com
Virginia	Instant win games, keno and ticket purchases	VALottery.com
Washington, DC*	Tickets	Jackpocket.com

*Note: These state lotteries do not sell tickets online directly, but the Jackpocket app offers a concierge service that will send someone to buy tickets on your behalf. Jackpocket adheres to all US laws and works with regulators in each state to ensure it is in full compliance.

States gained the authority to sell lottery products online in 2011 after the Department of Justice responded to an inquiry made by New York and Illinois lottery officials back in 2009 asking for clarification on the Wire Act. The DOJ responded with a memo explaining that it views the Wire Act as applying only to sports betting, which cleared the way for states to regulate online lotteries and gambling.

As a result, each state in the US with a legal lottery is responsible for overseeing the conduct of the lottery within its borders.

Typical lottery regulations include the establishment of an oversight commission, approving the rules of each game, approving new games, the distribution of lottery funds and determining how winners are paid.

A handful of states have since taken the opportunity to take their lottery games online with additional states considering measures to do the same. Below is an overview of states with online lottery sales:

Multi-State Lotteries Are The Biggest

The US lottery industry is regulated primarily at the state level. Federal lottery law (18 U.S.C §§ 1301-1308) generally prohibits the interstate transportation of lottery tickets and enacts certain restrictions on the promotion of lotteries but does not regulate the conduct of lotteries themselves.

The regulation of the conduct of lotteries, therefore, falls on the shoulders of each state. The United States does not have a true national lottery as a result. However, a variety of states have formed agreements to run multi-jurisdictional lotteries that are largely the same in participating states.

Powerball and Mega Millions stand as the two most recognizable multi-state lotteries. Both games are available in the vast majority of states with legal lotteries. Other groupings of states cooperate on additional multi-state lotteries that are smaller in scope, but that still span across more than a single state.

Below is an overview of each multi-state lottery conducted in the USA.

Ticket price: $2.00 + $1.00 for the optional Power Play feature
Starting jackpot: $40 million
Record jackpot: $1.585 billion (2016)
Jackpot odds: 1 in 292.2 million
Any prize odds: 1 in 24.9
Available in: 45 states, DC, and US Virgin Islands
Drawings: Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10:59 PM ET
Official website: Powerball.com

Odds are you’ve heard of Powerball a time or two. This game hits the national news cycle occasionally when the top jackpot swells past $500 million, then $750 million, and even sometimes over $1.5 billion.

Powerball is one of the two largest US lotteries and produces numerous record-breaking jackpots. Jackpots that start at $40 million and grow by at least $10 million every drawing make this a fast-growing but popular lottery game. Every state with a lottery participates in Powerball.

How it Works

$2 to play
Jackpots start at $40 million and grow from there
Select five numbers from 1-69
Select 1 red Powerball number from 1-26
Pick your own numbers or receive random picks
The jackpot is won when all five of your numbers + the red Powerball match those drawn.
Various fixed payouts for lower prize levels all the way down to $4 for matching the Powerball number only.

Ticket price: $2.00 + $1.00 for the optional Megaplier feature
Starting jackpot: $40 million
Record jackpot: $1.537 billion (2018)
Jackpot odds: 1 in 302.5 million
Any prize odds: 1 in 24
Available in: 45 states, DC and US Virgin Islands
Drawings: Every Tuesday and Friday at 11:PM ET
Official website: MegaMillions.com

Mega Millions acts as a sister lottery to Powerball with massive jackpots that occasionally hit the news, two drawings a week, and even the same price to play. Just like Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots occasionally blow past the $1 billion mark to set off a frenzy of ticket purchases across the country (which push the jackpot even higher).

The biggest difference between the two is Mega Millions drawings are held on different days of the week. Between Powerball and Mega Millions, lottery players in most states suffer no lack of big jackpots to aim for throughout the week.

How it Works

$2 to play
Jackpots start at $40 million and grow from there
Select five numbers from 1-70
Select 1 Mega Ball number from 1-25
Make your own picks or let the computer assign picks at random
Top jackpot is won when all five of your main numbers and the Mega Ball number all match
Eight other prize levels ranging from $2 to $1,000,000 for matching fewer numbers

Ticket price: $2.00
Top jackpot: $1,000 a day for life
Second jackpot: $25,000 a year for life
Jackpot odds: 1 in 30.8 million
Any prize odds: 1 in 7.8
Available in: AR, CO, CT, DC, DE, IA, ID, KS, KY, MA, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, OH, OK, RI, SC, SD, VT and WY
Drawings: Every Monday and Thursday at 10:38 PM ET
Official website: No official website / check your state lottery’s website

Lucky For Life jackpots are actually not that big compared to some lotteries, but the odds of winning better and the prospect of winning $1,000 a day for life is undeniably appealing. Jackpot winners receive $1,000 a day for life for as long as they live and for a minimum of 20 years (i.e. if the winner dies, the rest is paid to the winner’s estate). Winners can also take the cash option of $5.75 million for the top prize or $390,000 for the second prize.

How it Works

$2 to play
Select five numbers from 1-48
Select one Lucky Ball from 1-18
Make your own picks or let the system choose numbers at random
Win $1,000 a day for life when all five main numbers and Lucky Ball match those drawn by the lottery
Win $25,000 a year for life when you match all five main numbers
Eight other prize levels ranging from $4 to $5,000

Ticket price: $2.00
Top jackpot: $1,000 a day for life
Second prize: $1,000 a week for life
Jackpot odds: 1 in 21.8 million
Any prize odds: 1 in 8
Available in: FL, GA, IN, MD, NJ, NY, PA, VA and TN
Drawings: Daily at 9 PM ET

Cash4Life is a multi-state drawing game that closely resembles Lucky For Life but with availability in different states, better jackpot odds and a larger secondary jackpot. The jackpot payout is paid for a minimum of 20 years even if the winner dies before then. Top prize winners may take a lump sum payout of $7 million and second prize winners may take a $1 million lump sum payout.

Ticket price: $1.00 + $1.00 for an optional All Star Bonus
Starting jackpot: $2 million
Record jackpot: $22.8 million (2018)
Jackpot odds: 1 in 25.99 million
Any prize odds: 1 in 9.63
Available in: DE, IA, ID, KS, ME, MN, MT, ND, NM, OK, SD, TN and WV
Drawings: Wednesdays and Saturdays at 11 PM ET
Official website: Powerball.com/lotto-america

Lotto America is run by the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL), which also runs Powerball and a handful of other games. In Lotto America, players aim for a growing jackpot and have reasonable odds of 1 in 9.63 to win any prize at all.

Lotto America initially ran from 1988 to 1992 but was discontinued to make way for the MUSL’s now famous Powerball. The MUSL revived Lotto America in 2017 as an inexpensive alternative to Powerball with smaller jackpots but better odds of winning. While Powerball’s jackpot odds are about 1 in 292 million, Lotto America’s top jackpot odds are about 1 in 26 million.

How it Works

$1 to play
Jackpots start at $2 million and grow from there
Select five numbers from 1-52
Select one number from 1-10 for your Star Ball number
Top jackpot is won when all six numbers match
Eight other prize levels ranging from $2 to $20,000

Ticket price: $1.00
Top jackpot: $22,000 ($44,000 on Tuesdays)
Jackpot odds: 1 in 105,625
Any prize odds: 1 in 3.59
Available in: KS, NE, and ND
Drawings: Seven days a week at 9:30 PM CST
Official website: Powerball.com/2by2

2by2 is a small but high-frequency and inexpensive multi-state draw game in which players stand to win up to $44,000. The game features eight ways to win with a top jackpot of $22,000 on most days. However, players who purchase a seven-play ticket on Tuesdays qualify for all prizes on Tuesday’s drawing to be doubled – producing a maximum jackpot of $44,000.

While the bigger MUSL lotteries certainly have their appeal, 2by2 aims to give players a sense of having a much better chance (which they do). The overall odds of winning any prize at all in 2by2 are 1 in 3.59, and the odds of winning the top jackpot are about 1 in 105,000.

How it Works

$1 to play
$44,000 top prize on Tuesdays
$22,000 top prize every other day
Pick two red numbers from 1-26
Pick two white numbers from 1-26
Match all four to win the top prize
Seven other prize levels ranging from free play to $100
Prizes double on Tuesdays

Ticket price: $2.00
Top jackpot: $100,000 or $250,000 (varies by state)
Jackpot odds: 1 in 2.7 million to match all and 1 in 2.7 million to match none
Any prize odds: 1 in 4.5
Available in: WI, TX, GA, and MA

All or Nothing takes a unique approach to the lottery by awarding the jackpot if players either (a) match all twelve numbers drawn or (b) match none of the numbers drawn. The top prize and drawing frequency vary by state, but generally All or Nothing awards a top prize of $100,000 or $250,000 and is drawn two or four times per day.

The Tri-State Lottery is a collection of five lottery games operated by Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The lineup consists of one large drawing game (Megabucks) and four smaller high-frequency games.

Megabucks Plus: Twice weekly game; $1 million starting jackpot; $2 tickets
Gimme 5: Three times a week game; $100,000 jackpot; $1 tickets
Pick 3: Twice daily game; $500 top prize; $0.50 to $5 per play
Pick 4: Twice daily game; $5,000 top prize; $0.50 to $5 per play
Fast Play: Collection of instant win games; buy a ticket and check for a winner instantly

Smaller State-Specific Draw Games

Almost every state with a lottery offers a variety of smaller, state-specific games with names like Pick 3, Cash 4, and so on. Because these draw games are limited to a single state, they tend to appeal to players by offering better odds rather than massive jackpots. You’ll find these games under a variety of names and formats, but some basic examples follow.

Numerous states hold simple Cash 3 lotteries with players choosing a three-digit number for a chance at winning up to $500. Play for $1.00 to win a max prize of $500 or play for $0.50 for a maximum prize of $250.

Similar concept to cash 3 except players pick a four-digit number for a chance at winning up to $5,000 off a $1 play or $2,500 off a $0.50 play.

This is a daily jackpot game played in numerous states with a default starting jackpot that grows every day without a winner. Tickets are sold for $1.00, and players choose five numbers. Naturally, the top payout comes when all five numbers are matched.

The exact rules regarding the range of possible numbers to choose from, starting jackpot and other details vary, but generally Fantasy 5 acts as a mid-sized draw game with reasonable odds and simple rules.

Non-Draw Lottery Games

The big draw games tend to dominate the news cycle, but they only account for a small percentage of all lottery sales. Daily draw games, keno, and scratch cards account for a large chunk of all lottery sales.

While Powerball and Mega Millions are capture headlines, these other games provide a lowkey but the constant stream of sales to lottery retailers and websites.

Probably not a whole lot of explanation is needed here – these are the games you buy and scratch to find out if you’ve won. Scratch-offs do a ton of business for most state lotteries. In a recent PA Lottery financial report, for example, scratch-offs accounted for over two-thirds of all lottery sales by dollar.

A number of states have authorized online scratch card games since 2011 and have reported strong sales through that medium as well. Online scratch cards (also called instant play games in some cases) work similarly to their real-world equivalents but with graphics and animations that almost resemble slots.

Keno is a high-volume lottery-style game that runs every few minutes in states that offer this game. Keno works sort of like a regular draw game in having players pick numbers, but an automated system makes picks every few minutes with fixed prize levels determined by the number of picks made and the number of hits.

In a typical game of keno, a player is asked to choose anywhere from one to twelve numbers out of a range of 1-80. The lottery operator then picks 20 numbers at random from that same range. The more matches a player has with those picked by the automated system, the bigger the prize.

Payouts at the lower end can be as little as $4 while payouts at the higher end can be as high as $1 million if a player makes twelve picks and all twelve are also chosen by the lottery operator. With high potential prizes and a new game running every few minutes, keno remains a popular game to this day. Some lotteries also offer online keno as well.

Video lottery terminals (VLTs) are designed to look and function just like regular slot machines from the player’s point of view but are run by the state lottery, and results are randomly determined by the lottery itself rather than by a random number generator (RNG) like slots are.

The differences between regular slots and VLTs are nearly indistinguishable in many cases. Some VLTs look and feel just like slots while others resemble scratch-off games and keno. In any case, VLTs are a quick way to run through a lot of money, so proceed with caution.

All State Lotteries

Forty-five states and DC have approved a lottery of some sort to date and just five have no lottery whatsoever. The only states without a lottery are Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah.

Each state does it a bit differently, so the lottery landscape varies across the US. The following US lottery overviews explain how the lottery works in each state, how to play online legally (if permitted), and much more.

Alabama Lottery

Alabama is one of just a small handful of states with no lottery. This is not particularly surprising given the state’s longstanding opposition to all things gambling. Even Alabama’s three tribal casinos are very limited in the types of games they may offer. There is clearly some level of demand for a state lottery, but it is anyone’s guess as to when or if Alabama will get a lottery.

Alaska Lottery

Much like Alabama, Alaska is not a big gambling state. No casinos, no lottery and no racing betting make this a desert when it comes to gambling. State legislators have looked into introducing a lottery but have so far concluded it would provide little tax revenue to the state relative to what charitable gaming already raises for good causes.

Arizona Lottery

Established: 1980
Age to play: 21
Official website: ArizonaLottery.com
Online purchase options: None

The Arizona Lottery offers drawing games, scratch-off tickets, and participates in Mega Millions / Powerball. The minimum age to play is 21 and tickets must be purchased in person. Money raised by the Arizona lottery funds state educational, health and human services, environmental conservation, and economic development programs.

Arkansas Lottery

Established: 2009
Age to play: 18
Official website: MyArkansasLottery.com
Online purchase options: None

The Arkansas Scholarship Lottery was established in 2009 to fund educational efforts in the state. AR lottery tickets and scratch cards are sold at brick-and-mortar retailers only, and the minimum age to play is 18.

California Lottery

Established: 1984
Age to play: 18
Official website: CALottery.com

Voters approved the California Lottery in 1984 as a means to raise money for public education, and the first tickets were sold the following year. Today, the CA Lottery raises more than $1 billion a year for educational efforts. The CA Lottery sells instant-win scratch cards plus tickets to Powerball, Mega Millions, and various state-level drawings.

Colorado Lottery

Established: 1983
Age to play: 18
Official website: ColoradoLottery.com
Online purchase options: None

One could make a strong argument that Colorado is the most scenic state in the USA, so it is not entirely surprising that the CO Lottery was sold to voters as a way to fund efforts to preserve the state’s famed parks, trails, and open spaces.

Since selling its first ticket in January 1983, the CO Lottery has raised billions for conservation efforts, grants for outdoor projects, and more.

Connecticut Lottery

Established: 1971
Age to play: 18
Official website: CTLottery.org
Online purchase options: None

The Connecticut Lottery sells a standard range of lotto products including tickets to the major multistate drawings (Powerball, Mega Millions, and Lucky for Life) along with state-specific drawings, instant win scratch-off games, and keno. Money raised by the CT Lottery goes to the state general fund and is disbursed from there to a wide range of state functions ranging from corrections to higher education.

Delaware Lottery

Established: 1975
Age to play: 18
Official website: DELottery.com
Online purchase options: None, but DE Lottery does run 3 online casinos and poker sites.

Delaware has one of the more comprehensive offerings with multi-state draw games, Delaware-exclusive draw games, keno, instant win scratch games, and a parlay-style sports lottery.

The DE Lottery also runs all gambling games inside the state’s three racetrack casinos. Dover Downs, Delaware Park, and Harrington Raceway all offer lottery-controlled video lottery machines, table games, sports betting, and online gambling.

Florida Lottery

Established: 1988
Age to play: 18
Official website: FloridaLottery.com
Online purchase options: None

The Florida Lottery offers a standard array of draw games, scratch-offs, and fast-play games that offer instant payouts to winners. Money raised by the FL Lottery goes to the Educational Enhancement Fund, which in turn allocates money to various education efforts throughout the state. Today, the Florida Lottery raises more than $1 billion a year for education.

Georgia Lottery

Established: 1992
Age to play: 18
Official website: GALottery.com
Online purchase options: tickets to drawings, instant win games, and keno are all offered online.

The Georgia Lottery offers a full menu of in-person and online games spanning the full range of draw games, instant win scratch-offs, and keno. Since launching in 1992, the GA Lottery has raised billions for state education programs designed to assist residents of all ages.

In 2012, the GA Lottery went online with the introduction of “Diggi” instant win games, keno, and online ticket sales for Powerball, Mega Millions, and Fantasy 5. State-level draw games such as Georgia Five are still sold in-person only.

Hawaii Lottery

Hawaii has long resisted gambling in general as a state with a heavy tourism industry and concerns that social costs would outweigh any realized revenue benefits. However, this is a debate that seems to come up every year, so it is entirely possible Hawaii does one day institute a lottery.

Idaho Lottery

Established: 1989
Age to play: 18
Official website: IdahoLottery.com
Online purchase options: None

Voters approved the Idaho Lottery in 1988, and the first games were sold the following year with money raised going toward state education programs. The ID Lottery sells tickets to its own drawings as well as tickets for Powerball, Mega Millions, and Lucky For Life. Other games in the lineup include scratch cards, pull tabs, and raffle drawings.

Illinois Lottery

Established: 1974
Age to play: 18
Official website: IllinoisLottery.com
Online purchase options: Entries and subscriptions to drawing games, instant win games

Illinois began selling lottery tickets to standard drawing games in 1974 and had a successful first year, but sales entered a steady slide over the next few years as the newness of it all wore off. The IL Lottery introduced its first expanded game in 1980 and saw an immediate boost in sales. Since then, the Illinois Lottery has expanded its offerings to include state-level games, multi-state drawings, daily drawings, and scratch cards.

Illinois also has the distinction of being the first state to sell lottery tickets online. Residents 18 and older can now visit the IL Lottery website to buy tickets, order subscriptions, play instant win games, and receive online payouts for prizes under $600.

Interestingly, it was officials from the IL and NY lotteries who also set the stage for online gambling by asking the Department of Justice for a legal opinion on their plans to sell tickets online. The DOJ responded in 2011 with an opinion that not only was their plan legal but that the Wire Act would be interpreted as applying only to sports betting. This gave states such as New Jersey and Delaware the legal room they needed to legalize the country’s first online casinos.

Indiana Lottery

Established: 1989
Age to play: 18
Official website: HoosierLottery.com
Online purchase options: None

Voters approved the Hoosier Lottery in 1988, the first scratch-off tickets were sold in 1989, and then the first tickets to draw games were sold in 1990. Money raised by the Indiana Lottery now totals in the billions with revenue funding a number of important causes such as the Build Indiana Fund, the Teachers’ Retirement Fund, and first responder pensions.

Iowa Lottery

Established: 1985
Age to play: 21
Official website: IALottery.com
Online purchase options: None

The Iowa Lottery got off to a quick start in 1985 with its first game, a scratch-off card called “Scratch, Match and Win” selling more than 6.4 million times in its first week. The Iowa Lottery has only grown since then and now provides millions of dollars to three key programs: the state General Fund, Vision Iowa, and the Iowa Veterans Trust Fund.

Kansas Lottery

Established: 1987
Age to play: 18
Official website: KSLottery.com
Online purchase options: None

The Kansas Lottery offers a typical selection of games including entries to Powerball and Mega Millions, local drawings, scratch card games, and keno. Income generated by the KS Lottery goes to a dedicated gaming revenue fund and from there is divvied up across a variety of economic and infrastructure initiatives.

Kentucky Lottery

Established: 1988
Age to play: 18
Official website: KYLottery.com
Online purchase options: Instant win games and tickets to drawings may be purchased online

Kentucky boasts one of the more comprehensive state lotteries in the US with instant win games, keno, draw games, and a full menu of online purchase options for residents. Money raised by the KY Lottery funds educational programs in the state.

The KY Lottery online platform is similarly full-featured with draw game tickets, instant win games, and keno (every four minutes) all offered through the website for state residents 18 or older.

Louisiana Lottery

Established: 1991
Age to play: 21
Official website: LouisianaLottery.com
Online purchase options: None

The Louisiana Lottery keeps things fairly simple with scratch-off games and a handful of draw games on offer. Powerball and Mega Millions are sold in Louisiana alongside a few state-specific draw games with smaller top prizes but significantly better odds. Money raised by the LA Lottery funds the Minimum Foundation Program for public education.

Maine Lottery

Established: 1974
Age to play: 18
Official website: MaineLottery.com
Online purchase options: Can buy subscriptions for Powerball, Mega Millions, Megabucks, and Lucky for Life online

Maine held its first lottery drawing in 1974, and its first big winner came later that year with a local resident winning a $150,000 jackpot in the weekly “Play Me” game. Now, the ME Lottery offers big multi-state games, a handful of local draw games, and instant win scratch-off cards.

Maryland Lottery

Established: 1973
Age to play: 18
Official website: MDLottery.com
Online purchase options: Can order subscriptions online, but payment must be sent via check or money order by mail

The Maryland Lottery offers a wide range of gaming options including daily draw games, tickets to the big multi-state games, scratch-off cards, keno, and an electronic racing game called Racetrax. To date, the MD Lottery has raised billions for education, the environment, and public health and safety.

Massachusetts Lottery

Established: 1972
Age to play: 18
Official website: MassLottery.com
Online purchase options: None

Since its first drawing in 1972, the Massachusetts Lottery has raised billions of dollars worth of revenue for towns and cities across the state. Games on offer include a standard variety of drawings, instant win games, and keno. Tickets may not be purchased online, but the MA Lottery is willing to sell subscriptions to residents and out-of-staters alike over the phone.

Michigan Lottery

Established: 1972
Age to play: 18
Official website: MichiganLottery.com
Online purchase options: Instant win games, keno, Powerball, Mega Millions, Lotto 47, and Fantasy 5

Michigan has a comprehensive lottery with many games on offer and an online platform that also offers the same games. Anyone 18 or older can participate in state-level drawings, buy tickets to Mega Millions and Powerball and play instant win games in-person or online from anywhere within the state.

Minnesota Lottery

Established: 1990
Age to play: 18
Official website: MNLottery.com
Online purchase options: None

The Minnesota Lottery offers a standard variety of draw and instant win games that raise money for a variety of causes including the state’s General Fund, the Natural Resources Fund, Game & Fish Fund and the Environmental & Natural Resources Trust Fund. Altogether, a little over 62% of all ticket sales are returned to players in the form of prizes.

Mississippi Lottery

Mississippi approved a lottery in 2018 and is now in the process of getting everything ready to go. A board of directors has been appointed and the Mississippi Lottery Corporation is now hiring employees and designing games.

The new MS Lottery is set to launch at the end of 2019 or early 2020. Once it goes live, Mississippi will become the 45^th state to establish a lottery.

Missouri Lottery

Established: 1985
Age to play: 18
Official website: MOLottery.com
Online purchase options: None

Missouri launched its lottery in 1985 and now sells tickets to an assortment of draw games (including Powerball and Mega Millions) along with instant win scratch games and keno. For the first few years of operation, the MO Lottery dedicated all proceeds to the state’s general fund. Voters changed that in 1992 with an amendment to earmark all revenue exclusively for public education.

Montana Lottery

Established: 1987
Age to play: 18
Official website: MontanaLottery.com
Online purchase options: None

Since selling its first lottery ticket in 1987, the Montana Lottery has expanded over the years to offer a range of games including scratch cards and a variety of drawing-style games. Montana Millionaire is the biggest state-level drawing game on offer while Powerball, Mega Millions, and Lucky for Live provide access to the country’s biggest jackpots.

Nebraska Lottery

Established: 1993
Age to play: 19
Official website: NELottery.com
Online purchase options: None

The Nebraska Lottery launched in 1993 with the sale of instant win scratch tickets and added drawing games the following year to make it a full-fledged state lottery. Today, the NE Lottery offers an array of scratch card games, tickets to daily drawings, and entries to the major multi-state games.

Nevada Lottery

As the country’s biggest casino gaming destination, Nevada has long resisted the establishment of a state lottery. To put it simply, the state’s casinos do not want the competition. The Nevada Resort Association once put it this way to the Las Vegas Review-Journal:

“The potential impact of a lottery on commercial gaming, and therefore the state’s tax revenue, should be well-understood before amending the state’s constitution is considered.

“A state lottery would be a regressive tax which would provide no immediate revenue (and) does not create quality jobs, and lotteries have not proven to solve revenue problems in other states.”

Nevada’s casino industry maintains significant political sway in the state, so the creation of a state lottery remains quite unlikely any time soon.

New Hampshire Lottery

Established: 1964
Age to play: 18
Official website: NHLottery.com
Online purchase options: Instant win games and tickets to Powerball and Mega Millions may be purchased online

New Hampshire is home to a robust lottery that offers instant win games, tickets to major drawings and a keno platform that runs a new game every five minutes. Online play was authorized in 2017 to allow anyone 18 or older and located within state lines to play online.

New Jersey Lottery

Established: 1971
Age to play: 18
Official website: NJLottery.com
Online purchase options: None

The New Jersey Lottery ranks as one of the 10-largest in the country by ticket sales, which is no surprise given the state’s population and well-established lottery that offers a standard array of games. The NJ Lottery does not sell tickets online, but residents do have plenty of other options with online sports betting, casino games and poker all available.

New Jersey also serves as a useful case study on how legalizing online gambling affects lottery sales. After the first online casinos launched in 2013, the NJ Lottery experienced increased sales for the next four straight years.

New Mexico Lottery

Established: 1996
Age to play: 18
Official website: NMLottery.com
Online purchase options: None

New Mexico introduced a state lottery in 1996 and offers an assortment of drawing games, scratchers and Fast Play games (print a ticket and see your results instantly). Income generated by the NM Lottery is used to fund scholarships sending students to public colleges, universities and technical colleges.

New York Lottery

Established: 1967
Age to play: 18
Official website: NYLottery.NY.gov
Online purchase options: Subscriptions to Mega Millions, Cash4Life and NY Lotto games may be purchased online at MyNYLottery.org

With roughly $10 billion in annual sales, the New York Lottery is the biggest in the nation by a longshot. Games on offer include the usual assortment of state drawings, multi-state drawings, daily games and scratchers. Money raised by the NY Lottery funds public education for K-12 and amounts in the billions of dollars every year.

North Carolina Lottery

Established: 2005
Age to play: 18
Official website: NCLottery.com
Online purchase options: May buy tickets to drawing games online through the NC Lottery website

Lawmakers created the North Carolina Education Lottery in 2005 and the first tickets went on sale the following year. Today’s lineup of games includes a mix of draw games and scratch cards along with keno and options to buy tickets to entry games online. Players must be 18 to play in-person or online.

North Dakota Lottery

Established: 2004
Age to play: 18
Official website: Lottery.ND.gov
Online purchase options: All draw games available for purchase online at the official website or through the NC Lottery app

The North Dakota Lottery raises millions of dollars annually for the state’s general fund, but offers a limited selection of games. When the ND Lottery was proposed to voters in an amendment, it was on the understanding that the state would only join established multi-jurisdictional lotteries. This means the ND Lottery only offers multi-state draw games such as Powerball, Mega Millions, Lucky for Life, Lotto America and 2 by 2.

State-specific draw games and instant win scratch cards are not allowed at this time. However, state residents do have the option to buy tickets online through the ND Lottery website and mobile app.

Ohio Lottery

Established: 1973
Age to play: 18
Official website: OhioLottery.com
Online purchase options: Customers may buy a Lottery Card in person to prepay for orders that are completed via mobile, but OH Lottery does not offer true online sales at this time

Ohio runs a robust state lottery that sells tickets to draw games and keno along with instant win scratch cards in-person and through cashless machines. Proceeds from the OH Lottery fund educational efforts throughout the state with upwards of one billion a year going to those programs.

In 2018, the OH Lottery introduced the Lottery Card as a tentative first step to enabling online play. Lottery Cards must be purchased in-person and then redeemed later via text.

Oklahoma Lottery

Established: 2005
Age to play: 18
Official website: Lottery.OK.gov
Online purchase options: None

Oklahoma voters approved a state lottery in 2004 and the first tickets went on sale in 2005 with proceeds earmarked for public education. Tickets must be purchased in-person with cash and the games on offer include instant win scratch-off cards plus drawings including Powerball, Mega Millions, Lotto America, Lucky for Life, Pick 3 and Cash 5.

Oregon Lottery

Established: 1985
Age to play: 18
Official website: OregonLottery.org
Online purchase options: None

The Oregon Lottery generates significant income for various state services with draw games, keno, instant win scratch-offs and roughly 12,000 video lottery terminals spread across the state. Although online ticket sales are not an option at this time, lottery officials have expressed an interest in online play in order to make the lottery more appealing amid changing demographics.

Pennsylvania Lottery

Established: 1971
Age to play: 18
Official website: PALottery.state.pa.us
Online purchase options: Instant win games may be played online at PAiLottery.com

The Pennsylvania Lottery has expanded significantly since it was established in 1971 and now offers draw games, scratch-off cards, keno, and a sports-themed game called Xpress Sports. To date, the PA Lottery has raised billions for programs designed to assist older Pennsylvanians.

Sweeping legislation passed in 2017 authorized the lottery to begin selling lottery products online at PAiLottery.com. The legislation approved a variety of game types for online play, but PA iLottery initially launched with a focus on instant win games.

Rhode Island Lottery

Established: 1974
Age to play: 18
Official website: RILot.com
Online purchase options: Keno and instant win games

Rhode Island held its first lottery drawing in 1974 with $0.50 tickets a weekly game called “The Lot” with a top prize of $50,000. The RI Lottery has expanded considerably since then with a full range of instant games, multi-state drawings, pull tabs and video lottery terminals. The RI Lottery also operates both of the state’s casinos where customers will find table games, video lottery terminals and sports betting.

The Rhode Island Lottery launched online sales of instant win games and keno in May 2020. Customers who are located within state lines and 18 or older may visit RILot.com or download the official mobile app to play from anywhere in Rhode Island.

South Carolina Lottery

Established: 2002
Age to play: 18
Official website: SCEducationLottery.com
Online purchase options: None

In South Carolina, customers 18 and over can buy tickets to major multi-state drawings, local drawings exclusive to SC and instant win games at authorized retailers only. As the name suggests, the SC Education Lottery funds educational programs throughout the state. The bulk of money raised goes to higher education and scholarships while the rest goes to K-12 programs and other community education programs.

South Dakota Lottery

Established: 1987
Age to play: 18
Official website: Lottery.SD.gov
Online purchase options: None

South Dakota maintains an expansive state lottery that includes a variety of draw games, scratch-off tickets and thousands of video lottery terminals located across the state. Money raised by the SD Lottery goes to the state’s General Fund and from there is allocated to education, infrastructure and environmental causes.

Tennessee Lottery

Established: 2003
Age to play: 18
Official website: TNLottery.com
Online purchase options: None

Tennessee got off to a quick start after establishing a state lottery in 2003 with the first year alone raising nearly $64 million for education efforts throughout the state. Since then, the TN Lottery has raised billons for education through draw games, instant win games and keno sold in-person and through vending machines.

Texas Lottery

Established: 1992
Age to play: 18
Official website: TXLottery.org

The Texas Lottery is one of the biggest in the country with annual sales totaling in the billions despite offering no way to play online. For many years running, the TX Lottery has raised more than a billion dollars for state initiatives such as the Foundation School Fund, Texas Veterans Commission and more.

Utah Lottery

Utah’s longstanding opposition to all things gambling has extended to the lottery with the state being one of the few remaining holdouts not to authorize a lottery. Although some state lawmakers support the idea of a lottery, opposition remains strong. If Utah does one day get a lottery, it will probably be a result of a voter-initiated referendum.

Vermont Lottery

Established: 1978
Age to play: 18
Official website: VTLottery.com
Online purchase options: None

The Vermont Lottery is one of the most efficient in the country with a staff of fewer than two dozen employees who oversee an organization that provides tens of millions to state educational efforts every year. Despite its small staff, the VT Lottery provides a healthy lineup of games consisting of instant win games, multi-state drawings, state-specific drawings and fast-play games that offer instant payouts.

Virginia Lottery

Established: 1989
Age to play: 18
Official website: VALottery.com
Online purchase options: Instant win games, keno and tickets to major draw games

The Virginia Lottery offers the usual assortment of draw games, keno and scratch cards. Customers may also play instant win games and purchase tickets to the major draw games online. Money raised by the VA Lottery is put toward K-12 public education efforts.

Washington Lottery

Established: 1982
Age to play: 18
Official website: WALottery.com
Online purchase options: None

The Washington State Lottery runs a collection of its own draw games, daily keno games, scratch cards and sells tickets to the major multi-state drawings including Powerball and Mega Millions. This is a fairly standard lottery by all measures but is still a big one with roughly half a billion dollars paid out to winners every year.

Washington DC Lottery

Established: 1982
Age to play: 18
Official website: DCLottery.com

The DC Lottery is the country’s smallest in terms of geographic reach, but still manages to achieve annual sales in the range of $250 million. Games sold by the DC Lottery include a variety of daily-draw games, tickets to Powerball and Mega Millions, scratch cards and instant win games played at tap-n-play kiosks.

In 2018, the DC Lottery approved sports betting to take place in-person at authorized locations and through mobile devices.

West Virginia Lottery

Established: 1985
Age to play: 18
Official website: WVLottery.com
Online purchase options: None

West Virginia runs a highly profitable lottery that raises more than $500 million a year for education, senior services, tourism and state parks off sales in excess of $1 billion a year. The bulk of the money raised by the West Virginia comes from video lottery terminals which can be found at the state’s four race tracks and at certain businesses with alcohol licenses.

Games run by the WV Lottery include a mix of state-level draw games, multi-state games, scratch cards, keno and video lottery terminals. The WV Lottery Commission also oversees in-person and online sports betting in the state.

Wisconsin Lottery

Established: 1988
Age to play: 18
Official website: WILottery.com
Online purchase options: None

The Wisconsin Lottery operates a handful of its own draw games, participates in multi-state drawings and sells instant-win games to people 18 and older. Since launching its first games in 1988, the WI Lottery has raised billions for property tax credits benefitting homeowners throughout the state.

Wyoming Lottery

Established: 2013
Age to play: 18
Official website: WyoLotto.com
Online purchase options: None

Wyoming tentatively entered the lottery business in 2013 with legislation authorizing draw games only. This means scratch cards and other types of lottery games are off limits for now, but the WY Lottery says it is always researching new ideas for draw-based games. Income earned by the WY Lottery is distributed to cities and towns across the state to use as they see best for their residents.

Wesley Burns