Buying lottery tickets online is growing in popularity in the US. With legal online lotteries, players can purchase tickets and enter major multi-state drawings from the comfort of their own home. While not every lottery game is available online, there are several that are available in most states.
Lotteries have long been a way to enjoy gambling in the US. In fact, the oldest form of legal gambling in the United States dates back to the 1700s. Today, there are lotteries in 45 US states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Some states even allow lottery tickets to be purchased in person. However, online lottery ticket sales are relatively new.
Online lottery tickets can be purchased in the US through state-owned websites. These sites have the ability to purchase tickets directly from the lottery, and are also safe and secure compared to lottery agent websites. Online lottery sites allow players to access official lottery results, promotions, and tickets. They also allow players to compare jackpots and odds before purchasing. Using an online lottery site is a convenient and easy way to participate in the lottery. Some state lotteries even offer online instant win scratch cards.
While online lottery ticket sales have not yet expanded to every state, the legal landscape is favoring more states. After the Department of Justice reaffirmed its position in a revised opinion, more states are likely to authorize online lottery ticket sales in the future. However, the state lotteries are also considering expanding their online reach.
Some multi-state lottery games, such as Powerball and Mega Millions, are available in many states. Tickets can be purchased individually, or in groups of up to 100 tickets. The odds of winning Powerball and Mega Millions are one in 292,201,338 and one in 302,575,350, respectively. Purchasing tickets in large groups increases your odds of winning.
Other multi-state lotteries are available only in a few states. These include the Connecticut Lottery, the Louisiana Lottery Corp., and the New Hampshire iLottery. All of these lotteries provide several draw games. Some of the games offered by each lottery include Powerball, Mega Millions, and local draw games. Each of the states offers different jackpot amounts, so the odds of winning vary.
The New Hampshire iLottery launched in late 2018. This lottery offers players a chance to win one of the major draw games, as well as instant win games. These games are similar to scratch-off tickets sold at gas stations. While the top prizes offered by the New Hampshire Lottery are not as high as those offered by other states, the top prize is still significant.
The Connecticut Lottery offers several local games, as well as multi-state draw games. The profits from this lottery go to education, general fund services, retirement benefits, law enforcement, public health, and public safety. The Connecticut Lottery has contributed over $10 billion to the state general fund since 1972.
The Rhode Island Lottery launched in 1974. It calls its instant win games e-Instants. These games allow players to win a prize as soon as they buy a ticket. In the summer of 2020, the Rhode Island lottery launched its online lottery.