Online lottery is a great way to play state lotteries from the comfort of your home. You can make purchases from official state lottery websites and apps, or through third-party platforms like Powerball. The United States has a complicated history with gambling, and each state’s laws can be confusing. Use our interactive map below to see if you can legally purchase tickets in your state.
Some lottery websites add on extra fees to the ticket price, which can slightly drive up prices for the games they sell. However, this is a tradeoff that many players are willing to accept for the convenience and security of buying lottery tickets from reputable websites. The best way to avoid these extra fees is to buy your tickets directly from the state lottery website.
Most state lotteries offer a mobile version of their website, so you can easily access your account and purchase tickets from any device. You can also find detailed results for past draws and see the jackpots of upcoming lotteries. You can even subscribe to newsletters that will notify you of upcoming draws and special promotions.
Many online lottery sites are legal and regulated, but others are not. These sites act as bookmakers and take bets on the outcomes of various lotteries around the world. These sites are a good choice for those who want to place bets on large jackpots, but they should be weighed carefully. They may not be able to honor their promises of paying winners if they win a jackpot.
The latest US jurisdiction to launch an online lottery isn’t a state at all, but the District of Columbia. The DC Lottery is working with developer IWG to roll out a slate of games, including scratch-type and drawing games. The games will be available to residents of the nation’s capital and surrounding areas via desktop, smartphone, or tablet.
Online lottery games in the United States got off to a rocky start. The initial move by some states to sell lottery tickets online was met with a backlash from the federal government. Fortunately, the DOJ’s 2018 reversal of its previous opinion on the Wire Act has changed the legal landscape for the industry.
As a result, more and more state lotteries are moving online. Illinois was the first to do so, and it is now joined by Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania. In addition to allowing players to purchase tickets online, these sites also handle tax payments for winners. They will send you a W-2G form to fill out and submit to the IRS, and they’ll withhold 24% federal tax plus whatever your state taxes are. They’ll also handle the reporting of any prize amounts over $600. This is a major step forward for the industry, and it’s likely that more states will follow suit soon. It’s important to check your local laws before playing online, but in most cases you can legally make lottery purchases from any internet-connected computer or mobile device.