Currently, six states in the US allow you to play online lottery games. Other states are in the process of legalizing it. These are Michigan, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Rhode Island, Maryland and New Jersey. Some states are even planning to expand their offerings to include instant win games. However, there are still many unanswered questions about these games. Read on to learn more about them.
In most cases, you must be 18 years old or older to play the lottery. There are several rules in each state, including whether or not you have to be in the state to buy a ticket. Also, some states require that you purchase your tickets in person, whereas others let you buy them on your computer.
If you are a winner, you can claim your prize by visiting a local lottery office or filing a claim form. You can also opt for courier services to help you collect your prize. The official lottery website makes it easy to buy and play lottery games.
A few states, like Pennsylvania, are trying out a courier option that allows you to buy tickets without stepping foot into a lottery office. You can even create groups to pool your money to buy more tickets. This way, you can claim prizes in bulk.
A handful of the states that have online lottery sites offer instant win scratch cards. These can be played from your smartphone or desktop computer. Depending on the game, you can win between $500 and $1,000. Most sites cap the top payouts at under $20, though.
One of the most popular multi-state lotteries is the Powerball. It is drawn at 10:59pm ET on Mondays and Wednesdays. Players can choose between one and 69 numbers, with the odds of winning $2 being about 1 in 37. Ticket sales close around two hours before the drawing.
Online games are not as popular as sports betting or other forms of gambling, but it is possible to find several lottery sites that are legal. These websites are licensed by the gaming authority in each state and they offer SSL encryption software to protect your financial information.
A few states have also launched mobile apps for their online lottery. Many have the same benefits as their desktop versions, while others offer an even wider variety of lottery games. Some of these online lotteries even offer subscriptions, so you can play as often as you want.
The best online lottery sites offer a wide variety of lottery games for all your tastes. Some also have promotional offers, giveaways, and discounts. All of these features are accompanied by secure payment methods and password-protected accounts. Despite the popularity of these services, you should be wary of lottery scams.
The first official state-sponsored online lottery in the US was in Illinois. That state began testing its online lottery ticket sale capabilities in 2012. Then it expanded its website to include several Instant Games. Later, it added the Powerball lottery and Daily Lottery Games.