In 1964, New Hampshire introduced its first lottery game, and Puerto Rico included a lottery in 1934. Other states quickly followed suit. As the popularity of online ticket sales grew, lottery operators began to introduce scratch cards as a revenue source. In 1985, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont joined forces in a Tri-State Lottery, and in 1988, Missouri, Oregon, Rhode Island, and West Virginia formed the Multi-State Lottery Association. Today, the Multi-State Lottery Association covers forty-five states.
Most states have legalized online lotteries. This has not been easy, because lottery laws vary based on income tax bands. Fortunately, most states have adopted a legislative process that includes the addition of formal language requiring states to regulate online games, to prevent future administrations from questioning the legality of online games. Some states, however, have opted to skip the legislative process altogether, such as Rhode Island and Washington D.C., since existing laws have already given them enough leeway to incorporate online products. However, five states still do not have any lottery laws.
While it is not legal to resell lottery tickets, many states have authorized companies to sell these tickets. The largest lottery ticket reseller, Jackpocket, is a prime example of such a company. Although reselling lottery tickets is not legal in most states, many lottery companies are based abroad. Using a credit card isn’t a problem, but it is still best to visit an office if you want to collect your big prize.
Online lottery sites are increasingly popular, and many states offer online access to ticket information, rules, and results. In addition to the convenience of online ticket purchasing, many states are regulating their online lottery games. In fact, Massachusetts and New Hampshire have already approved online lottery ticket sales, and many more states will follow suit in the near future. There are also new online lottery games that let players purchase tickets without leaving the comfort of their home. But there are still some legal hurdles to overcome.
To play the lottery online, download the app from the lottery’s website. In most cases, lottery apps have all the same features as their web counterparts, except they require additional information. You should also be aware that the lottery can offer bonus prizes based on how you play. Some lottery apps even offer Second Chance games if you’ve lost your ticket. Some even let you pick numbers in advance. Fortunately, many states have legal online lotteries, and most of them have apps for iPhone and Android devices.
MegaMillions and Powerball are two of the most popular interstate lotteries in the US. The Powerball jackpot is over $1.5 billion. Powerball requires players to match five regular numbers, plus a bonus number, with one of these numbers matching the MegaMillions jackpot. While MegaMillions’ jackpot is smaller than those of MegaMillions, it’s still worth playing. This lottery has been around for more than a decade, and has been available in forty-five states and the District of Columbia.