Across the United States, 45 states and territories operate lotteries. These lotteries range from local draw games to multi-state draw games. In some states, online lotteries are being legalized. In other states, the legality of online lotteries is under discussion.
Several Northeastern states are currently in the process of legalizing online lotteries. New Jersey, Massachusetts and Rhode Island are among the states looking to legalize online lotteries. A number of more states are expected to legalize online lottery ticket sales in the future.
There are currently six states in the US that have legalized online lotteries. Illinois was the first state to legalize online lottery ticket sales, in March 2012. This state has since expanded the website to include Instant Games and Daily Lottery Games. In December 2012, Illinois added Powerball tickets to its website.
The state of Oklahoma started selling tickets in 2005. The state has four multi-state draw games and several in-house games. It also participates in five state-only draw games. In 2013, the state of Wyoming introduced its own lottery called WyoLotto.
The Massachusetts Lottery is in the process of legalizing online lottery ticket sales. The lottery includes several draw games, including Powerball, Mega Millions, Lotto America and Lucky for Life. The state has also started offering e-Instant games, which allow players to purchase tickets from mobile devices and desktops.
In December 2020, the District of Columbia announced plans to launch online lotteries. In January 2021, the District will offer games, including the Powerball, Mega Millions, Lotto and Lotto America. In 2021, the Virgin Islands will also launch lottery games.
In addition to these lotteries, some states have also begun to offer online scratch cards. Some of these online lottery tickets cost as little as $1. Other online lottery games cap at $20, although many jackpots can be much higher. Buying more tickets increases your chances of winning. Some lottery jackpots are progressive lotteries, which reset the amount for the next drawing when someone wins. This increases the jackpot. In addition, lottery syndicates can greatly increase your bankroll. These syndicates share the winnings based on the number of tickets purchased.
The state of Idaho started selling tickets in 1989, and has since offered several draw games and in-house games. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association. The proceeds from ticket sales go to state pension funds, public schools, and state parks. The state also offers an in-house game, Keno.
The New Hampshire Lottery has operated since 1964. It features several draw games and e-Instant games. In addition to Powerball, the lottery includes Mega Millions, Megabucks Plus, and Lucky for Life. The top prize of the Mega Millions game is typically worth one million dollars. The odds of winning are one in 302,575,350.
The Connecticut Lottery is the oldest lottery organization in the US. In addition to the eight draw games, the lottery offers e-Instant games. The state also has several multi-state draw games, including Cash4Life.