If you want to buy jackpot online, there are a few different ways to do it. You can either purchase a ticket directly from the lottery or use an app that is authorized in multiple states.
Using an app is more convenient than purchasing a ticket at the gas station or grocery store. Plus, you can share your tickets with your friends or family.
Mega Millions
The Mega Millions game is a multistate lottery that’s drawn twice a week – Tuesday and Friday evenings. You win by matching five numbers and the gold Mega Ball number between 1 and 25.
To play, you buy a Mega Millions ticket for $2 per play. You can choose six numbers from two sets – five white balls and one Mega Ball – or select a “Quick Pick.”
Players may also use a Megaplier to multiply non-jackpot winnings by 2, 3, 4 or 5 times. The overall odds of winning a prize are about 1 in 24.
When you win the jackpot, you have the option to choose between 30 annual payments or a lump-sum payment in one single payment. If you select an annuity, you’ll receive one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments that are 5% larger than the last.
Powerball
Powerball is one of America’s most popular lottery games. It offers jackpots that can reach hundreds of millions of dollars and is sold in 45 US states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands.
Whether or not you can buy your Powerball ticket online depends on where you live. Some states, including Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota and Pennsylvania, sell tickets online through their state lotteries.
However, in most states, you can only purchase a Powerball ticket from an authorized retailer. That includes drug stores, grocery stores, and gas stations.
To play, players select five numbers from 1-69 and a “Powerball” number from 1-26. They can also choose to buy a Power Play option for an extra $1, which multiplies winnings by two, three, four or 10 times depending on the multiplier number picked out of the hat prior to the draw.
To win the jackpot, players must match all six numbers. There are also several other winning combinations that could win smaller prizes, as well as some special features that can boost your odds of winning big.
Lotteries in the U.S.
Lotteries have been around for more than a century in the United States. Almost every state has a lottery, and the public generally approves of them.
Many state governments earmark the money they receive from lottery games to fund programs they consider important, such as public education. However, lottery opponents point out that the revenue goes into the general state budget, which is then spent on whatever the legislature wants.
There are currently 48 jurisdictions in the United States that operate lotteries, including 45 states and the District of Columbia. In addition, there are a number of national lottery games offered by consortiums of state lotteries.
Some of these lottery games offer jackpots that can be paid as an annuity (an extended series of annual instalments) or as a single lump sum. As with any form of gambling, the odds of winning vary greatly.
Scams
If you’re like most people, winning a lottery prize or other sweepstakes prize can be alluring. But scammers know this and use it to their advantage, says Zulfikar Ramzan, chief scientist at digital safety company Aura.
These scams can come in the form of email, phone calls or letters. They promise you a fantastic prize – anything from a holiday or electronic gadgets to money from an international lottery.
But then you’re asked to pay something – usually a fee, tax or customs duty – to claim your prize. The letter or email asks you to provide bank account details, send money via a wire transfer or give them gift card numbers.
These types of scams often target older Americans and can wipe out their retirement savings. If you think someone you know may have been a victim, the BBB suggests talking to them directly.