Can you buy California Lottery tickets online? No. You can't buy from the state, and courier apps aren't an approved alternative. California has no official online sales, and unlike New York it doesn't authorize ticket-courier services. The Lottery has told retailers not to sell to couriers, and major apps such as Jackpocket don't serve the state. In California, a lottery ticket means buying in person from a licensed retailer. Below is the full picture, what the apps that remain actually do, and what to avoid.
Does California have an online lottery (iLottery)?
No, and none is coming soon. The California Lottery's website and app are for information: results, jackpot amounts, retailer maps, how many Scratchers prizes are left, and 2nd Chance drawing entries. There is no cart and no checkout. Michigan, Pennsylvania and Virginia run full iLottery programs that sell draw tickets and instant games directly. California has never joined them. Its lottery was created by a 1984 voter initiative, the California State Lottery Act of 1984, so big structural changes move slowly. The state also has one of the largest retail lottery networks in the country, and retailers there have consistently opposed online sales. None of the biggest lottery states, Texas, Florida, California and New York, sells tickets online directly as of September 2026. The current national map is in our iLottery state-by-state guide.
Can you use a courier app like Jackpocket in California?
No. A courier service is an app that buys a physical ticket from a licensed retailer on your behalf. Couriers are legal and regulated in New York, as we cover in the New York online-tickets guide. California went the other way. The Lottery says its rules don't authorize courier sales. It has told retailers not to sell to couriers, and it says it will not knowingly pay prizes on tickets bought through one. Jackpocket, the largest courier, does not operate in California. A few smaller apps have still listed the state, but that doesn't make them approved: if the Lottery refuses to pay a courier-bought ticket, the winner takes the loss. Our courier app comparison shows which apps operate where.
What you may still see in app stores:
- The official California Lottery app lets you check tickets, enter 2nd Chance draws and find retailers. It can't sell tickets.
- Results and pool-management apps only show information, which is fine.
- Courier apps that list California sell tickets the Lottery has said it won't knowingly honor. Skip them.
- "Buy California lottery tickets online" websites are a red flag. Any site that claims to sell you a California draw ticket is operating outside the state's system.
Are offshore lottery sites safe for Californians?
No. Offshore sites sell "entries" or "stakes" in US drawings. You aren't buying a ticket. You're trusting an unregulated foreign company to buy one, hold it, and pay you if it wins. Every consumer protection in the lottery system assumes you hold the physical ticket, which is a bearer instrument, and these services take exactly that away. Our guide to lottery scams to watch for lists the scams that tend to surround these sites. The legitimate rules for playing from abroad are in playing the US lottery from another country.
Where can you buy California Lottery tickets?
At licensed retailers, and there are plenty. Thousands of supermarkets, convenience stores and liquor stores across the state sell every game:
- Powerball ($2)
- Mega Millions ($5, with a built-in multiplier)
- SuperLotto Plus, drawn Wednesday and Saturday with sales closing at 7:45 PM PT
- Fantasy 5 and the daily games, with evening sales closing at 6:30 PM PT every day
- Scratchers
State law makes it a misdemeanor to sell a ticket to anyone under 18. Sales close shortly before each draw, and our guide to when lottery sales stop covers the cutoff rules. Payment is typically cash or debit, and credit card rules vary by retailer.
Buy at the counter, then use the internet for what's allowed in California: checking your numbers. Every game's latest and past draws are on our California results page, and full archives are on the open data hub.
Frequently asked questions
Can you buy California Lottery tickets online?
No. The California Lottery sells no tickets online. Its website and app only offer results, ticket checking, retailer maps and 2nd Chance entries. You have to buy tickets in person from a licensed retailer, and you must be 18 or older.
Does Jackpocket work in California?
No. The California Lottery says its rules don't authorize courier services. It has told retailers not to sell to couriers and says it will not knowingly pay prizes on courier-bought tickets. Jackpocket does not operate in California, though couriers remain legal in other states such as New York.
Are websites selling California lottery entries legit?
No. No site is authorized to sell California draw tickets online. Offshore services that sell "stakes" in US drawings operate outside the regulated system. You never hold the ticket, and holding the ticket is the core consumer protection in lottery play.
What can the official California Lottery app do?
You can check winning numbers, scan tickets to see if they won, find retailers, see how many Scratchers prizes are left, and enter eligible tickets in 2nd Chance drawings. You can't buy tickets with it.
Facts and figures verified September 2026. California's lottery rules can change, so check the California Lottery before you rely on them. Play responsibly. The National Problem Gambling Helpline is 1-800-MY-RESET.
