iLottery — buying lottery tickets directly from your state lottery's app or website — is the most underappreciated story in US gambling. Twelve states now offer it. Five more have legislation pending in 2026. And unlike courier services, which are technically third parties walking to a gas station for you, iLottery is the lottery selling you a ticket directly. Different legal structure, different fees, different anonymity rules.
Here's the 2026 state-by-state picture — who has it, what you can buy, and the catches.
What iLottery actually is (vs courier apps)
An iLottery is operated by the state lottery itself. You create an account on the state lottery's official app, fund it from your bank, and buy tickets the same way you'd buy a stock from Robinhood. The state lottery records you as the legal ticket holder, and prizes credit straight to your account. No physical ticket is ever printed.
A courier app (Jackpocket, Lotto.com, etc.) is a third party. You order online; an employee physically buys a ticket at a licensed retailer in your state and scans it. The physical ticket exists in a safe; you own it.
The differences that matter:
- Fees: iLottery has no convenience fee (you pay face value). Couriers charge 5–12% per order.
- Game selection: iLottery often includes state-exclusive instant-win games and "eGames" not available in retail. Couriers can only buy what's sold at retail.
- Withdrawals: iLottery wins under ~$2,500 are automatic to your bank. Larger prizes still require an in-person claim.
- Tax forms: iLottery issues W-2Gs through the state lottery; couriers also handle this but through the courier's account structure.
- Out-of-state play: Both require you to be physically located in the state at time of purchase (verified by geolocation). Neither lets you buy tickets from a different state.
States with iLottery in 2026
| State | Launched | What you can buy online |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 2018 | Powerball, Mega Millions, Cash4Life, Treasure Hunt, Match 6, PICK games, plus eInstant games |
| Michigan | 2014 | Powerball, Mega Millions, Lotto 47, Fantasy 5, Lucky for Life, Daily 3/4, Keno, plus huge eInstant catalog |
| Georgia | 2012 | Mega Millions, Powerball, Fantasy 5, Cash4Life, Cash 3/4, Diggi Games (eInstants) |
| Illinois | 2012 | Powerball, Mega Millions, Lotto, Lucky Day Lotto, Pick 3/4, Fast Play |
| Kentucky | 2016 | Powerball, Mega Millions, Lucky for Life, Cash Ball 225, KENO, Pick 3/4, Fast Play, eInstants |
| New Hampshire | 2018 | Powerball, Mega Millions, Lucky for Life, Tri-State Megabucks, eInstants |
| Virginia | 2020 | Powerball, Mega Millions, Cash4Life, Bank a Million, Cash 5, Pick 3/4, eInstants |
| North Carolina | 2023 | Powerball, Mega Millions, Lucky for Life, Cash 5, Pick 3/4, eInstants (launched late 2023) |
| New Jersey | 2024 | Powerball, Mega Millions, Cash4Life, Jersey Cash 5, Pick-3/4/6, Quick Draw |
| Rhode Island | 2024 | Powerball, Mega Millions, Lucky for Life, Wild Money, Numbers, eInstants (limited launch) |
| Connecticut | 2025 | Mega Millions, Cash5, Play3/4, Lucky for Life (Powerball pending) |
| Massachusetts | 2025 | Mass Cash, Numbers Game, Lucky for Life, Megabucks Doubler (Powerball/Mega Millions launching 2026) |
Where iLottery is coming next
Five state legislatures have iLottery bills in committee or on the floor as of mid-2026:
- Maryland — bill passed the state Senate in March 2026; House vote expected before adjournment.
- Ohio — committee hearings ongoing; lottery commission supports it; retailers' association opposes it.
- Maine — exploratory study commissioned; launch unlikely before 2027.
- Indiana — bill stalled in 2025; reintroduced in 2026.
- Minnesota — twice-vetoed in past sessions; new bill drops the eInstant provision to improve chances.
Where iLottery is unlikely
The states with the largest retail lottery footprints — Texas, Florida, California, New York — have all faced strong retailer-association opposition to iLottery. The argument is that online sales cannibalize convenience-store ticket sales, where retailers earn a commission on each ticket. None of these states has a serious iLottery bill in 2026.
Texas in particular has actively pushed back on lottery couriers in 2025, and iLottery there is considered politically off the table for the foreseeable future.
What about iLottery for Powerball and Mega Millions specifically?
Every iLottery state listed above sells Powerball and/or Mega Millions tickets online — those are the headline games. You'll see the same draws and prizes as retail customers in your state. The state lottery uses geolocation to verify you're inside state borders at time of purchase. Bookmark the Powerball overview and Mega Millions overview pages on Lottery Atlas to check tonight's numbers regardless of where you bought.
The catches to know before signing up
- You must be physically in the state. Crossing a state line breaks the geolocation check. You can't be a New Jersey resident vacationing in Florida and buy NJ iLottery tickets — your phone's location must be inside NJ.
- Account funding has limits. Most iLotteries cap deposits at $1,000–$2,000 per week. Helpful for responsible play; annoying if you want to load up for a big jackpot.
- Withdrawal can be slow. Wins over the W-2G threshold ($600 in most states) require in-person claim. Anything under credits to your account but withdrawing to bank can take 3–5 business days.
- Self-exclusion is mandatory and one-way. If you set a play limit or self-exclude, you can't reverse it for the period you specified. This is a responsible-gambling feature; some users have been frustrated by overly aggressive limits.
- Anonymity rules don't change. If your state's anonymity rules say your name is public for prizes over $X, that applies to iLottery wins too. See our 2026 state-by-state anonymity guide.
iLottery vs courier — which should you use?
If your state has iLottery, use iLottery for state games and Powerball/Mega Millions. Lower fees, broader game selection, direct prize crediting. Use a courier only if iLottery isn't available in your state, or for specific games iLottery doesn't carry.
If your state has neither, your only legal option is the retail counter — physical tickets bought at gas stations and grocery stores. That's the entire US lottery industry's roots and still where most tickets are sold.
For tonight's winning numbers and full game overviews, the Lottery Atlas homepage covers Powerball, Mega Millions, and the state-specific games of every state we track.