To buy an online lottery ticket, visit one of the many online lottery sites. You’ll be able to choose the number of tickets you want to purchase, select a game, and fill out your payment information. Many of these sites also keep track of your lottery numbers and winnings so you can follow along as they come in. Many sites also have multi-state drawings, so you can purchase tickets for several different states. Once you’ve entered the lottery, you can check your ticket status and choose whether you want to be notified by email, SMS, direct deposit, or even in person.
Many of the best lottery websites also offer mobile versions of their website. Whether you’re playing on a tablet or a smartphone, an online lottery website is easy to use and allows you to check your winnings instantly. Most of the leading lottery sites are mobile-friendly and will not require any special software to play. However, be aware that most of these sites will only carry the big lottery games, and not some of the smaller games that are played in certain states.
As technology has advanced, the legal landscape for online lottery ticket sales in the US has changed. Currently, seven jurisdictions offer an online lottery, up from eight as recently as 2015. However, Minnesota ended their online lottery program in 2016. The Department of Justice clarified its position on the Wire Act in 2011 and opened the door for states to offer lottery tickets online. While some states have lottery websites, others defer to third-party apps. The federal government has not specifically banned the use of foreign lottery websites.