Can I buy Mega Millions tickets online?

WASHINGTON. Friday’s $1.35 billion Mega Millions jackpot was the second largest in gaming history. The only Mega Millions jackpot larger than Friday’s prize was the $1.53 billion jackpot won in South Carolina in 2018.

With so much money to play, the huge jackpot is making more and more people try their luck. If you don’t want to queue for tickets at a gas station or grocery store, there are ways to buy them online, but it depends on where you live.

Mega Millions tickets are sold in all but five states, but buying tickets online is much more restrictive.

Whether you can buy a Mega Millions ticket online or not depends on your location.

Currently, lotteries in only nine states and the District of Columbia offer ways to purchase Mega Millions tickets online or through the lottery mobile app. These states include: Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

If you do not live in one of these states, you may have other options.

Courier services such as Lotto.com and Jackpocket act as intermediaries. Players order lottery tickets through a mobile app or website, these companies then go and buy a ticket on behalf of the player from a licensed retailer in their state, upload their image to the app, and store the physical ticket securely.

Jackpocket is currently available in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Washington, and West Virginia.

Lotto.com operates in Arkansas, Colorado, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York and Texas.

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The next draw will take place on Friday, January 13 at 11:00 PM EST (11:00 PM CT, 11:00 PM Mountain Time, 11:00 PM PST).

Mega Millions draws are held twice a week, on Tuesday and Friday.

End times for purchasing Mega Millions tickets vary by state. This usually happens within one or two hours of the scheduled draw. Contact your local lottery. Tickets cost $2 per performance.

1. $2.04 billion Powerball November 8, 2022 (one ticket from California)

2. $1.586 billion Powerball, January 13, 2016 (three tickets from California, Florida and Tennessee)

3. $1.537 billion Mega Millions October 23, 2018 (one ticket from South Carolina)

4. $1.337 billion Mega Millions July 29, 2022 (one ticket from Illinois)

5. $1.05 billion Mega Millions on January 22, 2021 (one ticket from Michigan)

6. $768.4 million Powerball March 27, 2019 (one ticket from Wisconsin)

7. $758.7M Powerball August 23, 2017 (one ticket from Massachusetts)

8. $731.1M Powerball January 20, 2021 (one ticket from Maryland)

9. $699.8 million Powerball October 4, 2021 (one ticket from California)

10. $687.8 million Powerball October 27, 2018 (two tickets from Iowa and New York)