If you are a fan of the US lottery, you may wonder whether you can buy lottery tickets online. The answer depends on the state you live in. Lotteries operate in 45 states as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. They are the oldest form of legal gambling in the US and have been around since the 1700s. While online lottery sales are still not widespread, they are on the rise.
Although New York does not have an online lottery, residents can purchase tickets through a third party platform. In this case, someone purchases tickets on your behalf and scans them into your account. If you win, you can then claim your prize. While this is a form of online gambling, it is considered legal. The lottery is a big draw in New York, with over 16,000 retail locations.
In Pennsylvania, lawmakers have approved the launch of an online lottery, which offers eleven draw games. Proceeds from the lottery go to school and community programs. In Rhode Island, a similar lottery launched in 1974. About 83% of the money from the RI lottery goes to winners, while the rest is used for commissions and lottery operations.
Several online lottery websites have apps for mobile devices. The Pennsylvania iLottery, for example, offers a $20 signup bonus and a 100% deposit match bonus up to $500. However, the deposit match bonuses are not always applicable to new players. While the requirements for deposit match bonuses vary, most legal lottery platforms offer mobile applications. Android users can download the app directly from the state lottery website, while iOS users can access the app from the Apple App Store.