Mega Millions is sold by 47 lotteries: 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. You can buy a ticket at a licensed retailer, online in the states that allow it or, if you live abroad, through an online service. Here's how each option works and what to check before you pay. New to the game? Start with how to play Mega Millions.
Where Mega Millions is sold
Mega Millions is available in every state except Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada and Utah, and also in Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It isn't sold in Puerto Rico, which offers Powerball but not Mega Millions.
All 47 lotteries sell the same game, with the same numbers, the same jackpot and the same drawing. What changes from one to another is the sales cutoff, the claim deadline, how many drawings you can buy in advance and how prizes are taxed.
At a lottery retailer
It's the classic way to play. Fill out a playslip or ask for a Quick Pick at a store licensed by your state lottery, such as a gas station, convenience store or supermarket, pay $5 per play and take your printed ticket. No account needed.
- Pros: no registration, and you walk away with a physical ticket as proof of purchase.
- Cons: you have to be there in person, and the ticket is your only proof. If you lose it or it gets damaged, claiming a prize can be difficult or impossible.
You have to be in the United States to buy a ticket, but you don't have to live there: visitors are welcome to buy tickets from a U.S. retailer, and you don't need to be a resident or a citizen to win.
Online, from your state lottery
A growing number of state lotteries sell Mega Millions on their own website or app. You can buy tickets online in Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia and Washington, D.C. In New York you can buy online subscriptions. In Massachusetts you must be 21 to play online. The full list is in Mega Millions states.
You'll need to open an account, verify your age and identity, and be physically inside the state when you buy: these platforms check your location. In return, your plays are stored in your account, results come to you automatically and smaller prizes are usually credited straight to your balance. The list grows as more states approve online sales, so check your state lottery's website.
Through a lottery courier
In some states, courier services buy an official ticket at a licensed retailer on your behalf, send you a scan and keep the original for you. They usually charge a service fee on top of the ticket price. Whether they're allowed, and under what rules, depends on the state, so check with your state lottery before you sign up.
From outside the United States
Mega Millions tickets are sold only in the United States. If you live abroad, there are two kinds of online services:
- Ticket messenger services buy a real ticket at a U.S. retailer on your behalf and send you a scan of it. A prize on that ticket is claimed in the state where it was bought.
- Lottery betting sites don't buy a ticket at all: you bet on the result of the drawing, and any prize is paid by the operator, not by a U.S. lottery.
Neither kind is part of the official Mega Millions network, and they aren't allowed everywhere. Check that the service is licensed where you live, what fees it charges and how it pays prizes, especially large ones. Winners who don't live in the U.S. are also subject to U.S. tax rules: see how to claim a Mega Millions prize.
On this site, the Play button takes you to Lottofy, an online lottery service. Whichever service you choose, run through the checklist below first.
The options compared
| Option | Best for | Main advantage | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lottery retailer | Anyone in a participating state or territory | A physical ticket, no account needed | Sign and keep the ticket: it's your only proof |
| State lottery website or app | Players inside a state that sells online | Plays saved in your account, results and small prizes handled for you | Only in some states, with ID and location checks |
| Lottery courier | Players in states that allow couriers | Buy from your phone while the service holds the original ticket | Service fees, and rules that vary by state |
| Online service from abroad | Players outside the U.S. | Access to Mega Millions from anywhere | Not part of the official network: check the license, the fees and how prizes are paid |
Before you play online, check
- That the site is your state lottery or a service licensed where you live.
- A secure connection (an address starting with https) and clear contact details and terms.
- That you get a confirmation or a scan of your ticket with your numbers, multiplier and drawing date.
- How prizes are claimed and paid, especially large ones.
- Be wary of anyone who promises guaranteed wins or asks for a fee to release a prize: that's a scam. More warning signs in lottery scams.
Claim where you bought
A winning ticket must be claimed in the state or jurisdiction where it was bought, under that lottery's rules for deadlines, taxes and publicity. If you buy a ticket while traveling, that's where you'll claim it, so hold on to it and look up the lottery's claim options, which in many states include claiming by mail.
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy Mega Millions tickets online?
In some states, yes: Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia and Washington, D.C. sell tickets on their website or app, and New York sells online subscriptions. You need an account and must be inside the state when you buy.
Can I play Mega Millions if I don't live in the U.S.?
You can buy a ticket from a U.S. retailer while you're visiting, and you don't need to be a resident or a citizen to win. From abroad, only unofficial online services offer Mega Millions: check their license, fees and prize rules before you use one.
Can I buy a ticket in one state and claim it in another?
No. Winning tickets must be claimed in the state or jurisdiction where they were bought, following that lottery's rules.
Which states don't sell Mega Millions?
Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada and Utah. Every other state sells it, along with Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Is Mega Millions sold in Puerto Rico?
No. Puerto Rico sells Powerball, but not Mega Millions. The differences between the two games are in Mega Millions vs Powerball.
Last reviewed: . Independent information: official results are published by the lottery that runs the game.