The California Lottery's website and app are useful, but neither one has a checkout. Below is what they can do, why courier apps are a risk in this state, and where you can buy instead.
Does California have an online lottery?
No. California has no iLottery program. The official website and app show results and jackpots, check whether a ticket won, map nearby retailers, show how many Scratchers prizes remain, and take 2nd Chance entries. They don't sell tickets.
That puts California behind states such as Michigan, Pennsylvania and Virginia, which sell draw tickets and instant games directly online. The California Lottery was created by voters through the California State Lottery Act of 1984, and its sales rules are set by that act and the Lottery's own regulations. Nothing in them provides for online sales today. For the states that do sell online, see our iLottery state-by-state guide.
Can you use a courier app like Jackpocket in California?
Not safely. A courier service buys a paper ticket from a retailer on your behalf and holds it for you. Some states license couriers; New York is one, as we explain in the New York online-tickets guide. California does not.
In June 2024 the California Lottery warned its retailers not to sell tickets to online couriers or their agents, and said retailers who did could lose their contracts. A Lottery spokesperson told reporters that courier services are illegal in California and that the Lottery is prohibited from knowingly paying a prize on a ticket bought through one. Jackpocket, the best-known courier, does not list California among its states.
Some smaller apps may still offer California games. The problem is the payout: if the Lottery won't honor a courier-bought ticket, the person who paid for it has no claim. Our courier app comparison shows which apps operate legally where.
What you're likely to find in app stores falls into three groups. The official California Lottery app is fine for checking tickets and entering 2nd Chance drawings. Results trackers and office-pool apps only display information, which is also fine. Anything that offers to sell you a California ticket, or to buy one for you, is outside the state's system.
Are offshore lottery sites safe for Californians?
No. Offshore sites sell "entries" or bets on the outcome of U.S. drawings. You don't receive a ticket. You're relying on an unregulated foreign company to pay you if your numbers come up, and a lottery ticket is a bearer instrument: whoever holds it can claim it. These services take that protection away from you. Our guide to lottery scams covers the tricks that tend to come with them, and playing the US lottery from another country explains the legitimate rules for people outside the U.S.
Where can you buy California Lottery tickets?
At licensed retailers. The Lottery has more than 20,000 of them, mostly supermarkets, convenience stores, gas stations and liquor stores. They sell every game:
- Powerball, $2 per play
- Mega Millions, $5 per play with a built-in multiplier
- SuperLotto Plus, drawn Wednesday and Saturday, with sales closing at 7:45 p.m. PT
- Fantasy 5, Daily 4 and the evening Daily 3, drawn every day, with entry closing at 6:30 p.m. PT
- Scratchers
Under Government Code section 8880.52 it is a misdemeanor to knowingly sell a ticket to anyone under 18, and a misdemeanor for someone under 18 to buy one. Our guide to when lottery sales stop lists cutoff times for other games. Most retailers take cash or debit; credit card rules are covered separately.
Once you have a ticket, checking it online is allowed. Recent draws for every California game are on our California results page, and full histories can be downloaded from the open data hub.
Frequently asked questions
Can you buy California Lottery tickets online?
No. The California Lottery sells no tickets online. Its website and app offer results, ticket checking, retailer maps and 2nd Chance entries, but you have to buy tickets in person from a licensed retailer, and you must be 18 or older.
Does Jackpocket work in California?
No. Jackpocket doesn't operate in California, and the California Lottery has said courier services are not authorized there. It has warned retailers against selling to couriers and says it can't knowingly pay prizes on courier-bought tickets.
Are websites selling California lottery entries legit?
No site is authorized to sell California lottery tickets online. Offshore services that sell entries or bets on U.S. drawings operate outside the regulated system, and you never hold a ticket you could claim yourself.
What can the official California Lottery app do?
It shows winning numbers and jackpots, scans tickets to tell you whether they won, finds retailers, shows remaining Scratchers prizes, and accepts 2nd Chance entries. It can't sell tickets.
The national problem gambling helpline is 1-800-MY-RESET.
Sources: California Lottery game pages and its June 2024 retailer warning on couriers (as reported by Yogonet and others); California Government Code section 8880.52; Jackpocket's list of supported states.
