New York doesn't run an iLottery program like Michigan's or Pennsylvania's, where the state sells draw tickets and instant games on its own website. What it does have is an official subscription service and a licensing system for courier services, which few states have set up in such detail.
Does the New York Lottery sell tickets online?
Only as subscriptions. The New York Lottery's website and app are for results, ticket checking, promotions and finding retailers. Separately, the Lottery's Subscription Center sells subscriptions to four games: Powerball, Mega Millions, Millionaire for Life and New York Lotto. You pick your numbers or a Quick Pick, and they're played for every draw in the subscription period.
The Subscription Center's FAQ sets out the main rules:
- You must be located in New York State when you buy or renew, and your location is checked.
- You must be 18 or older, and the Lottery verifies your identity and age.
- Your numbers stay the same for the whole subscription and can only be changed at renewal.
- Prizes under $600 go into an online prize account, which you can cash out by check. The Lottery mails a check for prizes of $600 or more and notifies jackpot winners directly.
- Unused draws aren't refunded, and group subscriptions aren't offered.
A subscription isn't the same as walking into a store before tonight's draw: it's an advance commitment to a set of numbers. For a one-off ticket, or for the daily games, you'll need a retailer or a courier. Our iLottery state-by-state guide lists the states that do sell single tickets directly.
How do lottery courier services work in New York?
A courier service takes your order online, buys a physical ticket for you from a licensed New York retailer, and holds it for you. In New York, couriers need a license from the New York State Gaming Commission and must follow Part 5014 of the Commission's lottery regulations. Among other things, the rules require couriers to:
- stop anyone under 18 from opening an account or ordering;
- serve only customers who are physically in New York when they order;
- keep a self-exclusion list and block anyone on it;
- apply a daily order limit approved by the Commission, with the option for you to set a lower one;
- sell only the games the Commission has approved in writing.
Jackpocket, now owned by DraftKings, is the best-known courier operating in New York. Couriers charge for the service, so the cost per play is higher than at a store, and each one sets its own fees and rules for paying out prizes. Read those terms before you deposit money. Our courier app comparison covers how the main apps charge.
Which games can you play, and when are the draws?
Draw times for the games most people order, in Eastern time:
| Game | Draw days | Draw time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Powerball | Mon, Wed, Sat | 10:59 p.m. |
| Mega Millions | Tue, Fri | 11:00 p.m. |
| New York LOTTO | Wed, Sat | 8:15 p.m. |
| Numbers, Win 4, Take 5 | Daily | 2:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. |
Powerball costs $2 a play, plus $1 for Power Play, and Mega Millions costs $5 with its multiplier built in. Sales for each draw stop shortly before draw time, and a courier's own cutoff may come earlier than the retail one, so order well ahead. Retail cutoffs are covered in what time they stop selling lottery tickets.
Are offshore lottery websites legal in New York?
They aren't part of New York's regulated system. Sites based outside the US that sell bets on US lottery results, or sell you a "share" of a ticket they say they've bought, aren't licensed New York couriers, so the Commission's rules don't protect you. If a site isn't a Commission-licensed courier buying you a real New York ticket, you're relying on an unregulated company to pay you.
Couriers are also tied to the state you're in. A New York-licensed courier can only sell to you while you're in New York, and some states have banned couriers altogether. The wider picture, including rules for players outside the US, is in can you play the US lottery online? and playing the US lottery from another country.
Is buying at a store still the better option?
For most people, yes. A retailer charges no service fee, sells scratch-offs as well as draw games, and gives you the ticket in your hand. Payment rules differ by store, as explained in can you buy lottery tickets with a credit card? The online options are worth it mainly for convenience: a subscription never misses a draw, and a courier keeps the ticket safe for you.
However you buy, the same New York rules on publicity for winners and lottery taxes apply. You can check your numbers on our New York results page, and every draw we record stays in our open data archive.
New York online lottery FAQ
Does the New York Lottery sell tickets online?
Only as subscriptions. Its online Subscription Center sells Powerball, Mega Millions, Millionaire for Life and New York Lotto subscriptions for a run of future draws. New York has no iLottery program selling single tickets or instant games online.
Is Jackpocket legal in New York?
Yes. New York licenses lottery courier services through the State Gaming Commission, and licensed couriers such as Jackpocket buy physical tickets from licensed New York retailers on your behalf. You must be 18 or older and in New York to order.
Can I buy Powerball tickets online in New York?
Yes, either as a subscription from the New York Lottery or through a licensed courier. In both cases you must be 18 or older and physically in New York, and courier orders close before the draw's sales cutoff.
Are offshore lottery websites legal for New York players?
They aren't licensed by the New York State Gaming Commission, so its courier rules don't protect you. Only Commission-licensed couriers buying real tickets from licensed New York retailers, and the Lottery's own subscriptions, are part of the state's regulated system.
Play responsibly. If gambling stops being fun, the national helpline is 1-800-MY-RESET, and New York's HOPEline is 1-877-846-7369.
Sources: New York Lottery Subscription Center FAQ (mynylottery.org), 9 NYCRR Part 5014 (New York State Gaming Commission courier rules), Powerball and Mega Millions official sites, and draw schedules in our results feed.
