Skip to content
SuperMoney logo
SuperMoney logo

Can You Buy Lottery Tickets With A Debit Card? [How & Where To Do It]

Last updated 03/15/2024 by

Emily Africa
Summary:
Yes, you can buy lottery tickets with a debit card, but some retailers may not accept a debit cards. Many states don’t accept credit cards but will accept debit cards as a cash equivalent if the retailer selling the tickets is on board. Find out which states allow you to buy lottery tickets with a credit card and which ones will only accept cash.
Americans spend approximately $72 billions every year on lottery tickets. Credit cards and debit cards are among the most popular forms of payment. However they are not accept everywhere. Participating in the lottery is attractive for people from all ages and demographics. The opportunity to win millions off a few dollars leads the average American to spend $1,000 on lottery tickets every year. However, there are a few restrictions as to how and where you can purchase lottery tickets.

Compare Credit Cards

Compare the rates, fees, and rewards of leading credit cards.
Compare Credit Cards

Where can you buy lottery tickets with a debit card?

Most states accept debit card payments for lottery tickets, as long as the retailer is OK with it. However, retailers are not required to accept to accept checks, debit cards, or credit cards. Some states, such as Georgia and New Hampshire, ban credit cards but not debit cards. In some states like California, you can use cash, debit cards, or credit cards.
Check with your lottery rules associated with your state to determine if you can use your debit card or not.
The list below provides a list of the current state lotteries and their website.
Arizona – arizonalottery.comLouisiana – louisianalottery.comOhio – ohiolottery.com
Arkansas – myarkansaslottery.comMaine – mainelottery.comOklahoma – lottery.ok.gov
California – calottery.comMaryland – mdlottery.comOregon – oregonlottery.org
Colorado – coloradolottery.comMassachusetts – masslottery.comPennsylvania – palottery.com
Connecticut – ctlottery.orgMichigan – michiganlottery.comPuerto Rico – loteriasdepuertorico.com
Delaware – delottery.comMinnesota – mnlottery.comRhode Island – rilot.com
District of Columbia – dclottery.comMissouri – molottery.comSouth Carolina – sceducationlottery.com
Florida – flalottery.comMontana – montanalottery.comSouth Dakota – sdlottery.org
Georgia – galottery.comNebraska – nelottery.comTennessee – tnlottery.com
Idaho – idaholottery.comNew Hampshire – nhlottery.orgUS Virgin Islands – winusvilottery.com
Illinois – illinoislottery.comNew Jersey – njlottery.netVermont – vtlottery.com
Indiana – hoosierlottery.comNew Mexico – nmlottery.comVirginia – valottery.com
Iowa – ialottery.comNew York – nylottery.orgWashington – walottery.com
Kansas – kslottery.comNorth Carolina – nc-educationlottery.orgWest Virginia – wvlottery.com
Kentucky – kylottery.comNorth Dakota – ndlottery.orgWisconsin – wilottery.com
It is important to note that individual businesses, such as the grocery chains and gas stations have the right to decline lottery ticket purchases with a debit card, even if state laws permit them. The reasoning behind this varies, from avoiding fraud to transaction fees. Be sure to come prepared with more than one purchasing option to avoid unexpected complications with your purchase.

How does paying for a lottery ticket with a debit card work?

A debit card allows you to purchase things using your own money without physically exchanging cash. It connects to your bank account which stores your personal funds. Therefore, using a debit card at stores that have the means to accept debit cards is a great option for individuals who do not want to carry around cash. In this day-in-age, most places readily accept debit card purchases. Read more about Supermoney’s most recommended prepaid cards here.
You may find that there are some instances where your debit card is not accepted. Purchasing lottery tickets is one of these instances, as states may enact a cash-only rule to prevent fraud and gambling using non-existent funds. Whether you can use your debit card to purchase a lottery ticket depends on the state.

How can I participate in the lottery games?

To participate in the lottery, you must buy a lottery ticket. Typically, a lottery ticket costs a few dollars, and if you win, you will win the sum of accumulated money, called the “jackpot.” You win the jackpot if the numbers on your lottery ticket match the numbers drawn by the lottery on a given day specified by your ticket. In the case that more than one person has the winning numbers, the jackpot will be split. The odds of winning the lottery are slim – about 1 in 14 million – but the prospect of winning still draws in millions of Americans every year.
Lotteries are run by individual states. There isn’t a national lottery. At this time, lotteries are run by 45 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The six states of Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Mississippi, Nevada, and Utah do not offer state lotteries. There are also two multi-state lottery games,
Megamillions and Powerball are available in nearly all jurisdictions that offer state-level lottery games. Some states participate in smaller multi-state lottery games as well. You can purchase a lottery ticket in any state that operates a lottery game as long as you are at least 18 years old. There are few other restrictions to worry about. You do not have to be a U.S. citizen. You do not need to live in the state in which you purchased the ticket, nor do you have to live in the United States. As long as you are 18, you are eligible to purchase and win the lottery.

Where do I purchase a lottery ticket?

You can purchase a lottery ticket in most grocery stores and gas stations, although some stores only sell lottery tickets during certain hours or on certain days. In some states, you can purchase lottery tickets online, although this is subject to strict federal and state laws and depends on the individual state.

Can you buy lottery tickets with a credit card?

Credit cards work a little differently from debit cards. With debit cards the money comes straight out of your account. However, credit cards use a personal line of credit that you can pay off in a lump sum or through monthly payments. Many states prohibit using your credit card for lottery ticket purchases. Out of 48 states where you can participate in the lottery, only 21 states allow you to use your credit card to purchase lottery tickets. The state lottery games that accept credit cards include:
ArizonaKansasNew York
CaliforniaKentuckyOhio
ColoradoLouisianaOregon
DelawareMaineRhode Island
IndianaMichiganSouth Dakota
IdahoMissouriVermont
IllinoisNebraskaWashington

Can you buy Powerball tickets with a debit card?

The answer is yes, you can purchase Powerball tickets using your debit card. However, not all states in the US accept the use of debit cards as a form of purchasing Powerball tickets.

Here are the states that allow buying of Powerball tickets with debit cards:

  • Arizona
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Delaware
  • Indiana
  • Idaho
  • Illinois
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Maine
  • Michigan
  • Missouri
  • Nebraska
  • New york
  • Ohio
  • Oregon
  • Rhode island
  • South Dakota
  • Vermont
  • Washington

Key takeaways

  • The ways in which you can purchase a lottery ticket vary by state and will also depend on the laws of your state and the policies of the businesses where you purchase your ticket.
  • Although multiple states don’t allow you to pay for lottery tickets with credit cards, debit cards are accepted as a form of cash.
  • You can usually pay for lottery tickets with a debit card online or at retail locations. However, some retail locations may not accept debit cards because of the transaction fees or concerns with fraud.

SuperMoney may receive compensation from some or all of the companies featured, and the order of results are influenced by advertising bids, with exception for mortgage and home lending related products. Learn more

Loading results ...

Share this post:

You might also like