Can you buy NY lottery tickets online? Not from the Lottery itself
No. The New York Lottery doesn’t sell draw tickets or scratch-offs online. Every official ticket is printed at a licensed retailer.
That could change only with a new law. Sen. Joseph Addabbo’s online gaming bill, S2614, would have authorized online lottery sales alongside online casinos, but it died in committee when the 2026 session ended. See our New York gambling laws guide for where every vertical stands.
What you can do legally is use a lottery courier. A courier takes your order in an app, buys the physical ticket from a New York retailer, stores it and shows you a scan. Couriers are regulated by the NY State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) under 9 NYCRR Part 5014, which covers licensing, approved games, daily limits, self-exclusion lists, audits and responsible-play warnings.
What the official Lottery app does, and doesn’t
The Official NY Lottery app is useful, but it won’t sell you a ticket. Here’s what it does:
- Scans and checks tickets, linked to your Collect ‘N Win login
- Shows winning numbers, jackpots and draw information
- Lists Scratch-Off games with their odds
- Finds the nearest retailer
- Takes second-chance entries from scanned tickets
- Tracks NYL+ points and sends jackpot alerts
Users aren’t impressed. The iOS app holds 2.2 stars from 836 ratings.
The 3 licensed courier apps
Three couriers show New York licensing as of October 2026: Jackpocket, Jackpot.com and Lotto.com. All three charge for the service. That fee is how couriers make money, because the ticket itself costs the same as at the store.
| Courier | Owner | NY fee |
|---|---|---|
| Jackpocket | DraftKings | 9.90% of the amount you fund, plus $0.29 |
| Jackpot.com | Lottomatrix USA | 20% handling fee on each deposit |
| Lotto.com | Lotto.com Inc. | 15% to 25% convenience fee per order |
Fees are as reported by LotteryUSA and BettingUSA; each app shows the exact charge before you pay.
Jackpocket NY: the biggest name
Jackpocket launched in New York in January 2021 and has been owned by DraftKings since May 2024. You order Powerball, Mega Millions and New York draw games in the app and can view a scan of each ticket.
On a $20 order, the New York fee of 9.90% plus $0.29 adds about $2.27. Small prizes are credited to your account automatically. Larger prizes have to be claimed in person. Jackpocket’s lottery pools aren’t available in New York.
Jackpot.com: license on display
Jackpot.com went live in New York on Aug. 1, 2023, and posts its New York Courier Service License certificate, issued to Lottomatrix, doing business as Jackpot.com, and valid to June 15, 2029, on its website. It offers Powerball, Mega Millions, NY Lotto and Pick 10, with deposit limits built in.
Its 20% handling fee applies to each deposit, so $20 in costs $4. Prizes of $600 or less are credited to your account. For bigger wins, Jackpot.com arranges secure delivery of the physical ticket so you can claim from the NY Lottery.
Lotto.com: the widest NY menu
Lotto.com runs a dedicated New York site that states it is “a courier service licensed with the New York Lottery.” It’s live in 12 states and is based in Jersey City.
It has the widest New York menu: Powerball, Mega Millions, Millionaire for Life, NY Lotto, Take 5, Win 4, Numbers and Pick 10. Payment options include Apple Pay, Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, Discover and Venmo. The trade-offs are a 15% to 25% convenience fee on every order, and deposits that can only be spent on tickets. Prizes under about $600 go to your account; for larger ones, Lotto.com arranges transfer of the original ticket.
How lottery couriers work, step by step
- Download a licensed courier app and confirm you’re 18 or older and in New York.
- Fund your account. The fee is charged on the deposit or the order, depending on the courier.
- Pick your game and numbers, or use Quick Pick.
- The courier buys the ticket from a New York retailer and uploads a scan before the draw.
- Small prizes land in your account. For larger ones, the courier hands over the paper ticket and you claim from the NY Lottery.
The courier never owns your prize. The ticket, and the claim, are yours.
theLotter’s exit: gone since Jan. 29, 2026
theLotter won NYSGC approval in June 2024 as New York’s fourth lottery courier. It didn’t last. The company left the state on Jan. 29, 2026, after notifying the commission, two months after announcing its exit from New Jersey.
Customers had until April 29, 2026, to withdraw their balances. If you still see theLotter on an older comparison page, that page is out of date.
Draw games in 2026: Cash4Life is out, Millionaire for Life is in
The biggest change this year: Cash4Life’s last draw was Feb. 21, 2026. It was replaced the next day by Millionaire for Life, a $5 nightly multistate game with a top prize of $1 million a year for life, according to the NY State Gaming Commission. Unclaimed Cash4Life prizes can still be collected until Feb. 21, 2027.
| Game | Draws |
|---|---|
| Powerball ($2) | Monday, Wednesday, Saturday |
| Mega Millions ($5) | Tuesday, Friday |
| Millionaire for Life ($5) | Nightly, 11:15 p.m. |
| NY Lotto | Wednesday, Saturday |
| Take 5 | Twice daily |
| Numbers and Win 4 | Twice daily |
| Pick 10 | Daily |
Millionaire for Life has you choose five numbers from 1 to 58 and a Millionaire Ball from 1 to 5. The overall odds of winning any prize are 1 in 8.47. Quick Draw, the keno-style game, is sold only at retailers. Not every courier carries every game, so check the app’s menu.
Lottery age limit: how old you have to be
18 for lottery tickets, including orders through a courier. Quick Draw is the exception: you must be 21.
Taxes on jackpots: up to 38.8% withheld in NYC
Lottery prizes are taxable income. On wins over $5,000, the NY Lottery withholds, according to LotteryUSA:
- 24% federal
- 10.9% New York State
- 3.876% New York City, for city residents
- A smaller local withholding for Yonkers residents
A New York City resident sees 38.776% withheld before the check arrives. Withholding isn’t the final bill: the top federal rate is 37%, so a jackpot winner owes more at tax time.
From 2026, the federal W-2G reporting threshold for most gambling wins, lottery included, rose to $2,000 for prizes that pay at least 300 times the stake. Report every win either way. Our guide to gambling taxes in NY covers the new 90% cap on loss deductions.
NY lottery online FAQ
Where can I buy New York lottery tickets online?
Not from the NY Lottery. You can order tickets online through a licensed courier such as Jackpocket, Jackpot.com or Lotto.com, which buys a paper ticket for you and charges a fee.
Is Jackpocket legal in New York?
Yes. Jackpocket is a courier service operating in New York under NYSGC rules. In New York it charges 9.90% of the amount you fund, plus $0.29.
Does the NY Lottery app sell tickets?
No. The official app checks tickets, shows results, finds retailers and takes second-chance entries, but it can’t sell tickets.
What happened to theLotter in New York?
It left New York on Jan. 29, 2026. Customers had until April 29, 2026, to withdraw their funds.
Is Cash4Life still sold?
Its last New York draw was Feb. 21, 2026. Millionaire for Life replaced it on Feb. 22, and Cash4Life prizes can be claimed until Feb. 21, 2027.
How old do you have to be to buy lottery tickets in NY?
Quick Draw requires players to be 21.
How much tax is taken from NY lottery winnings?
On prizes over $5,000, 24% federal and 10.9% state tax are withheld. New York City residents have another 3.876% withheld.
Lottery tickets are 18+ in New York (Quick Draw 21+). Gambling problem? Call or text 1-877-8-HOPENY (467369). More help is in our responsible gambling guide.