If you love to play the lottery but hate the hassle of traveling to a gas station or convenience store to buy a ticket, some states will now let you use apps such as Jackpocket to purchase tickets from the comfort of your own home.
Read on to learn how it works, if it's safe, and what games are available to play through the app.
What is Jackpocket
Jackpocket is an officially licensed third-party app that is a safe, legal, and convenient way to buy lottery tickets in 18 different U.S. states and territories.
The app is currently available in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Texas, the District of Columbia, and West Virginia.
Jackpocket does not directly sell lottery tickets. Instead, it is licensed as a courier service that purchases tickets on your behalf.
That means when you buy a ticket through the Jackpocket app, they will send one of their representatives to buy a physical lottery ticket from an authorized retailer. They will then email you a high-resolution scan of your ticket, and the actual ticket will be stored in a monitored and fireproof safe until the drawing occurs.
If you have a winning ticket, Jackpocket will automatically deposit money into your account if your winnings are below your state's threshold amount, which is around $600 in most states.
If you win big and your ticket is above the threshold amount, Jackpocket will deliver your ticket directly to you, and you will be responsible for collecting your winnings.
How does it work
In order to use Jackpocket, you must verify that you are the minimum age to buy tickets and that you are physically located in one of the states where Jackpocket is legally allowed to operate.
Additionally, you must be in the same state as the lottery in which you are trying to buy tickets. That means you can't buy tickets for the Texas state lottery if you are located in New Mexico.
Jackpocket will geo-locate the device you are buying tickets on to make sure you are eligible for the games you want to play.
Jackpocket games
Mega Millions and Powerball are the only two games that are available to every app user, regardless of the state they live in. Otherwise, each state has its own list of authorized lottery games that are available to play through the app. You can only play draw games through Jackpocket.
If you want to know which games are available to play in your state, check the Jackpocket website for their official list.
Is Jackpocket safe to use?
Jackpocket must be approved and regulated by government agencies in every state where it is legally allowed to operate, and they have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
Jackpocket has impressed users so far, with over 9,000 reviews and over one million downloads.
How does Jackpocket make money?
Jackpocket charges a fee of approximately 7% on all funds that players deposit into their accounts. This is the only fee that you will ever be charged through the app.
Jackpocket does not charge a commission on the tickets they sell, they have no sign-up fee, and they do not take a percentage of any of your winnings.
Every dollar that you win with a Jackpocket ticket belongs to you.
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