Lotto

By Maya Torres | Reviewed by Jake Mercer | Updated July 2026

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The Mega Millions and Powerball results above update in real time, but knowing the numbers is just the start. Below, we break down how lottery betting actually works for U.S. players in 2026 — what your options are, which platforms accept Americans, and how the tax situation plays out when you hit.

How Does Lottery Betting Work for U.S. Players?

There are two ways to play lottery from the U.S. without walking into a gas station. The first is lottery betting — you wager on the outcome of an official draw through an offshore sportsbook. You never hold a physical ticket. You are placing a bet on which numbers get pulled, similar to an over/under or prop bet on a sporting event. Bovada, BetOnline, and MyBookie all carry these lines.

The second option is a ticket courier service like TheLotter. They purchase an actual official ticket on your behalf from a licensed retailer, scan it, and store the original in a secure vault. If you win, the ticket is yours. Both methods are legal at the federal level for U.S. players since you are transacting with offshore operators — there is no federal statute prohibiting Americans from placing bets with internationally licensed platforms.

The catch: if a state explicitly bans online gambling (looking at you, Utah and Hawaii), you should understand the local rules before you play. For the vast majority of states, there is zero enforcement against individual bettors using offshore lotto platforms.

When Are Mega Millions and Powerball Drawings?

Mega Millions draws every Tuesday and Friday at 11:00 PM ET. Powerball draws every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:59 PM ET. Both are broadcast live, and the results widgets above this section pull directly from the official data feeds so you always see the latest numbers.

If you are betting through an offshore book, the lines typically lock 30 to 60 minutes before the draw. TheLotter ticket purchases usually cut off a few hours before draw time depending on the specific lottery.

Which Offshore Sportsbooks Offer Lottery Betting?

Not every offshore book carries lotto lines, but the ones that do give you a solid range of U.S. and international draws. Here is how the top platforms compare for lottery betting in 2026.

TheLotter is not a sportsbook — it is a licensed ticket purchasing service. They buy real tickets from authorized retailers in the actual jurisdiction where the lottery runs. This matters because a sportsbook lotto bet pays you based on their odds, while TheLotter pays you the actual advertised jackpot. On a $500 million Powerball, that distinction is worth paying attention to.

What Are the Odds of Winning Mega Millions vs. Powerball?

Neither game is going to make the math lover in your life feel warm inside. Mega Millions jackpot odds sit at 1 in 302.6 million. Powerball is slightly more generous at 1 in 292.2 million. To put that in context, you are about 250 times more likely to get struck by lightning in your lifetime than to hit either jackpot.

But the secondary prizes are where it gets interesting. Match five numbers without the Mega Ball or Power Ball and you take home $1 million in either game. The odds on that are roughly 1 in 12.6 million for Mega Millions and 1 in 11.7 million for Powerball. Still a long shot, but dramatically closer to reality than the main jackpot.

The Megaplier and Power Play add-ons multiply your non-jackpot winnings by 2x to 5x (Megaplier) or 2x to 10x (Power Play) for an extra dollar per ticket. If you are playing through TheLotter, you can select these options at checkout. On offshore sportsbooks, the payout structure is baked into the betting odds themselves.

How Do Lottery Winnings Get Taxed?

The IRS takes 24% off the top of any lottery win over $600. That is the federal withholding and it is automatic. Your state adds its own cut on top of that — anywhere from 0% in states like Florida, Texas, and Wyoming to over 10% in New York City if you factor in city tax.

If you take the lump sum (and most financial advisors say you should), the advertised jackpot gets slashed roughly in half before taxes even enter the picture. A $500 million Powerball jackpot has a lump sum value around $250 million. After federal and state taxes, you are looking at approximately $160 million to $180 million depending on where you live.

Offshore sportsbook winnings are technically taxable as gambling income on your federal return. The IRS does not distinguish between a legal state-regulated bet and an offshore bet when it comes to your obligation to report. Whether or not the sportsbook sends you a 1099 is a different question — most offshore operators do not — but the tax liability exists regardless.

Can You Buy Lottery Tickets Online from Any State?

Through TheLotter, yes. They operate as an international courier service and are not bound by individual state regulations on domestic lottery ticket sales. You pick your numbers, they purchase a physical ticket from an authorized retailer in a participating jurisdiction, scan it to your account, and hold the original securely.

Through state lottery websites, it depends entirely on where you live. About a dozen states currently allow online ticket purchases for Mega Millions and Powerball through their official lottery apps — Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, and Virginia among them. But most states still require you to buy tickets in person.

The offshore sportsbook route sidesteps this completely. You are not buying a ticket at all — you are placing a bet on the outcome. Geography matters less because the transaction happens with an internationally licensed operator, not a state lottery commission.

Should You Take the Lump Sum or Annuity?

This is the first real decision you would face after beating 300 million-to-one odds, and it matters more than most people think. The lump sum gives you a reduced but immediate payout — typically 50% to 60% of the advertised jackpot. The annuity spreads the full amount over 30 annual payments that increase by 5% each year.

The lump sum argument comes down to control and investment opportunity. If you (or a competent financial advisor) can generate returns above the 5% annual increase baked into the annuity, you come out ahead mathematically. The annuity argument is simpler: it protects you from yourself. A staggering percentage of large lottery winners burn through their winnings within five years. Forced annual payments make that harder to do.

If you win through an offshore sportsbook bet rather than a ticket, this decision does not apply. The book pays you a flat amount based on the odds at the time you placed the bet. There is no annuity option on a $100 lottery prop bet that pays 2000-to-1.

What Is the Biggest Lottery Jackpot Ever Won?

The all-time record belongs to the $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot hit in November 2022 by a single ticket sold at Joe's Service Center in Altadena, California. Edwin Castro claimed the prize and took the lump sum — roughly $997.6 million before taxes.

The second-largest was the $1.765 billion Powerball in October 2023, won in California. Mega Millions holds the third spot with $1.602 billion from August 2023, won in Florida. The trend line is clear: jackpots are getting bigger because Powerball and Mega Millions both expanded their number pools in recent years, making the top prize harder to hit and allowing it to roll over more often.

What Are Common Lottery Scams to Watch Out For?

The biggest red flag in lottery is unsolicited contact telling you that you won something you never entered. Legitimate lotteries do not call, text, or email winners. If someone asks you to pay a fee, buy gift cards, or wire money to claim a prize, it is a scam — full stop.

When it comes to online lottery platforms, stick to established names. TheLotter has operated since 2002 and is regulated in multiple jurisdictions. The offshore sportsbooks we recommend — Bovada, BetOnline, MyBookie, BetUS — have track records spanning years with verified payouts and real customer support. Avoid random apps or websites you find through social media ads that promise guaranteed jackpot access or suspiciously high match bonuses on lottery products.