The deadline to buy a lottery ticket depends on the specific lottery game and where it is played. Generally, lottery ticket sales cut off 1-2 hours before the drawing for that particular game. For multi-state games like Powerball and Mega Millions, all participating states have the same deadline. For state-run lotteries, the cutoff times can vary. Here is a breakdown of the major lottery games and their sales deadlines:
Powerball
Powerball drawings are held on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday nights at 10:59 p.m. ET. Ticket sales close at 10:00 p.m. ET on the night of the drawing. Some states may have earlier deadlines based on their local laws, like in Kentucky where sales stop at 9:59 p.m. local time. But the deadline is 10:00 p.m. ET (9:00 p.m. CT/MT/PT) in most jurisdictions.
So if you want to play Powerball on Wednesday, you need to buy your ticket by 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time that night. Retailers stop selling tickets promptly at the posted deadline. If you are buying online, make sure to complete your ticket purchase by 9:59 p.m. ET.
Mega Millions
Mega Millions also holds its drawings on Tuesday and Friday evenings at 11:00 p.m. ET. Ticket sales stop at 10:45 p.m. ET on drawing nights. As with Powerball, some individual states may end Mega Millions sales 15-30 minutes earlier in accordance with local laws. But the standard deadline is 10:45 p.m. ET.
To play Mega Millions on a Tuesday or Friday, you must buy your ticket by 10:45 p.m. ET that night. If you miss that deadline, you can still play the next drawing. Tickets must be purchased by 10:45 p.m. ET on Tuesday for the Friday drawing and by 10:45 p.m. ET on Friday for the following Tuesday drawing.
State Lottery Games
State lottery deadlines vary more than the big multi-state games. Each state sets its own cutoff times for different games based on when drawings are held.
California
In California, SuperLotto Plus drawings happen on Wednesday and Saturday nights at 7:57 p.m. PT. The ticket deadline is 7:45 p.m. PT. For Fantasy 5 drawings on Monday through Sunday evenings at 7:30 p.m. PT, sales stop at 7:00 p.m. PT. The Daily 4 and Daily 3 games have a ticket cutoff of 1:30 p.m. PT on the day of the drawing.
Florida
The Florida Lottery has drawings for different games happening every day. Lotto and Fantasy 5 sales end at 10:40 p.m. ET on the night of the drawing. For Powerball and Mega Millions, Florida follows the national deadlines. Pick 2/Pick 3/Pick 4/Pick 5 have a 1:00 p.m. ET cutoff for midday drawings and a 10:00 p.m. ET cutoff for evening drawings.
Texas
In Texas, Lotto Texas drawings are held on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10:12 p.m. CT. Sales stop at 10:00 p.m. CT those nights. The Cash Five game has a deadline of 9:59 p.m. CT for its nightly drawings. Pick 3 and Daily 4 end sales at 1:00 p.m. CT on day of the midday drawing and 10:00 p.m. CT on day of the evening drawing. As a member of the multi-state games, Texas follows the national cutoffs for Powerball and Mega Millions.
New York
For New York’s Numbers and Win 4 games, deadline is at least 30 minutes before the drawing. Take 5 has stopped sales 2 hours before the daily drawing. Quick Draw ends 4 minutes before each drawing. Lotto has a 9:30 p.m. ET cutoff on Wednesdays and Saturdays which is 1 hour before those drawings. Powerball and Mega Millions follow the national deadlines in New York.
Daily game deadlines range from a half hour to 1 hour before post time, while drawings for in-state lotto games are typically 1-2 hours after sales end. Check with your local lottery for exact cutoff times.
Lotto Drawing Schedule
To recap, here are the drawings and sales deadlines for the most popular lottery games:
- Powerball – Monday, Wednesday, Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET. Deadline is 10:00 p.m. ET.
- Mega Millions – Tuesday, Friday at 11:00 p.m. ET. Deadline is 10:45 p.m. ET.
- State lottery drawings – Held daily or weekly, depending on game. Deadline is typically 1-2 hours before drawing.
If you want to play it safe and avoid missing a cutoff, purchase your tickets by early afternoon for games drawn that same night. Hours before the deadline, retail lines can get long with other last-minute players. Buying online avoids those lines, but make sure you complete the purchase with enough time to spare.
For lotto games that offer advanced play, you can buy tickets for future draws. Every state lottery allows players to purchase tickets for up to one year in advance. So while most players only think about the next drawing, you can plan ahead and get your tickets locked in for games happening weeks or months down the road.
Where to Buy Lottery Tickets
Lottery tickets are sold at thousands of licensed retailer locations across the United States. This includes grocery stores, gas stations, convenience stores, liquor stores, and tobacco shops. Many pharmacies, big box stores, and restaurants also offer lottery ticket sales. Just look for the official lottery sign by the cash register.
In addition to in-person retailers, most state lotteries let you buy tickets online through their official websites or mobile apps. Players have to sign up for an account and deposit funds. Purchases are made using those deposited funds, with winnings credited back to your account. Some of the benefits of online lottery play are convenience, not waiting in line, access to games that might be sold out at local stores, and the ability to utilize bonus programs and promotions.
There are also licensed reseller websites where you can buy official state lottery tickets online. These sites essentially act as the middleman – you place your order through them, and they purchase the tickets on your behalf through the lottery’s online system. This option allows you to shop for the best prices across different games.
Playing Responsibly
While playing the lottery can be exciting, it’s important to keep your spending reasonable. Those with gambling problems can contact organizations like Gamblers Anonymous for support services and resources. Responsible gambling habits include setting a budget, only using discretionary income, taking a break if you feel yourself getting carried away emotionally or financially, and remembering that over the long run the odds are always stacked against players. Avoid chasing losses and know your limits.
With discipline and perspective, lottery games can be a fun form of entertainment. Just concentrate on playing for the enjoyment of taking a chance, rather than strictly focusing on the jackpots. Approach it more like baseball – even the best teams lose 60% of the time. But they keep stepping to the plate ready to compete again the next day.