How late can you buy lottery tickets: in the 46 states where tickets are sold (2023 Guide)
Do you wonder how late can you buy lottery tickets? Here is a well-researched guide on the cutoff time for lottery ticket sales in the 46 States where tickets are sold.
How late can you buy lottery tickets?
Lottery tickets can be purchased in-store and online. But how late can you buy lottery tickets?
The deadline for Powerball tickets is usually one hour before the drawing, which is at 10 p.m. ET. Some lottery retailers, however, may sell tickets up to 15 minutes before the drawing.
In New Jersey, for example, the cutoff time is 9:59 p.m., whereas Powerball sales end at 10 p.m. ET in Florida.
Although the draw doesn’t take place until 11 p.m. EST, ticket sales in Michigan end at 9:45 p.m. – an hour and fifteen minutes before the draw time.
In Wisconsin, the cut-off is 10 p.m. EST/9 p.m. CST.
In Ohio, the cut-off time is also 10 p.m. EST, but in Indiana, tickets must be bought by 9:58 p.m. EST.
According to Powerball’s website, “sales cut-off times vary by selling jurisdiction.” For more information, please contact your local lottery.”
How late can you buy a lottery ticket (by State)
Here is a breakdown of lottery tickets cutoff time in the states in the US (where tickets are sold):
1. Arizona
Sales stop on draw nights at 6:59 p.m. More info: ArizonaLottery.com.
2. Arkansas
Sales end one hour before the drawing at 8:59 p.m.
3. California
Drawings typically close at 7 p.m. Pacific, an hour before the drawing. But check with your retailer to be sure.
4. Colorado
Sales are suspended on draw day from 7:30 to 7:33 p.m. local time. You can start buying tickets each day at 4:30 a.m. except Sunday, in which sales start at 8 a.m. Sales end each night at 11:59 p.m. “for balancing.”
5. Connecticut
On drawing nights (Monday, Wednesday and Saturday), wagering closes at 10:00 PM and reopens at 11:15 PM.
6. Delaware
Play up until 9:45 p.m. on draw days.
7. Florida
According to the lottery website: “On drawing nights, you will be able to purchase POWERBALL tickets until game sales close at 10:00 p.m. ET. MUSL requires adequate time to ensure that the draw data has been securely received from all 48 member lotteries before the POWERBALL drawing is held at 10:59 p.m. ET. There will be a 5-minute sales break between 10:00 p.m. and 10:05 p.m. ET on the night of the POWERBALL drawings, and sales after 10:05 p.m. ET will be for the next drawing.”
8. Georgia
Tickets are sold from 5 a.m. until 10 p.m. on the day of drawings and until 1 a.m. on other days. More info here.
9. Idaho
The state website notes: “Players may purchase tickets until one hour and five minutes prior to the draw on the night of the draw. At one hour prior to the draw, sales will resume for the next draw.”
10. Illinois
Retailers stop selling at 9 p.m. local time on draw day.
11. Indiana
Most stop an hour before drawing time but check with your local retailer to be sure.
12. Iowa
The cutoff time is 8:59 p.m. on draw day.
13. Kansas
The cutoff time is 8:59 p.m. on draw day.
14. Kentucky
Most cutoff times are an hour before the drawing but check with your local retailer to be sure.
15. Louisiana
The state lottery notes: “Make sure you buy your tickets for each Powerball drawing by 9 p.m. on the day of the drawing. Tickets purchased after 9 p.m. on drawing nights will be valid for the next drawing(s).”
16. Maine
The cutoff time is 9:50 p.m. Eastern on draw day.
17. Maryland
The cutoff time is 9:59 p.m. Eastern
18. Massachusetts
Most cutoff times are an hour before the drawing but check with your local retailer to be sure.
19. Michigan
The state lottery notes: “In-store and online ticket sales for the current draw are available until 9:45 p.m. on the night of the draw.”
20. Minnesota
9 p.m. on drawing days, the lottery notes.
21. Mississippi
Most cutoff times are an hour before the drawing. But check with your local retailer to be sure.
22. Missouri
Sales stop from 8:59 to 10 p.m. on draw days. More info here.
23. Montana
Sales stop at 8 p.m. on the day of the drawing.
24. Nebraska
Sales stop from 9 a.m. to 9:03 p.m. on the day of the drawing.
25. New Hampshire
If buying online, you have until 9:48 p.m. If buying in stores, you have until 9:50 p.m. on draw days.
26. New Jersey
The site notes: “Purchase your Powerball tickets prior to 9:59 pm on Monday, Wednesday & Saturday for the drawing.”
27. New Mexico
They note: “Tickets can be purchased until 8:00 PM Mountain Time for that night’s drawing. Sales for the next draw resume at 8:10 PM.”
28. New York
Most cutoff times are an hour before the drawing. Check with your local retailer to be sure.
29. North Carolina
Most cutoff times are an hour before the drawing. Check with your local retailer to be sure.
30. North Dakota
Check with your local retailer. Most will be cut off an hour before the drawing.
31. Ohio
…ends at 10 p.m., according to their website.
32. Oklahoma
Typically 9:59 p.m. local time.
33. Oregon
The drawing is at 7:59 p.m. Pacific, and the last time to buy a ticket is typically 6:69 p.m. Check with local retailers to be sure.
34. Pennsylvania
The cutoff is 9:59 p.m. local time on draw days.
35. Rhode Island
The cutoff is typically an hour before draw time. But check with your local retailer.
36. South Carolina
Sales are suspended at 9:59 p.m. local time on draw days.
37. South Dakota
The state website notes: “Buy tickets up until 9:00 p.m. (CT) / 8:00 p.m. (MT) on the nights of the drawings. Or, ask your retailer how to play up to nine consecutive draws in advance.”
38. Tennessee
The cutoff is typically an hour before draw time. But check with your local retailer.
39. Texas
The state website notes: “Tickets are not available during Draw Break, from 9:00-10:15 p.m. CT.”
40. Vermont
The website notes: “Draws are held every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:59 PM with a cutoff of 9:50 PM to purchase tickets for that evening’s draw. All draw times are based on Eastern Time.”
41. Virginia
The cutoff is typically an hour before draw time. Though, check with your local retailer.
42. Washington
The website notes: “Ticket sales are cut-off every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday night at 6:45 p.m. and resume at 6:46 p.m. Pacific Time.”
43. Washington D.C.
The cutoff is typically an hour before draw time. But check with your local retailer.
44. West Virginia
The cutoff is typically an hour before draw time. But check with your local retailer.
45. Wisconsin
The cutoff is typically an hour before draw time. But check with your local retailer.
46. Wyoming
The state website notes that “Ticket sales close at 8:00 p.m. MT on draw days. Ticket sales reopen shortly after each draw.”
Notes:
- Please keep in mind that the list above is not guaranteed, and some retailers may change their cutoff times at any time. So you should check with your local retailer just to be sure.
- We only listed states where tickets are sold.
What is Powerball?
According to Wikipedia, Powerball is an American lottery game offered by 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
It is coordinated by the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL). From its inaugural drawing on April 19, 1992, until August 21, 2021, Powerball drawings were held twice a week (Wednesday and Saturday); a third weekly drawing (held Mondays) was added on August 23, 2021.
Drawings are held every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday evening at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time at Florida Lottery headquarters in Tallahassee.
How much do Powerball tickets cost?
The Powerball ticket costs $2 per play.
In 45 states in the US, players can buy lottery tickets at authorized retailers such as drug stores and grocery stores. Washington, DC, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands are among these states.
Residents of several states, including New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, and West Virginia, can purchase online Powerball tickets through the mobile app Jackpocket.
In Michigan, you can purchase tickets for the drawing at more than 10,500 lottery retail locations, which include gas stations, convenience stores, restaurants and more. You can also buy tickets through the Michigan Lottery website.
According to the lottery, “some lotteries sell Powerball tickets over the internet, but the service is only available to residents of that jurisdiction.”
How late can you buy a Powerball ticket for Monday night’s $1 billion jackpot?
People flocked to convenience stores, grocery stores, and gas stations across the country to purchase lottery tickets in hopes of winning the $1 billion Powerball jackpot on Monday night.
How late can you buy lottery tickets in Oregon on Mondays? Monday’s drawing will be at 7:59 p.m. PT. You will not be able to purchase a ticket in Oregon on Monday after 7 p.m. PT. That is approximately 1 hour before the draw.
How to watch the drawings and play the game
Each lottery game is live-streamed on Powerball’s official website, and the most recent drawings can also be seen on your local channel.
The game, for example, is broadcast on WABC-7 in New York City and Fox 29 in Philadelphia.
To play, you must choose five numbers from 1 to 69 for the white balls. You can select one number between 1 and 26 for the red Powerball.
You can choose the numbers on a play slip or let the lottery terminal choose them for you.
That’s all the information on how late you can buy lottery tickets. Make sure you check this guide for updates to the cutoff time in different states. Thank you.
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