How Late Can You Buy Mega Millions Tickets?

Anyone who has even a passing interest in any lottery knows that the Mega Millions is one of America’s top two jackpot games. Furthermore, it’s easy to play and the jackpots are enormous! If you’ve been feeling lucky lately, it may be time to try your hand at the Mega Millions.

But until when do you have time to get your numbers in?

If you’ve never played this exciting lottery game before, you may be left wondering where and how late can you buy Mega Millions tickets. Keep reading as we delve into everything you need to know about when, where and how to get your lucky ticket.

How Do You Play Mega Millions?

Fortunately, playing the Mega Millions is so easy, anyone over 18 can easily do it. Simply follow these easy steps to get into the game:

1. Decide whether you’ll be playing the lottery online or purchasing an actual ticket.
2. Pick five different numbers between 1 and 70 – these will be the white balls.
3. Choose one number from 1 to 25 – this will be the gold Mega Ball.
4. If you can’t decide on a few lucky numbers, opt for an Easy Pick/Quick Pick where the machine chooses random numbers for you.
5. Watch the live draw.
6. To win the jackpot, you need to have matched all six winning numbers in a particular draw.

Source: WinTrillions

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Where Can You Play Mega Millions?

Mega Millions is currently played in 45 states as well as the Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia. To know if your state takes part in the Mega Millions, check out our handy list below.

The states that don’t take part in the Mega Millions are Nevada, Alabama, Alaska and Hawaii.

Where Do You Buy Mega Millions Tickets?

If you live in a participating state, you’ll be delighted to learn that Mega Millions tickets are available at all the usual places such as gas stations and authorized lottery outlets. Furthermore, some states do facilitate an online ticket system and the game has been seeing changes, so a mobile app is also available in certain states. However, you must be within the borders of one of these states in order to make use of these handy systems.

If you’re playing from elsewhere, tickets are available online from all major lottery betting sites – so there’s really no excuse for you not to get a ticket!

When is the Mega Millions Draw?

Mega Millions is drawn live every Tuesday and Friday evening at 11 pm Eastern time (10 pm Central time). An aspect that makes this lottery so popular is that it rolls over until all six numbers are matched. So, when the Mega Millions results come out, the jackpot is often a massive amount!

When do Ticket Sales Close for Mega Millions?

It’s important to note that not all states have a unified cut-off time for their Mega Millions ticket sales. With this in mind, it’s essential to check with your local lottery office for the exact times of the area you’re in. We’ve listed the latest schedule for all the states to point you in the right direction.

Cut-Off Times for Players Using Lottery Sites

Online betting platforms generally allow for ticket sales up to 15 minutes before the draw. Since the draw is at 11 pm Eastern time, the cut-off will be at 10:45 pm Eastern time.

It’s always a good idea to get your tickets in advance to avoid a rush and an even better idea would be to buy tickets for multiple draws at once. That’s how you can tick “buying tickets” off your to-do list and you’ll be set for a few draws into the near future, making sure you don’t miss out on a chance to win. Remember, the more you play, the better your chances of winning!

Official Cut-Off Times for US States

• Arizona: 6:59 pm
• Arkansas: 9:45 pm Central time
• California: 7:45 pm Pacific time
• Colorado: 7:30 pm
• Connecticut: 10:00 pm
• Delaware: 9:45 pm
• Florida: 10:00 pm Eastern
• Georgia: 10:45 pm Eastern
• Idaho: 9:00 pm
• Illinois: 9:45 pm
• Indiana: 10:44 pm Eastern
• Iowa: 8:59 pm
• Kansas: 8:59 pm
• Kentucky:10:45 pm Eastern
• Louisiana: 9:00 pm
• Maine: 9:50 pm Eastern
• Massachusetts: 10:45 pm
• Michigan: 10:45 pm
• Minnesota: 9:00 pm
• Mississippi: 10:45 pm
• Missouri: 8:59 pm
• Montana: 8:00 pm
• Nebraska: 10:00 pm
• New Hampshire: 9:50 pm
• New Jersey: 10:45 pm
• New Mexico: 8:45 pm
• New York: 10:45 pm
• North Carolina: 10:45 pm
• North Dakota: 8:58 pm
• Ohio: 10:45 pm
• Oklahoma: 8:59 pm
• Oregon: 7:00 pm Pacific
• Pennsylvania: 9:59 pm
• Rhode Island: 9:50 pm
• South Carolina: 10:00 pm
• South Dakota: 9:00 pm
• Tennessee: 10:45 pm Eastern
• Texas: 9:45 Central
• Vermont: 9:50 pm
• Virginia: 10:45 pm
• Washington D.C.: 10:45 pm
• West Virginia: 9:45 pm
• Wisconsin: 9:00 pm
• Wyoming: 8:00 pm

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Final Thoughts

As you can see from the info we’ve provided, playing the Mega Millions is a breeze! To avoid getting stuck in a long line at your local lottery outlet, or missing the cut-off time, opt to purchase your ticket from a betting platform like theLotter. In addition to never having to worry about a lost ticket, you’ll also have peace of mind that you don’t have to rush to an outlet on draw day, before the cut off time!

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