How to Play in New York

It is becoming easier and easier to play the lottery in New York. You don’t even have to head out to your local retailer to fill out a playlip. Instead, you can use a purchasing service to securely order tickets from your phone, tablet or desktop.

Lottery couriers such as Jackpot.com allow you to play from the comfort of home while they do the hard work for you, sending out agents to buy your tickets. A scanned copy is then uploaded to your account to show that it has been purchased, keeping it far safer than a paper ticket. Winnings are then paid out swiftly, or you are given assistance in claiming if you’re lucky enough to win a major prize.

Find out below how to play Powerball in New York and how to play Mega Millions in New York.

Powerball

Powerball offers a jackpot of at least $20 million every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday night. The grand prize grows when it is not won so regularly goes far higher, and it has even been known to reach $2 billion.

Tickets close at 10:00 p.m. ET at retail locations, and messenger services usually suspend orders earlier to give their couriers time. Here’s a step-by-step guide to what you need to do to play Powerball:

• Start by selecting your numbers. You can get a Quick Pick if you are happy with a random selection, or choose five numbers from 1 to 26 and a Powerball between 1 and 26.
• Consider adding Power Play to your ticket. It costs an extra $1 per play, but any prize you win – apart from the jackpot – will be multiplied by at least 2x. The value of the multiplier is determined by a Power Play draw, and it can be 3x, 4x or 5x (or even 10x when the jackpot is lower than $150 million).
• Select how many drawings you want to play. You can enter your numbers in up to 39 consecutive drawings using the Multi-Draw area of a playslip.
• Pay for your entries. You’ll be handed a paper ticket to keep safe if you play in-store, or a digital image will be uploaded to your account if you use a courier.

Mega Millions

Mega Millions draw days are Tuesday and Friday, with tickets closing at 10:00 p.m. at retailers and the numbers selected an hour later. The jackpot works in the same way as Powerball – it starts at $20 million and keeps climbing until it is won. Follow these quick steps to take part:

• You have to pick six numbers in total. Choose five from a field of 1 to 70, plus a Mega Ball from a separate set between 1 and 25.
• Add the Megaplier for an extra $1 per game and your non-jackpot winnings will be increased by up to five times.
• Select ‘Just the Jackpot’ to get two Quick Picks for just $3 instead of $4. The twist is that you can only win the jackpot. You are not eligible for any other prizes.
• Decide how many consecutive drawings to play, up to a maximum of 26.
• Purchase your entries before the ticket cut-off time.

The aim of the game in Powerball and Mega Millions is to match the numbers you have selected to those that are drawn. Get them all the same and you’ll win or share the jackpot. You can also win by matching fewer numbers, with nine prize tiers in total in both lotteries.

Additional Play Options in New York

You can take advantage of the ‘Play It Again’ option if you have an old ticket from the last 30 days and wish to enter those same numbers. Give your ticket to a retailer and they will print a new one with exactly the same selections.

Claiming is easy, especially if you use a ticket purchasing service as most prizes will be paid directly into your online account. For bigger prizes, the courier will securely deliver your ticket so that you can claim the prize in person. Your options for any payout above $601 are to claim by mail or visit one of the New York Lottery’s customer service centers or prize centers.

You have one year to cash in lottery prizes in New York. You cannot remain anonymous if you win a major prize.

The New York Lottery

Known as North America’s largest and most profitable lottery, the New York Lottery contributes billions of dollars to the state’s education system every year.

New York has been the scene of many jackpots wins, for both Powerball and Mega Millions. Johnnie Taylor from Queens became the state’s record winner when he landed $476 million on Mega Millions in April 2023. Robert Bailey is among the biggest Powerball winners, having landed half of a jackpot worth $687 million in October 2018.