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Texas Lottery

The Texas Lottery offers a wide range of in-house draw games, multi-state draw games, and scratch tickets. Popular games include Powerball, Mega Millions, Lotto Texas, All or Nothing, and Texas Two Step, with tickets available at more than 16,000 licensed lottery retailers.

Texas does not offer internet lottery (iLottery) games. You used to be able to purchase lottery tickets via five online courier services in the Lone Star State, including Jackpocket and Lotto.com. However, those are no longer available. If you hope to play lottery-style games online, you can play some at social and sweepstakes casinos (such as online scratchcard games at LuckyLand Slots). For official Texas Lottery games, you need to visit a brick-and-mortar retailer.

This page breaks down the options available to lottery players in Texas. We will discuss the games you can play, your payment options, and how to claim prizes.

Texas online lottery options

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Texas lottery snapshot

Here are some quick facts about the Texas Lottery, which was legalized after voters approved a constitutional amendment in November 1991.

Launch dateMay 1992
Available gamesIn-house draw games, multi-state draw games, scratchers
Mega MillionsYes
PowerballYes
ScratchersYes
iLottery gamesNo
Courier servicesNo
Gambling age18

Can I play lottery games online in Texas?

Official Texas lottery games? No. Texas does not have an iLottery program, and courier services are not allowed in the Lone Star State.

If you enjoy scratchers or Keno, you can play at social and sweepstakes casinos, however. These sites let you play for free with virtual currency. But if you happen to win, you can redeem those winnings for cash prizes.

National lottery drawings

When most Texans think about the lottery, two names immediately come to mind. Powerball and Mega Millions are the most popular and best-known lottery games in Texas and, for that matter, in the country as a whole.

So, let’s discuss these drawings before we talk about anything else.

Powerball icon

Powerball

The Texas Lottery Commission voted 3-0 to join Powerball in January 2010. Tickets went on sale later that month, and the first drawing for Texans took place on Feb. 3, 2010.

There have been two Powerball jackpot winners in Texas since then. Paul McDowell won $40 million in May 2013, while TL Management Trust landed a $564 million jackpot in February 2015 from a ticket purchased in Princeton, Texas.

This game follows a simple format. Tickets cost $2, and you need to choose five main numbers from 1-69, plus a Powerball from 1-26. You win the jackpot if all six numbers match.

Mega Millions icon

Mega Millions

Texas joined the Mega Millions consortium in 2003. There have been lots of Mega Millions jackpot winners in the Lone Star State since then.

In September 2024, a player won an $810 million jackpot from a Mega Millions ticket purchased at a gas station in Sugar Land, Texas. The winner, who became the 15th player to win the Mega Millions jackpot in Texas, opted to take home a lump sum of $404.2 million, before taxes.

Mega Millions is similar to Powerball, as you need to match six numbers to land the jackpot. Tickets also cost $2 for this game, and you need to select five numbers from 1-709, plus a Mega Ball number from 1-25.

Other draw games in Texas

There are also various in-state draw games in Texas. They are only available to players in the state, so they tend to have smaller jackpots than games like Mega Millions and Powerball, but the prizes can still be huge.

  • Lotto Texas
  • Texas Two Step
  • All or Nothing
  • Cash Five
  • Daily 4
  • Pick 3

Scratchers

Texas Gov. Ann Richards purchased the state’s first scratch ticket at Polk’s Feed Store in Oak Hill on May 29, 1992. Scratchers have remained popular in the Lone Star State ever since, and these are some of the best options.

Game of Thrones

Tickets cost $5 for this scratcher, which offers more than $23 million in prizes. The top prize is $100,000, while runner-up prizes of $5, $10, $20, $25, $50, $100, $200, $500, $1,000, and $5,000 are also available.

The odds of winning any prize are 1 in 4.28 on this scratch game, which is inspired by the popular fantasy series.

Dallas Cowboys / Houston Texans

Football fans can buy Dallas Cowboys-branded scratchers. Tickets cost $5 and prizes include cash, Cowboys season tickets, VIP training camp experiences, $500 Cowboys gift cards, and “Wild Weekend” packages.

The top prize is $100,000, and runner-up prizes range from $5 to $5,000. Your overall odds of winning are 1 in 3.8.

You can alternatively buy tickets for a similar scratcher launched in partnership with the Houston Texans. The format is similar, with a $5 ticket prize, odds of 1 in 3.79, a top prize of $100,000, runner-up prizes of $5 to $5,000, and the chance to win VIP season tickets, a luxury suite at the stadium, or a private plane trip to an away game.

$400 Million Mega Bucks

If you’re hunting larger prizes, you might like to consider the $400 Million Mega Bucks scratcher. Tickets cost $100, but the top prize is $5 million, and runner-up prizes range from $150 to $50,000.

The overall odds of winning a prize in this game are 1 in 3.84, and the tickets also feature bonus symbols. This game has an overall prize pool of $400 million.

Texas lottery weekly schedule

Some draw games are held six days per week in Texas, whereas other games are only held on two or three days each week. Here is the weekly schedule for Texas lottery games.

Draw GameDraw DaysDraw Time
PowerballMonday, Wednesday, Saturday9:59 p.m.
Mega MillionsTuesday, Friday10 p.m.
Lotto TexasMonday, Wednesday, Saturday10.12 p.m.
Texas Two StepMonday, Thursday10.12 p.m.
Cash FiveMonday-Saturday10.12 p.m.
Pick 3, Daily 4, All or NothingMonday-Saturday10 a.m., 12:27 p.m., 6 p.m., 10.12 p.m.

Texas lottery payment options

You can use cash, check, debit card, or Texas Lottery coupons and vouchers to purchase lottery tickets at a licensed retailer, such as a gas station or convenience store.

Responsible gambling

Success is never guaranteed when you play lottery games in Texas. They should not be treated as a guaranteed solution to any financial goals or difficulties you may have, and you should never play with money you cannot afford to lose.

The Texas Lottery does not run a voluntary self-exclusion program, but the site has a detailed section on responsible gambling. There are links to various organizations that can help, including the National Council on Problem Gambling site. Call 1-800-GAMBLER if you need immediate support with a gambling problem.

Texas Lottery FAQ

Yes, Texas lottery games are safe to play. You can buy tickets from more than 16,000 licensed lottery retailers across the state.

Yes, there have been several Powerball and Mega Millions winners in Texas. Data from the Texas Lottery Commission shows that five players have won more than $100 million. A player in Sugar Land won $810 million in 2024, while another player in Leander, a suburb north of Austin, won $227 million from a Mega Millions ticket.

Yes, the IRS will consider any Texas lottery winnings to be taxable income. There is no state income tax in Texas, but you will need to pay federal income tax. Your lottery winnings will be added to any other income earned that year, and your tax rate will be determined by your total income and your marital status.

Any jackpots of more than $5 million must be claimed in person at the Texas Lottery Commission headquarters in Austin.  Call to make an appointment for processing. Prizes of $2.5 million to $5 million can be claimed at local claim centers in Dallas, Fort Worth and San Antonio, although you will need to fill out a claim form online first.

Yes, you will need to pay federal income tax if you win the lottery as part of a group in Texas. Fill out Form 5754, which will allow the Texas Lottery to withhold the correct amount of tax for each player in the group. You will be issued with a Form W-2G, which details your tax withheld, and you can attach it when filing your IRS return.

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