If you are looking for online lotto play and you live in the Prairie State, you are in luck! Illinois has a long-running state lotto, which has brought in significant revenue for the state since its formation in 1974. It was the first state to offer legal online lottery ticket sales, with Lotto and Mega Millions draws available. It now offers Powerball, Mega Millions, Lotto and more, meaning residents will have plenty of fun and convenient options to play.

Legal Online Lotteries Available in Illinois

Illinois residents now have the opportunity to take part in the state’s most popular and exciting lotteries, including US Powerball and Mega Millions, instantly online. These lottos sell millions of tickets every week and have offered billions in payouts since their creation, making them two of the USA’s most popular draws.

Here are the most popular online lotteries you can play from Illinois:

US Powerball – Make Your $40 Million (or more!)

Powerball is one of the earliest national lotto games, played by a large jurisdiction of 21 states nationwide since its formation in 1992. Players vie for a minimum $40 million payout, and drawings are held every Wednesday and Saturday evening. The largest ever lottery jackpot was created in 2016, when three winners split a $1.586 billion Powerball ticket.

Mega Millions – Guaranteeing Cosmic Amounts to the Lucky Ones

If you have ever wondered how to become a millionaire overnight, the Mega Millions lottery is one of your options. It’s more widely spread than the Powerball and is available in a total of 44 states. It’s impossible to win below the $40 million mark here with the all-time record being $1.537 billion that was one by a single lucky winner in 2018…talking about becoming a millionaire in exchange for a single $2 ticket.

Lucky Day Lotto – Make Today Your Day

Though you might not recognize Lucky Day Lotto as quickly by name as some of the other draws, this Illinois game has been around longer than you may realize. Originally called Cash 5 and created in 1988, the game has gone through several iterations but the current one is quite popular due to its seven-days-a-week draws.

Illinois’s Lottery Control board consists of four members who advise the Lottery Director and Department of Lottery in the state. This multi-tiered organization started back in 1974, with the first legalization of lotto drawings in Illinois. Earnings go to a variety of projects in the state, including the Common School Fund and the Capital Projects Fund.

History of Illinois Lottery

Illinois’s lotto has been around for a long time and has produced literally hundreds of millionaires in its history. Part of that popularity may be because of its plethora of lotto options. The state was also the first to introduce online lotto sales, even before the game-changing mandate on the Federal Wire Act in 2011.

Famous Winners – Feel the Illi-Noise!

Illinois’s lottery has made a number of players into millionaires. Recently, in 2017, Patricia Busking collected the largest prize in the state’s lotto history, a grand total of $393 million in Mega Millions. If you want to take your chance in current Mega Millions draws, check out where to play online now.

Online Lotto Legal Age in Illinois

If you are 18 years and older, you’re in luck because you’ll be able to engage in any lottery activities you’d like. There is one condition here, as you have to create an online account and verify that you meet the age requirements. This is the solution the local lawmakers came with in order to limit any abuse with the system and prohibit underage citizens to participate.

• Lottery Age
  The legal online lotto age is 18 in Illinois.
• Alcohol Age
  The legal drinking age is 21 in Illinois.
• Weed Age
  If you are 21 years of age and medically licensed, you can legally smoke marijuana in Illinois.

Is Online Lotto Legal When You Are Out of the State?

Fortunately for Illinois residents, the state is one of the few that offers a range of online lotto play options, with a variety of games and no subscription requirements! A couple others, including Kentucky for example, offer it as well. However, most states have not yet legalized online lotto, and you should always check individual state laws before you play.

The Best Lottery Mobile App

Mobile apps make it fun and easy to check winnings directly from your phone, wherever you go. Illinois is not partnered with apps like Jackpocket for buying tickets online quite yet, but you can use its handy Illinois Lottery app to check your store-bought tickets and even to redeem winnings instantly. It will also alert you about the biggest jackpots with push notifications if you so choose.

Online Lottery Promotions to Take Advantage Of

There are often promotions available to players in states where online lotto is legal. These include welcome offers, daily spins and other bonuses, and can even improve your odds when playing lotto games online. There are currently no major promotions to report for online lotto in Illinois, though players of the mobile app can redeem winnings instantly, which is a great bonus.

Taxes on Lotto Winnings in Illinois

Lotto earnings are considereed taxable income according to the IRS and it will be collected in accordance with these regulations. The same goes for the Illinois’s online lotto, as well. At the moment, the state’s Lottery Control Board withholds Federal taxes at 25% and State taxes at 4.95%. Keep in mind that separate cities can take further chuncks out of the total as per localized laws.

Upcoming Regulation Changes for Online Lottery

Due to the legalized nature of the online lottery in Illinois, we can’t speculate on what’s to come and be expected in the foreseeable future. A possible deal with a mobile lotto app like Jackpocket would prove extremely useful. Not to mention the possibility of offering ticket buys and daily deals on its state-run app, which would significantly boost the playing opportunities. And while we wait to see how everything will unfold here in the near future, we suggest you take a look at our detailed Illinois gambling page, where you will find information on all things gamble-related in the state.

Lottery Guides for Nearby States

• Iowa
• Indiana
• Wisconsin
• Missouri