Can You Buy A Powerball Ticket With A Credit Card?
The lottery. It’s a sour subject with many as people think of it as another form of gambling. While it is basically gambling, it’s one of the most alluring ways to potentially win life-changing sums of money.
Today, the average American millennial spends approximately $976 a year on the lottery such as Powerball tickets. This is quite understandable as a few bucks can give you the chance of becoming a lot wealthier.
However, the chances of winning the grand prize are very slim (sorry to burst that bubble!)
According to lotterycritic.com, you have a higher chance of becoming an American President than winning the Powerball jackpot. According to Lottery Critic, the chances of winning the Powerball jackpot are 1 in 292,201,338.
That being said, the chances of being born are almost impossible so there is always a chance of hitting it big with the lottery.
As well as the long odds, you can be restricted to how you pay for your Powerball ticket. So, that leads us to the main question – is it possible to buy a Powerball ticket with a credit card?
To find out the answer to this question, continue reading as we discuss certain state rules of buying a lottery ticket and the possible negatives of purchasing a lottery ticket with a credit card.
Buying a Powerball or Lottery ticket with a credit card. Is it possible?
Buying a lottery ticket with a credit card is allowed depending on where you live. Some states have restrictions on lotto payments and prohibit the use of credit cards being used to buy a Powerball or lottery ticket.
Approximately two dozen states have a ban on the use of credit cards to purchase lottery tickets. Why? It is to help prevent people from gambling with money that they may not have available in their accounts.
Six states go even further than this and prohibit the sale of lottery tickets altogether. This is because they do not have state lotteries and, therefore, do not participate in any multi-state lotteries. The six states are:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Hawaii
- Mississippi
- Nevada
- Utah
Overall, 21 states permit the use of a credit card to purchase a Powerball or Lottery ticket. These states are:
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Delaware
- Indiana
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Kansa
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Michigan
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- New York
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- South Dakota
- Vermont
- Washington
Certain legislatures in some of these states have made purchasing lottery tickets with a credit card a little more complicated.
It is possible to be banned from purchasing lottery tickets if a merchant has decided they do not want to accept any credit card payments for lottery tickets going forward.
For instance, Safeway does not allow customers to buy a Powerball or lottery ticket with a credit card. “What about a debit card?” we hear you ask. Well, this may be possible but it depends on the store and chain.
Some retailers and states also prohibit the use of debit cards to buy lottery tickets.
So, it’s always best to take some cash with you if you intend to buy a Powerball ticket just in case credit or debit cards are banned with your particular merchant.
Why You Shouldn’t Buy A Powerball or Lottery ticket With A Credit Card
Although purchasing items such as groceries and lottery tickets are more convenient with credit cards, there are some drawbacks. Below are some reasons why you should reconsider using a credit card to purchase a Powerball ticket.
Higher Risk Of Getting Into Debt
When you use a credit card, there is a higher chance of taking on debt to finance your gambling. It’s incredibly easy to get lured into the possibility of riches by just spending a few dollars.
At the end of the day, this is basically what gambling is in its simplest terms.
However, if you use a credit card to pay for your lottery ticket, you will be adding to your debt. Many people start with one ticket but decide to buy multiple tickets at once with their card. Throughout the year, these costs can quickly grow out of control.
There is help out there if you feel you are struggling with a gambling issue. You can contact the National Gambling Helpline Network in full confidentiality at (1-800-522-4700) 24 hours a day.
Less chance of earning any rewards
If you use your credit card to purchase lottery tickets, you will not receive many or any rewards. This is due to the reward structure that is fundamentally based on points gained and cashback. Gambling is not one of the categories where these rewards are possible.
Nevertheless, you can check the specific terms and conditions of your credit card company to see if you can earn points when buying a lotto ticket.
You will receive a better return by saving and/or investing
Yes, the lottery promises the possibility of riches that are out of your wildest imagination. Just choose a few numbers, spend a few dollars, and you could be living like the richest people on Earth in no time. The reality is that most of us will not win the lottery (sorry to burst that bubble AGAIN).
This is why buying low-risk stocks and shares that you should expect to maintain a steady growth is much better and more regarding financial strategy. This will help you grow your wealth far more than spending hundreds of dollars on lottery tickets every year.
Another option is to put your money into a high-yield savings account. Even a regular savings account can act as an emergency fund to pay for living expenses during a possible crisis.
Having money set aside for emergencies will give you peace of mind and extra security going forward. What you spend on Powerball tickets could be saved up for future investments but it’s down to you as an individual to make that decision.
In Summary
If you intend to buy lottery tickets with your credit card, you should ensure the state you live in allows it first. While it is possible to purchase Powerball and Lottery tickets with credit and debit cards in 21 states, certain legislatures make it more difficult than you would think. If you are reading this, you are possibly also interested in if you can use a credit card at a casino, or to buy stocks.
