Illinois was one of the earliest adopters of the online lottery, and it’s still going strong. You can enjoy iLottery games in the Land of Lincoln using the Illinois Lottery’s app or mobile site. Available games include draw games and eInstants.
This page is your go-to guide for everything you should know about Illinois iLottery, including the best games to play and any need-to-know rules. Read on for everything you should know before playing.
Options for purchasing lottery tickets online in Illinois
There’s only one way to play online lottery games in Illinois, and that is through the Illinois Lottery. The state lottery offers a mobile app and a website, both of which are extremely polished and have an excellent user experience. Here are the basics you should know before you play.
Rules and regulations
The main rule to keep in mind is the minimum age. You must be 18 or older to play online in Illinois, and your age will be confirmed using the details you provide on sign-up.
Additional requirements to play online are:
- You must be a resident of Illinois.
- You must be physically located in Illinois at the time of purchase.
- You must have a registered Illinois Lottery account.
The main takeaway: out-of-state visitors cannot play iLottery games in Illinois.
The Illinois iLottery also imposes a maximum weekly deposit limit of $1,050. You can lower your deposit limit if you wish, and it will take effect immediately. If you wish to raise it again, the request will take 24 hours to take effect. Your weekly deposit limit can never go above $1,050.
If you attempt to make a deposit that exceeds your limit, the Illinois Lottery app or site will not allow the transaction and notify you that your limit has been reached.
Fees
The Illinois Lottery does not impose any fees on its users. In other words, you can create an account for free. When you deposit $150, you’ll see $150 in your account, so there’s no deposit fee. The same goes for withdrawals. Whatever you withdraw comes back to you 100%.
Illinois iLottery players can purchase subscriptions for game tickets over the long term, which are priced based on the ticket cost. There are no added fees beyond what you normally pay for those entries.
One important thing to note is you can only withdraw winnings. Say you deposit $200 into your Illinois Lottery account, play with $50, and then decide you don’t want to use the rest. You can’t take that remaining $150 out unless you’ve used it to play and won a prize. For this reason, we recommend choosing your deposit amount very carefully. Only deposit money you intend to spend.
Promotions and bonuses
Promotions and bonuses are sporadic at the Illinois online lottery. For example, there’s no consistent welcome bonus for new players. We have occasionally seen a small welcome bonus (generally, a bonus ticket worth $2-5), but those are usually only available for a week or two.
Occasionally, IL lottery players who already have an account will find a special promotion, especially for eInstants. For example, get a voucher to play Big Bucks Highway when you purchase five or more Hot 100s tickets. Other bonuses include second-chance promotions and sweepstakes entries. To find current bonuses at the Illinois iLottery, head to “Promotions and Events” under the “More” option in the main menu.
Online lottery games available in Illinois
Illinois iLottery games are plentiful, and new ones launch from time to time, bringing more variety into the mix. Here’s a look at some of the main games you can enjoy in Illinois.
Powerball is among the most popular lottery games in the country, and Illinois players can get in on the action online. Illinois iLottery players can manually pick numbers, use Quick Pick, or save favorites. The app also allows Powerball subscriptions or purchases for many future drawings.
Power Play is also available through the Illinois iLottery. This feature costs an extra $1 per ticket but can multiply non-jackpot prizes up to 10x.
You can play Mega Millions online for $2 per ticket. Just like with Powerball, you can select numbers manually, use Quick Pick, or save favorites for use in the future. Also, just like Powerball, you can spend an extra $1 for Megaplier, which multiplies non-jackpot prizes.
Additional online draw games available at the Illinois iLottery are:
- Lucky Day Lotto
- Pick 4 with Fireball: Prizes up to $5,000
- Pick 3 with Fireball: Prizes up to $500
- Lotto Extra Shot: Increasing jackpots
All of these draw games are accessible from the homepage of the IL Lottery app or website.
The Illinois Lottery versions of eInstants are called Fast Play games. Prices range from $1 to $30 per ticket, with massive prizes available. These games resolve within a few seconds or minutes once you start them, so they function similarly to retail scratch cards. A few of our favorite IL Fast Play games are:
- 10x Lucky: Match numbers for prizes in this $10 game with a maximum prize of $50,000.
- Big Number Knockout: A $5 game where you don’t want to see your numbers on the board. The maximum prize is a progressive jackpot.
- Ultimate Diamond Jackpot: This $30 game is the highest-priced Fast Play game. It plays just like a scratcher. Match numbers to win prizes up to a progressive jackpot that regularly climbs beyond $1 million.
Many more Fast Play games are offered at the Illinois iLottery. There is enough variety in themes and mechanics to satisfy any player of online lottery games.
Is it safe to play the lottery online in Illinois?
Yes, it is safe to play lottery games online in the Prairie State. The Illinois Lottery has a variety of safety measures in place to protect users and keep data safe.
The first safeguard is the sign-up process, which requires that all new players verify their identity, age, and address. This helps the Lottery prevent underage players from playing and keeps wrongdoers from creating an account in your name.
Also, when playing online, you are protected by SSL Encryption. Encrypting your data as it travels from your device to the Illinois Lottery’s servers keeps your data safe. It is considered the gold standard of first-line internet defense and is used by banks, online retailers, and other industries.
Regulation
One more reason that you can trust the Illinois iLottery is because it is a well-regulated operation.
The Lottery Control Board advises the Lottery Director and Department of Lottery.
The Lottery Control Board’s meetings are available for public viewing, so you can see what issues they discuss.
What do Illinois lottery proceeds support?
Lottery proceeds in Illinois fund education. Here’s a percentage breakdown of where the Illinois Lottery’s money goes.
prizes paid to winners
to the common school fund and other specialty causes
retailer commissions and selling bonuses
other expenses, including operations
During fiscal year 2023, the Illinois Lottery was responsible for roughly 8% of the $9.7 billion in state funding.
Responsible gambling resources available for Illinois online lottery players
The Illinois Lottery offers many resources for responsible gambling. It is certified by the World Lottery Association as a Responsible Gaming Framework Level 4. It is also a member of the National Council on Problem Gambling and the Illinois Council on Problem Gambling.
The Illinois Lottery also offers a self-exclusion program for players who wish to be excluded from play.
If you think you need immediate help, you can contact the National Gambling Helpline:
- Phone: 1-800-GAMBLER
- Text: 800GAM
- Live Chat
Additional resources available to online lottery players in Illinois include Gamblers Anonymous and Gam-Anon.
A brief history of iLottery in Illinois
Illinois opened its state Lottery in 1974. The first drawing took place on July 1 of that year.
Of course, the internet didn’t exist yet, and it wouldn’t for many years. It wasn’t until 2009 that Illinois passed amendments to the Lottery Law, which paved the way for iLottery in the state. The amendment kickstarted the Internet Pilot Program, allowing the Lottery to offer online Powerball and Mega Millions ticket purchases. Three years later, on March 25, 2012, Illinois was the first state to begin online lottery sales.
Latest news about the online lottery in Illinois
Illinois Lottery Operator Allwyn North America Honored For Work Environment
October 2, 2024 |Allwyn North America was recently named a top place to work in Chicago by Crain's, as it operates both the retail and online parts of the Illinois Lottery.
Online Sales Increase By $163 Million In FY24 For Illinois Lottery
September 26, 2024 |The Illinois Lottery hit a record total for iLottery sales in fiscal year 2024, adding $163 million to reach a new best at $687 million.
Illinois State Budget Adjusted With Higher 35% Tax On Video Gaming Terminals
June 6, 2024 |The latest Illinois state budget includes an increase in VGT tax rates, as the Evanston City Council recently rejected further expansion of the machines.
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