In June 2018, the Pennsylvania (PA) Lottery launched their mobile application for iOS and Android devices. The app was developed by Scientific Games.
Pennsylvania’s iLottery launched in May 2018, following a gambling expansion bill that was passed during the latter half of 2017. There was a soft launch prior to the official release of the app, during which the PA Lottery thoroughly tested its functionality.
Availability and system requirements
The Pennsylvania Online Lottery app is available for iOS (Apple) and Android devices (e.g., Sony and Samsung). If you are an iOS user, you can download the mobile application directly from the App Store. On the other hand, Android users must download the software as a third-party application, because the Google Play Store does not allow lottery apps.
You can also text APP to 66835 or enter a phone number on the Pennsylvania iLottery website to receive a download link.
For iOS devices, you must have iOS 9.0 or later. It is compatible with the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch devices. Apple products that can run iOS 9.0 include the iPhone 4S and later models; the iPad Mini and iPad Air; and the 5th generation iPod Touch Plus.
For Android devices, you must be running a phone or tablet that has Android version 4.0– Ice Cream Sandwich– or higher. Given that Android 4.0 was released in 2013, current devices should have no trouble running the Pennsylvania iLottery app.
- To check which iOS version you are running, navigate to Settings > General > About.
- To check which Android version you are running, navigate to Settings > About Phone and scroll down.
Bonuses for app users
Bonuses available while using the Pennsylvania iLottery app are the same as those available on the web-based platform.
You can sign up for a Pennsylvania Lottery account either through the website or the app, and the same account can be used to access both once you’ve registered. Entering our bonus code in the promo code box will credit your account with $5 to spend on the iLottery. You will have 48 hours to spend it before it expires. The bonus cannot be redeemed for cash and must be used to play any of the lottery’s instant games.
At present, there are no exclusive bonuses or promotions for using the Pennsylvania iLottery app.
Mobile games overview
You can purchase tickets for instant games with your balance on the Pennsylvania iLottery app; however, you must visit physical Pennsylvania Lottery retailers to purchase draw tickets, fast play games, and traditional scratch-offs.
The list of instant games available through the iOS and Android apps includes 14 titles:
- Foxin’ Wins
- Big Money Slingo
- Super Cash Buster
- Bigfoot
- Cash in the Lamp
- Super Gems
- Robin Hood
- Volcano Eruption
- Cash Buster Towers
- Crossword Cash
- Monster Wins
- Big Eats Little
- Ballroom Bingo
Most of these are reveal-style games with minimum and maximum bets ranging between $0.01 and $40, respectively. All games can be tried out for free in demo mode before making a real-money deposit. Next to each game is an “info” button which, when tapped, displays the rules and chances of winning for a specific game. The odds of winning any prize can be as good as one in 2.40 (Big Money Slingo) or as poor as one in 5.82 (Monster Wins).
Games take around 10-15 seconds to load and the interface action buttons are large enough to make placing bets and initiating rounds straightforward.
Make sure to enable portrait-orientation mode before launching the games from your smartphone.
Unfortunately, it’s currently impossible to use the PA lottery mobile app (or the browser-based app, for that matter) to purchase tickets for draw games such as Mega Millions or Powerball.
Although you have access to a limited number of games through the app, there are still many useful features. You can check tickets using your Ticket Checker, view drawings of Keno games, see all the latest scratch-offs available and their remaining prizes, and view all the current fast play tickets and their current top jackpots.
Banking methods
Once your account has been registered and verified, you can deposit money through the app’s cashier using the same payment methods available through the desktop platform:
- Debit Cards
- ACH e-checks
- PayNearMe cash deposits
Withdrawals can be made using electronic checks only and require three business days for processing by lottery staff and then at least three days for bank processing.
You can access the cashier by tapping the menu icon– three horizontal lines– located in the top-left corner of the app screen. From there, you are greeted by a range of options, including the option to deposit, withdraw, and add funding methods.
The minimum limit for deposits and withdrawals is $10.
Technical problems
Although the Pennsylvania Lottery app went through a soft launch phase, it has suffered some technical difficulties following its official launch, which has attracted bad press.
Players complained about the app crashing, constantly being required to log back into their accounts, and being asked to reverify their ages.
The PA Lottery has since released several updates that rectify these problems. If you are still experiencing technical difficulties, it is recommended that you update your app.
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