From Mega Millions to the Powerball and Pick 3 and the Lotto+, you can now play the Colorado Lottery online. If you don't play, you can't win and you might just miss your chance for a life-changing payout.
Problem Gambling Helpline: Text or Call: 1-800-522-4700
The amount made from lotteries is always on a steady rise. With players winning billions of dollars in the Powerball Jackpot and the Mega Millions lotto, people’s interest in lotteries has increased even more. The idea that with a $2 ticket, a person can win thousands of dollars drives many people to purchase their tickets and participate in the game.
While a few American states are yet to legalize lotteries within their jurisdiction, Colorado has stayed ahead of the curve. Through the Colorado lottery, players within the state can safely purchase their tickets online and also indirectly generate revenue for the state. Keep reading to learn more about using the Colorado Lottery online.
History of the Colorado Lottery
Colorado has been involved in the lottery business since as far back as 1983. This Colorado Lottery is officially run by the state government because of the lottery revenue it raises returns to the state. In 1983, the Colorado Lottery was only selling scratch tickets, but eventually, the lottery draw was officially introduced to the state. Today, lottery and other forms of gambling like sports betting are legal but regulated in this state. Additionally, the lottery proceeds go to Great Outdoors Colorado, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and the Conservation Trust Fund.
Since 1983, the Colorado Lottery has greatly developed, and it is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association. It offers popular jackpots worth millions of dollars, like Powerball and Mega Millions, for players to enjoy and sells lotto tickets for in-state Colorado lottery games, also.
Can You Buy Lottery Tickets Online in Colorado?
The Colorado Lottery has an online app and a website that functions well for managing lottery tickets and winnings. However, players are not allowed to purchase tickets via the Colorado Lottery app or website.
Colorado Lottery online does not include the functionality of purchasing tickets. However, you can scan tickets you purchased physically and monitor their results. One reason why people use the Colorado Lottery website and its official app is because of bonus draws. When you scan your lotto tickets that didn’t win on the software, you can enter bonus draws and get an opportunity to win something. It also has a free play zone and frequently sends updates on draws and results to players.
Although buying lotto tickets directly online is still against Colorado lottery rules, users are allowed to use courier services like Jackpocket to purchase tickets indirectly.
Understanding How the Jackpocket App Works
The Jackpocket app is a third-party courier service that is officially permitted to operate in Colorado. The online service allows people to purchase Colorado lottery tickets from Mega Millions and other exciting games from the comfort of their homes without having to spend time in queues.
To get started, the user will create an account with Jackpocket and verify their identity. After this, they can select the game they are interested in playing, choose their numbers, and purchase tickets. Once this is done, an agent of Jackpocket will purchase the ticket from an official retailer, and Jackpocket will store it safely.
All updates on the lotto tickets will be shared with the user via the app and by email. If the numbers match the winning numbers drawn, the person will be notified and paid accordingly. For rewards less than $600, it will automatically enter the person’s Jackpocket account. However, for rewards that are more than $599, the ticket will be delivered to the person by Jackpocket according to the game rules.
Multi-State Lottery Association Games for Players in Colorado
Colorado residents can access the big jackpots through the Colorado Lottery website, as the state lottery is part of the multi-state lottery association. The Colorado Lottery has integrated the biggest games into the options available for players.
Powerball
The Powerball Jackpot, closely trailed by Mega Millions, has paid out the largest amount won in an American lottery in history. Colorado residents can enjoy the big Powerball jackpot prize and the other non-jackpot rewards via the Colorado lottery website and purchase tickets in person or with the Jackpocket App.
Lucky for Life
Lucky for life offers a huge reward of $1000 a day for life. It also has other rewards that offer thousands of dollars a year for life. Winners in Lucky for Life get also choose to collect a one-time cash payout instead of the daily or yearly reward.
Mega Millions
Mega Millions and PowerBall jackpot have both paid out billions of dollars to players who hit the big jackpot with their lotto tickets. Mega Millions allows users to use the Megaplier and the ‘Just the Jackpot’ feature to increase their chances of winning. Asides from the big Jackpot reward, there are smaller prizes for players that can go into thousands of dollars or even up to a million.
Colorado In-State Lottery Games
Colorado residents also get to enjoy exclusive state lotteries where they get good chances of hitting big prizes. These prizes here are not as big as what is given in Mega Millions or in the Powerball jackpot, but they still offer interesting rewards.
Lotto+
Colorado Lotto allows players to select six out of 40 numbers and purchase tickets with their selections. The lottery tickets can also be played with the Plus feature, which costs an additional $1 for another chance to win. There is a jackpot prize here that accumulates over time. For the smaller prizes, they are placed at $250, $25, and $3, but they can be multiplied with Colorado Lotto multipliers.
Cash 5
Cash 5 allows players to purchase tickets with a selection of 5 out of 32 numbers. It allows for advanced play, and with another feature, EZ match, which costs an additional $1, players can win instantly at checkout. The prizes here could go as high as $20,000 or as low as $1.
Pick 3
In Pick 3, players select three numbers from zero to nine, and they can be unique numbers or be repeated. Pick 3 has different betting options available at different prices. At $.50, you can bet Exact Order, Any Order, Front Pair, and Back Pair. And when you wager $1, $2, or $5, there are even more options available. Rewards in this game could go into thousands of dollars for lucky players.
Check out all the amazing in-state Colorado lottery options and free zone games available on the Colorado Lottery App.
Common Jackpot Prizes on Colorado Lottery Games
The big Colorado Lottery games like Mega Millions and the Powerball jackpot use progressive jackpots to guarantee massive wins. Progressive Jackpots give away huge amounts of money because they keep increasing till some lucky lotto tickets eventually hit it.
In the PowerBall jackpot and Mega Millions, the starting number for the jackpot amounts is about $20 million. This amount recently dropped from $40 million because big games like Mega Millions set the value of the jackpot based on projected sales. After every round where nobody wins the jackpot, the total prize will increase. This increase could be a fixed amount like $5 million, or it can be a number derived from the amount made from ticket sales. Whenever a person wins the jackpot, they get all the money in it, and it restarts from the base amount.
In these Colorado Lottery Games, there are also smaller prizes that are won by matching easier criteria than is required to activate the jackpot.
How to Purchase Colorado Lottery Tickets and Scratch Cards
To purchase a Colorado Lottery ticket or Scratch card, you can visit a physical retailer near you, or you can use an online service to get life tickets. Colorado lottery rules do not allow buying tickets online, but the state allows players to use Jackpocket to get their lottery tickets remotely. You can get Mega Millions tickets using the Jackpocket app, but you can’t get them on the Mega Millions site or on the Colorado lottery app.
The Jackpocket app allows the user to buy tickets online, and a Jackpocket agent will purchase the tickets directly from the physical retailer. It stores and manages the ticket and sends notifications to the player whenever there are any updates related to their Colorado lottery tickets.
If you are interested in enjoying extra benefits after you get your lotto tickets, you can download the Colorado lottery app and activate rewards. Scan your tickets in the Colorado lottery app and enjoy exciting features to improve your chances of winning and have more fun.
Problem Gambling Helpline: Text or Call: 1-800-522-4700
Matthew Brown is an avid researcher and iGaming expert. He joined the EatWatchBet team in 2021 as a Senior Editor. His primary areas of focus include industry news, legislative changes, and sportsbook reviews. Matt is an avid sports fan and lifelong fan of the Packers and Tigers.
