Florida Lottery cracks down on theLotter service. Can you buy lottery tickets online?

If you’re hoping to win part or all of that big $970 million Mega MIllions jackpot Tuesday night, make sure your tickets were bought in person.

Last week, the Florida Lottery announced it had shut down an unauthorized online service, theLotter, which allowed people to buy Florida lottery tickets online through local retailers.

“The Florida Lottery shuts down rouge [sic] operators who could potentially scam people in Florida,” Secretary for the Florida Lottery, John F. Davis, said in a release. “We are fully committed to supporting the integrity of the Florida Lottery, which benefits education in our state while ensuring that every player has the opportunity to participate in a fair game.

“Bad actors, beware.”

The service was discovered through routine monitoring, the Lottery said.

Playing the odds: How can you increase your chances of winning Mega Millions, Powerball or Florida Lotto?

What is theLotter?

Since 2002, theLotter has operated as a worldwide online lottery ticket purchasing and courier service. Agents from the company physically buy lottery tickets from a licensed retailer which are then scanned and uploaded to the customer’s account before the drawing.

A dropdown on the site allows customers from around the world to choose which state or U.S. territory to buy tickets from.

Winners are notified if they’ve won, with small prizes up to $600 paid into the customer’s account, according to the theLotter website. Winning tickets with larger jackpots are sent to the customer so they can claim their prize. TheLotter earns its revenue from markups and fees on ticket prices and does not take any of the winnings.

Can I buy Florida Lotto, Mega Millions and Powerball tickets through theLotter?

TheLotter has been a quiet presence in the Sunshine State for years, although the Lottery has cracked down on retailers using them in the past. When Aura Dominguez Canto won $30 million in 2017, Lottery officials investigated after her story on how she bought the ticket didn’t hold up, NBC 6 reported.

She ultimately got her winnings — she did get all six numbers, after all — but the package store in Campbellton that sold it to her through theLotter using a separate laptop, printer and scanner provided by the courier service lost its Florida Lottery license, as did others around the state.

In July, theLotter publicly announced it was expanding operations to Florida on behalf of people who were “physically located in the state.”

“We’re thrilled to bring our services to Florida,” Yael Hertz, theLotter Group CEO, said in a release. “Our launch in the Sunshine State marks a significant milestone for theLotter, and we are extremely proud to offer an accessible platform for ordering lottery tickets online. This brings a renewed level of convenience to customers in the area.”

As of Dec. 23, selecting “Florida” in the website dropdown brings up a popup that says, “all lottery games are temporarily unavailable.”

Has anyone won big in Florida through theLotter?

There may be many jackpots that owe their origin to third-party lottery courier services such as theLotter but unless the customer admits it or it comes out in an investigation, there may be no way to know.

Canto won $30 million in 2017. At least three $1 million Powerball tickets in 2016 were sold through theLotter, NBC 6 reported.

Can you buy Florida lottery tickets online?

No. Florida law does not currently offer or allow online sales of lottery tickets, according to the Florida Lottery website. Tickets must be purchased physically at one of the more than 13,000 authorized retailers in the state.

Can you buy Florida lottery tickets on behalf of someone else?

Yes. You may buy lottery tickets for another person such as a friend, a relative, or your office Mega Millions pool.

They also make great stocking stuffers, although the Lottery says they are intended for adults 18 and over.

Know when to ask for help

“Gambling Addiction is Real,” the Florida Lottery says on its Play Responsibly page. “We want our games to remain fun for our players at all times. But we recognize that over-playing can happen.

“If you or a loved one is struggling with a gambling addiction, we encourage you to seek help by contacting one of the organizations below.”

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Florida Lottery shuts down online ticket service The Lotter

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