Lottery courier app Jackpocket is now live in Massachusetts in partnership with convenience store chain Circle K. Massachusetts residents can now play the lottery from home or on the go using the Jackpocket app.
Jackpocket is offering new players a free $2 lottery ticket by using the code “HEYMASS” during checkout to celebrate the launch. Players can use Jackpocket to purchase tickets for their favorite online lottery games. That includes Powerball and Mega Millions, which have been producing billion-dollar jackpots with surprising regularity in recent years.
Powerball recently produced the seventh such jackpot in US history. Mega Millions will be on the cusp of creating the eighth if there are no winners in the $910 million draw coming up on July 28.
In addition to Powerball and Mega Millions, Massachusetts players can play state draws such as MassCash, Megabucks Doubler, Lucky for Life, and The Numbers Game.
Jackpocket has been growing in popularity among lottery players, as demonstrated by its role in the recent $1.08 billion Powerball run. Over the course of 39 drawings for that jackpot, 370,000 users bought winning tickets through Jackpocket.
Jackpocket says that orders using its app accounted for about 13% of all Powerball sales over the past year in states where the company operates. Since its launch, players have won over $300 million in prizes using the Jackpocket app, including $7.2 million from drawings leading up to that latest Powerball jackpot.
What MA Players Can Expect From Jackpocket
Jackpocket is entering Massachusetts as an official partner of the state lottery. Users can place ticket orders using the secure platform. Jackpocket fulfills these orders by purchasing tickets on its users’ behalf at a licensed lottery retailer. In Massachusetts, Circle K will be acting as its retailer partner.
Following the purchase, players receive a scanned image of their ticket as confirmation. The app will then send automatic notifications if they win a prize. For prizes under $600, Jackpocket credits winnings instantly to the player’s account through the app. Larger prizes require the buyer to redeem the ticket in person, so Jackpocket will send the winning ticket to the player. They can then ticket to a Massachusetts Lottery location to claim the prize.
Participants must be at least 18 years old to use the Jackpocket app in Massachusetts and within the state borders at the time of purchase.
Some Relief for MA Players Waiting for iLottery
Since 1972, the Massachusetts Lottery has generated over $31 billion in tax revenue. That has funded essential causes, including school services, senior programs, and recreation projects, in every city and town in the state.
Massachusetts ranks among the highest lottery-grossing states. The average lottery player in the state spends about $800 on tickets annually. That puts the Bay State at number one, far ahead of the closest state, New York.
That’s why it hasn’t been surprising that some lawmakers have been pushing to create an online lottery in Massachusetts. However, efforts have faced serious resistance, especially from small business owners and the state Senate.
Gas station and convenience store owners claim that lottery tickets are a primary source of income and business traffic. They argue that an online lottery will jeopardize their revenue and cause job losses in the sector.
This year’s online lottery push had support from Governor Maura Healy and State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg. Even so, like previous efforts, it failed to pass in the Senate.
Unlike an online lottery, Jackpocket doesn’t need a new law to operate, only permission from the lottery agency. That’s because it isn’t technically selling tickets, merely buying them on players’ behalf.
Expansion Plans Include Online Casino, Live Games
Massachusetts will be the 17th US jurisdiction in which Jackpocket operates. The app is now available in:
Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Washington DC, and West Virginia.
Meanwhile, Jackpocket is looking to expand its business beyond lottery courier services. At the end of June, Jackpocket announced partnering with comedian and former HQ Trivia host Scott Rogowsky to bring its first-ever live game.
Additionally, Jackpocket plans to enter the online casino sector. The company has chosen New Jersey as its first state and received regulatory approval on April 28, moving it closer to launch.
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