Official Lottery Mobile App

Official Lottery is a fun and convenient way to play the PA Lottery from your smartphone, tablet or computer. Simply enter your mobile phone number or text APP to 66835 and follow the instructions. Message and data rates may apply.

The state lottery is one of the most widely held forms of gambling in the world, generating more than $150 billion in annual revenues. It is a major source of tax revenue for the government in many states, and the prizes are often used to finance public works projects. But the lottery is also a frequent target of criticism from opponents who argue that it promotes addictive gambling behavior, increases crime, and is a regressive form of taxation for lower-income households.

Since New Hampshire’s adoption of a state lottery in 1964, almost every state has followed suit. Advocates of the lottery cite its popularity among voters and its ability to raise tax-free revenue for state programs. In the late twentieth century, this argument became even more compelling as state legislatures resorted to “earmarking” lottery proceeds for specific purposes, thus freeing up funds they would otherwise have had to allot from the general fund.

The popularity of the lottery is largely driven by its large jackpots, which draw interest and attention from the media and consumers. But while these big payouts are what people see when they buy tickets, the actual odds of winning are minuscule. The odds of a single ticket becoming a winner are 1 in 502,300,000 (or about 0.003 percent). And the chances of winning more than one prize in a single drawing are even smaller.