If you’re asking about when you can still buy a lottery ticket for a drawing, deadlines vary by country, game, and whether you’re buying in person or online. Here are the common patterns you’ll typically encounter:
- United Kingdom (National Lottery games like Lotto, EuroMillions, Thunderball, Set For Life)
- In shops: tickets usually close at 7:30 PM on the day of the draw.
- Online (website or app): ticket sales generally run from around 6:00 AM to 7:30 PM on draw days; any purchases after 7:30 PM are entered into the next drawing.
- Notes: you can check results and manage accounts outside sales hours, but the cutoff per draw remains 7:30 PM for entries. [Cite: general industry practice]
- United States (Powerball, Mega Millions, and state-specific games)
- Cutoff times are state- and game-specific, but typically tickets must be purchased several hours before the drawing (often around 9:00–10:00 PM local time for Powerball/Mega Millions, depending on the state).
- Online options exist in some states, with same-day cutoffs aligned to local drawing times. [Cite: state-by-state variations]
- Other jurisdictions
- Many national lotteries set a daily or semi-daily cutoff in the early evening local time; some online platforms close a bit earlier to process payments and entries.
Practical tips
- Check the exact cutoff for the game you’re playing and your location on the official lottery website or app, as these times are legally required and can differ for online vs. in-person sales.
- If you’re close to the deadline, don’t rely on memory—confirm the current draw’s cutoff time to ensure your entry is valid.
- If you miss the cutoff for a particular draw, your ticket will typically count for the next draw.
If you tell me your country and the specific lottery game (for example, UK Lotto, EuroMillions, Powerball, etc.), I can give you the precise cutoff time for that combination.
