The latest you can buy a Mega Millions ticket varies by state, but generally, ticket sales close between 15 minutes to over an hour before the drawing. Mega Millions drawings occur every Tuesday and Friday at 11:00 p.m. local time in most states. For example, in many states, the cutoff time to buy a ticket is around 9:45 p.m. to 9:50 p.m. on drawing nights, about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes before the drawing itself. Some third-party lottery apps may have an earlier deadline, such as nearly two hours before the drawing. Specific cutoff times depend on the local state lottery rules, so it is wise not to wait until the last moment to buy a ticket.
