The lottery is one of the world’s most popular games, with 44 states and the District of Columbia operating some form of state lottery. Other US jurisdictions that offer lotteries include Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the British Virgin Islands. While there is no national lottery, some states offer multi-jurisdictional games, such as Powerball and Mega Millions. These games draw huge jackpots and are played across the country.
The lottery in Virginia was launched in conjunction with the COVID-19 pandemic. Virginia legislators had passed a law allowing online lottery play before the virus hit the state, and Gov. Ralph Northam signed the bill in March 2020. The virus had shut down most casinos the week before the online lottery went live in January 2021, but the state’s government did not let that stop them from launching an online lottery. The lottery was up and running in the state’s casinos by the end of the year.
Despite its popularity, there are many drawbacks to playing the lottery in person. In the past, lottery fans had very few choices, and their choices were limited by where they lived. Moreover, they were afraid that they would lose money. Consequently, they tended to stick to playing the lottery in person, as opposed to online. Today, it is possible to play the lottery in a number of different locations, including gas stations, supermarkets, and gaming establishments.