What Time Do They Stop Selling Lottery Tickets in Texas?

Lottery fever sweeps the nation whenever a big jackpot is up for grabs. In Texas, home of the famous Mega Millions and Powerball multi-state games, lottery excitement reaches a fever pitch as the jackpots climb into the tens or even hundreds of millions.

With so much money at stake, it‘s no wonder Texas lottery players want to know exactly when ticket sales stop before each drawing. Keep reading to find out the cutoff times for purchasing Mega Millions, Powerball, Lotto Texas and other popular lottery games in the Lone Star State.

Mega Millions Sales Cutoff in Texas

Mega Millions drawings are held every Tuesday and Friday evening at 10:12 p.m. Central Time.

Ticket sales stop about an hour before the drawing, from 9:45 p.m. to 10:15 p.m CT. Any Mega Millions tickets purchased after 9:45 p.m. on Tuesday or Friday will be entered into the next drawing.

On drawing nights, the Texas Lottery website displays a countdown clock showing the time remaining until ticket sales close for that night‘s drawing.

As of February 17, 2023, the Mega Millions jackpot stands at $31 million, so make sure to get your ticket before 9:45 p.m. for a chance to win!

The Mega Millions cutoff time in Texas applies to both retail ticket purchases and online orders through the Jackpocket app. Jackpocket is a licensed digital courier that allows Texas lottery players to conveniently order official Mega Millions tickets online.

Powerball Sales Cutoff in Texas

Powerball drawings take place every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:12 p.m. Central Time.

In Texas, Powerball ticket sales stop at 9:00 p.m. CT on drawing nights—more than an hour before the actual drawing.

Any Powerball tickets bought after 9:00 p.m. will be entered into the next drawing. The Powerball jackpot currently sits at a whopping $76 million as of February 18, 2023.

You can buy Powerball tickets in person at any Texas Lottery retailer or online through Jackpocket up until 9:00 p.m. on drawing nights. Just don‘t wait until the last minute!

Lotto Texas Sales Cutoff

Lotto Texas drawings are held every Wednesday and Saturday at 10:12 p.m. Central Time.

On drawing nights, Lotto Texas ticket sales close at 9:45 p.m. CT, right before the scheduled drawing break.

If you try to buy a Lotto Texas ticket between 9:45 p.m. and 10:15 p.m. on Wednesdays or Saturdays, you‘ll have to wait until after the drawing to purchase a ticket for the next round.

The current Lotto Texas jackpot is $17.25 million as of February 18, 2023. Make sure to grab your ticket before 9:45 p.m. tonight for a chance to win big!

Cash Five Sales Cutoff

Cash Five is another popular Texas-only lottery game with drawings every night at 10:12 p.m. Central Time.

Ticket sales for Cash Five end at 9:45 p.m. CT on nights when Mega Millions or Powerball drawings are held.

On all other nights, Cash Five sales extend until 10:02 p.m. CT, 10 minutes before the scheduled drawing.

So if you‘re hoping to win a Cash Five prize, make sure to purchase your tickets before 9:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. On all other nights, you have until 10:02 p.m.

As of February 19, 2023, the Cash Five jackpot stands at $25,000—not too shabby!

All or Nothing Sales Cutoff

All or Nothing is a daily Texas lottery game with a top prize of $250,000. Drawings are held every night at 10:12 p.m. Central Time.

Ticket sales stop at 9:45 p.m. CT on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday for All or Nothing.

On all other nights, All or Nothing ticket sales continue until 10:02 p.m., 10 minutes prior to the drawing.

Make sure to buy your All or Nothing tickets before the cutoff times to participate in that night‘s drawing. As of February 19, 2023, the jackpot sits at $75,000.

Pick 3 Sales Cutoff Times

Pick 3 gives Texas lottery players four chances to win every day. Drawings are held at 10:00 a.m., 12:27 p.m., 6:00 p.m. and 10:12 p.m. Central Time.

For the nighttime drawing, Pick 3 ticket sales stop at 9:45 p.m. CT. For the 10:00 a.m., 12:27 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. drawings, sales end at 9:45 a.m., 12:12 p.m. and 5:45 p.m. CT, respectively.

Make sure to get your Pick 3 tickets prior to each cutoff time to play that day‘s drawings. Prizes range from $250 for matching 3 of 3 numbers to $500 for hitting 3 of 3 with the Extra option.

Daily 4 Sales Cutoff

Just like Pick 3, Daily 4 gives players multiple chances to win with drawings at 10:00 a.m., 12:27 p.m., 6:00 p.m. and 10:12 p.m. Central Time.

Ticket sales stop at 9:45 a.m., 12:12 p.m., 5:45 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. CT, respectively, before each Daily 4 drawing.

Don‘t miss the cutoff times if you want to play Daily 4 and win prizes ranging from $2,500 to $20,000.

Texas Two Step Sales Cutoff

Texas Two Step drawings happen every Thursday and Saturday at 10:12 p.m. Central Time.

To play Texas Two Step, you‘ll need to buy your ticket before sales stop at 9:45 p.m. CT on drawing nights. Don‘t cut it too close!

As of February 23, 2023, the estimated Texas Two Step jackpot is $200,000. Match all four numbers plus the bonus ball to win the jackpot prize.

When Do Texas Lottery Ticket Sales Start?

While we‘ve covered when lottery ticket sales stop in Texas before each drawing, you may be wondering when they start back up again.

Retailers can begin selling draw game tickets again at 12:30 a.m. Central Time after the 10:12 p.m. drawings on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

Scratch-off tickets are available for sale 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Lottery ticket sales are prohibited in Texas from midnight to 12:30 a.m., during draw breaks, and on Sundays in accordance with state law.

So if you‘re an early bird hoping to test your lottery luck, head to your local retailer anytime after 12:30 a.m. to purchase draw game tickets. Scratch-offs are always available for sale around the clock!

Buying Tickets Online Through Jackpocket

Thanks to licensed services like Jackpocket, Texas lottery players can now conveniently order official Mega Millions, Powerball and scratch-off tickets online.

The Jackpocket app is available for download on iOS and Android devices. After creating an account, you can browse available lottery games, place ticket orders, and view scanned images of your tickets prior to drawings—no more losing paper tickets!

Jackpocket will purchase your lottery tickets through a licensed Texas retailer and digitally deliver them right to your account. You can place online orders up until the normal sales cutoff times for each lottery game.

So if you want to play the lottery from the comfort of your couch, Jackpocket makes it happen. Just don‘t wait until the last minute before drawings to place your order!

Lottery Ticket Sales During Terminal Outages

Very rarely, technical issues may cause temporary interruptions in lottery ticket sales across Texas. These "terminal outages" are often resolved within an hour or two.

If an outage occurs close to ticket cutoff times, the Texas Lottery will typically extend the sales deadlines to allow players extra time to buy tickets once the system is back up.

Terminal outages are announced on the Texas Lottery website, app and social media pages. Be sure to follow them to receive updates in the event sales are temporarily halted statewide.

Extended cutoff times are also communicated via email and push notifications to Jackpocket users when terminal issues arise. This ensures online players have sufficient notice to order tickets.

Do Retailers Really Stop Selling at Cutoff?

Some lottery players still wonder whether retailers actually stop selling draw game tickets right at the posted cutoff times. After all, that‘s lost revenue for the store.

The answer is yes—retailers must adhere to the strict ticket sales deadlines set by the Texas Lottery. Those who violate the rules risk losing their lottery license altogether.

Per Section 466.353 of the state administrative code:

"A sales agent or another person may not sell a ticket or offer to sell a ticket after the time ticket sales have been terminated."

All licensed lottery retailers have sales terminals that automatically prevent ticket purchases past the cutoff times. So trying to buy a Powerball ticket at 9:10 p.m. on drawing day simply won‘t work—the system will reject the transaction.

Some stores may temporarily shut down lottery sales before the actual cutoff time as a precaution. But no Texas retailer can legally sell draw game tickets beyond the posted stop time.

Why Do Lottery Sales End Before Drawings?

You may be wondering why lottery ticket sales always stop an hour or more prior to the actual drawings in Texas. Why not sell tickets right up until balls start dropping?

There are a few reasons for the early cutoffs:

• Processing sales before drawings: The Texas Lottery needs time to process all ticket orders, scans and validations before finalizing the drawings.

• Cutoffs prevent last-minute outbound sales: Ending ticket sales early prevents retailers from making last-second outbound ticket orders that could delay drawing results.

• Security protocols: Rigorous security procedures govern the drawings, including transporting balls to stage, machine tests, etc. These take time.

• Accounting for terminal issues: An hour+ buffer allows time to address any intermittent technical problems at retailer terminals statewide before drawings.

• Customer service: Cutoff down time lets the Texas Lottery assist players with ticket-related questions before winning numbers are selected.

• Retailer reconciliation: Stores must balance receipts, unsold tickets, and inventory before drawings are held.

In summary, early cutoffs are primarily for security, logistics and accounting purposes. The procedures surrounding lottery drawings are highly regulated for integrity and fairness.

Can You Buy Tickets Outside Your Home State?

Lottery ticket purchasing rules vary by state. In Texas, you must be a Texas resident and physically located within state boundaries to play.

The lone exception is when the lottery ticket is legally purchased on your behalf by a licensed online courier service such as Jackpocket.

But in general, it is illegal to cross state lines or use mailing services to buy lottery tickets in another jurisdiction where you are not eligible to play.

For example, someone from Oklahoma cannot legally drive to Texas after 9:00 p.m. and purchase a Powerball ticket for that night‘s drawing. Your physical location determines eligibility.

Residents of states without lotteries often try to circumvent the rules and buy tickets in nearby states. But this violates the federal Interstate Wire Act and state lottery regulations.

Texas residents must be present within Texas to purchase Mega Millions, Powerball and other lottery games offered here. The tickets cannot be legally mailed or transported across state lines.

Unclaimed Prizes in Texas Lottery Games

One downside to strict ticket cutoff times is that prizes occasionally go unclaimed.

Lottery players have 180 days from the draw date to redeem winning Texas lottery tickets. But people do misplace tickets, miss cutoff times, or simply forget to check numbers.

According to the Texas Lottery, more than $2 million in lottery prize money expires each month on average due to unclaimed tickets.

The unclaimed cash is returned to the state for programs authorized by the Texas Legislature. So check your old tickets—you never know what prizes you might find!

The Bottom Line

Here is a quick recap of when lottery ticket sales stop in Texas:

• Mega Millions: 9:45 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday
• Powerball: 9:00 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday
• Lotto Texas: 9:45 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday
• Cash Five: 9:45 p.m. CT on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday; 10:02 p.m. all other nights
• All or Nothing: 9:45 p.m. CT on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday; 10:02 p.m. all other nights
• Pick 3: 9:45 a.m., 12:12 p.m., 5:45 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. CT
• Daily 4: 9:45 a.m., 12:12 p.m., 5:45 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. CT
• Texas Two Step: 9:45 p.m. CT on Thursday and Saturday

Don‘t get left out of any drawings! Buy your tickets early and double-check the cutoff times for each Texas lottery game. With jackpots always growing, a life-changing win could be just a ticket away—if you play before sales end.