Jackpocket, which bills itself as America's No. 1 lottery app, announced Monday that it has launched in Nebraska. The company said the app allows lottery players to order tickets for the Powerball, Mega Millions, Lucky for Life, Pick 3 and Pick 5 games from a mobile phone or other electronic device.
Jackpocket is what's known as a lottery courier service, meaning it buys lottery tickets from official lottery retailers on behalf of its users and then delivers those tickets to them electronically. Users of the app place ticket orders, view an image of their ticket, get notified automatically if they win, and even receive prizes up to $500 instantly. Anyone who wins a prize of more than $500 must pick it up in person.
The company charges an account service fee but does not take a cut of winning tickets.
"The Jackpocket team is excited to offer Nebraskans — longtime lottery players and new players alike — an easy and accessible way to play," Peter Sullivan, Jackpocket founder and CEO, said in a news release. "We're committed to making the lottery safe, convenient, and fun."
Neil Watson, a spokesman for the Nebraska Lottery, said the app essentially acts as a middleman, offering players the convenience of ordering tickets electronically.
Because it acts as a courier service and is not an authorized lottery retailer, it does not run afoul of the state's prohibition on online gambling.
"There's nothing in our laws that prohibits a courier service like that," said Watson, who emphasized that the app is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Nebraska Lottery.
Jackpocket is available in 15 other states, and the company says players have won nearly $300 million in lottery prizes using the app, including 29 individual players who have won $1 million each.
Watson said he's not aware of any issues with use of the app in other states. A bill was introduced earlier this year in the Texas Senate that would have outlawed its use, but it did not advance.
© 2023 Lincoln Journal Star, Neb. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
