Almost every state in the USA offers their own official lottery. Each lottery has a system to approve lottery games, award prizes, and distribute the profits. Usually, the lottery is a quasi-government agency.

The best lottery agents are regulated and licensed. These agents are the easiest way to buy official lottery tickets. They are also typically cheaper than lottery agent sites.

In addition to selling lottery tickets, these agents may also be able to send you a scan of your ticket. If you win a prize, you may need to fill out a claim form.

Lottery tickets can be purchased online in several states. Some states, however, do not allow online sales. Some states offer online subscriptions, which allow customers to purchase tickets for every drawing. These subscriptions vary in price depending on the number of drawings.

A state lottery may offer instant win scratch cards online. These are similar to real scratch-off games. However, the ticket has a latex coating that can be removed by the player to reveal the play data. The latex is protected by a soft coat.

Some states have opted not to offer instant win scratch cards online. Some states are considering expanding their online reach. However, these states are still conservative with their gambling laws.

The state lottery system in North Carolina was founded in 2005. It is officially named the North Carolina Education Lottery. It has contributed more than $5 billion to educational programs.