Nevada is one of 5 states without a state lottery, alongside Hawaii, Utah, Alabama, and Alaska. Nevada residents who want Powerball or Mega Millions tickets drive across state lines to California or Arizona to get them.
Where to Buy Lottery Tickets Near Reno and Tahoe
The primary outlet for northern Nevada is the California side of Interstate 80 at Floriston. Truckee Gaming operates the counter on the California parcel directly adjacent to the Gold Ranch RV Resort and Casino at the Verdi exit. The casino floor sits on the Nevada side, while the lottery counter sits over the California line, making it one of the busiest lottery retailers in California.
- Roadwork eastbound between Magra (Railroad) (Exit 140) and Gold Run Rd (Exit 143), traffic getting through — tree work; until 5:59 a.m.
- Roadwork eastbound between Mace Blvd (Exit 75) and County Rd 105D (Exit 78), 1 mile north of El Macero, traffic getting through — pavement work; until 4:59 a.m.
Winter storms trigger chain controls and travel restrictions on this stretch. Check I-80 road conditions and the I-80 webcams before driving past Verdi.
Another option north of Reno is the Hallelujah Junction Market on State Highway 70 in Chilcoot, Plumas County. You can check the US-395 road conditions to track the northern drive up toward the junction.
Cameras on Interstate 80 near the California state line.
Both border retailers have delivered major prizes. In 2019, Gold Ranch sold a winning ticket for a $150 million Powerball drawing, with earlier jackpot payouts of $122,781 on December 16, 2016, and $340,982 on January 28, 2017. At Hallelujah Junction, a Powerball ticket that matched 5 numbers in the June 22, 2019 draw won $2.3 million. If you hold tickets for upcoming draws, you can calculate what a California Powerball jackpot pays after tax to compare cash payouts with annuity options.
Southern Nevada Retailers
At the southern border along Interstate 15, the Primm Lotto Store was slated to close July 4, 2026. A secondary outlet 6 miles south on the east side of I-15 sells tickets through 3 kiosk machines at the Terrible's Chevron station on Yates Well Road in Nipton, California. Arizona also serves southern Nevada borders; players crossing into Arizona must be 21 or older to purchase a ticket under Arizona Revised Statutes 5-565, and can view Arizona Powerball after tax to review state withholding figures.
California Lottery Rules and Ticket Prices
California requires all lottery buyers to be 18 or older. Out-of-state residents can play, but only in person at a California retailer:
- In-person purchases only: Digital apps and ticket resellers are illegal in California; anyone who buys through a digital reseller is ineligible to win.
- No mail or online purchases: California forbids all online or mail-order ticket sales.
- Pricing: Multistate Mega Millions tickets cost $5 a play, with base overall odds of 1 in 290,472,336 for the jackpot. Players tracking jackpots can verify the California Mega Millions after tax rate before heading out.
- Claiming prizes: Retailers pay winning tickets up to $599. Any prize of $600 or more must be claimed by mail or in person at a California Lottery District Office, such as the office at 730 North 10th Street in Sacramento.
Why Nevada Banned the Lottery
The lottery ban sits in Article 4, Section 24 of the Nevada Constitution, first adopted in 1864. The original language barred the state from operating a lottery or selling tickets. Nevada voters amended the section in 1990 to allow charitable non-profit groups to hold raffles and drawings, but commercial and state-run lotteries remain unconstitutional. For casino games governed under standard gambling in Nevada rules, consult Nevada gambling rules to see how keno operates as the closest legal casino alternative.
Efforts to remove the constitutional ban continue to fail. In the 82nd Session in 2023, Assembly Joint Resolution 5 proposed amending the constitution to authorize state lottery sales. It passed the Assembly 26-15 on April 17, 2023, and cleared the Senate 12-8 on May 26, 2023. The Nevada Resort Association testified in formal opposition, citing the state budget's reliance on the commercial casino industry. To amend the constitution, the measure needed to pass a second consecutive legislative session, but AJR 5 died without a vote during the 2025 session.