dunroving

I'd like to buy some megamillion lottery tickets on behalf of a friend who is a USC and US resident - does anyone know if I can do this onlilne? I'm presuming only US residents are eligible to win?

CelticRover

http://www.usamega.com/

dunroving

I already checked there but couldn't find the answer to my question (i.e., can I buy tickets online, on behalf of someone else).

If I'm ineligible (as a nonresident/non-USC) to receive winnings and can't transfer them to anyone in the US in the event of a win, I'd need to make it clear when I buy the tickets that they are in someone else's name ...

SarahG

As far as I'm aware you can't buy tickets online and non US citizens can claim winnings.

http://www.megamillions.com/faqs/

Do I need to live in one of the Mega Millions states in order to win?
There is NO residency requirement to play and win Mega Millions. To illustrate this point, in the past, residents of non-Mega Millions states — even residents of other countries — have won prizes in every prize category, including the jackpot.
Can non-US citizens play? What if a non-US citizen wins?
Yes, non-US citizens can legally play, and non-US citizens are eligible to win any prize offered in the game.
If a non-US citizen wins, they would claim their prize in the same manner that a US citizen would, but the taxes withheld would be different. For example, federal withholding for non-US citizens is a flat 30%. Also, individual states may have different tax structures for non-US citizens than they do for US citizens. Depending on which country the person is a legal resident of, there also may be tax treaties between the US and that other country which could be helpful in offsetting whatever the US tax liabilities are.
In short, non-US citizens can play and win Mega Millions. If a non-US citizen wins a large prize, they will be responsible for some amount of tax, which in the end will probably be an amount similar to what a US citizen would pay, but there are so many possible variations with international tax codes that you'll need to consult with a local tax attorney if you need to know a precise amount of tax liability.

http://www.usamega.com/mega-millions-faq.htm

Rete

See the above

Poppy girl

No.....I am running a thread at the moment on the megamillions and I too looked into this and got shot down when I asked in the store.

dunroving

That's how I interpret the information above, although it doesn't directly address the double-whammy of non-USC AND non-resident. My interpretation of the above is that non-resident USC's can buy and claim, and resident non-USC's can buy/claim, but not both ... ah well, it was a good idea while it lasted. We have been getting a lot of coverage of the current huge payout, on CNN, and I thought it would be fun to buy a handful of tickets for someone I know in the US who deserves a lottery win.

MsElui

the actual mega millions site says something a bit different.

and

from here: http://www.usamega.com/mega-millions-faq.htm

Bob

Small print on most tickets say you've got to be a LPR though, so you're either a USC living aboard, or you're an LPR residing in the US...

ldyinlv

No, you cant buy tickets online....hence the lines around the stores that sell the tickets....

augigi

I am a resident alien. I won a small amount in last week's drawing that I claimed with no problems. Not sure about the big jackpot but I hope I can!

Bob

collecting a small sum from the local store etc, they probably don't care but if they can dodge the big one...it's not just the lottery, it's pretty much everything with a decent prize usually has a LPR scribble in the small print

Poppy girl

Well it is $355 million now lol

augigi

I read the website pretty carefully - it seems you can claim as a non resident alien, you just get shafted with higher taxes.

whatadiva

not sure about the claiming part, but i have played online via congolotto.com