How Old Do You Have to Be to Buy Lottery Tickets in Florida?

The short answer: you must be at least 18 years old to buy a lottery ticket in Florida. That covers everything the Florida Lottery sells, Scratch-Offs and draw games alike. Here is what the rule means in practice, and the details worth knowing.

The age to buy is 18

In Florida, you have to be 18 to purchase any lottery product, whether it is a scratch-off (Florida calls them Scratch-Offs) or a draw game like Florida Lotto, Powerball, or Mega Millions. There is no separate, higher age for pricier tickets. Eighteen is the line for everything at the counter. If you want the rules across the country, here is how the age limit works in general.

Retailers have to check ID

Stores that sell lottery tickets are required to verify age, and selling to someone under 18 is illegal. A clerk can and should ask for ID if there is any doubt, and retailers caught selling to minors face penalties from the lottery, including fines and the loss of their license to sell. If you look young, expect to be carded. The same 18 rule applies however you play, in a store or through any official app the Florida Lottery offers.

Can you give a Florida ticket to a minor?

Yes, and Florida law spells it out. An adult 18 or older can buy a ticket and make it a gift to a minor. What Florida will not do is pay a prize to anyone under 18 directly. If a gifted ticket wins, the Florida Lottery directs the payout to an adult member of the minor's family or the minor's legal guardian, who receives it as a custodian under Florida's Uniform Transfers to Minors Act (Chapter 710), with the same powers and duties as any custodian under that law. So gifting is fine, but an adult has to buy the ticket, and an adult handles the prize.

Why the limit exists

The age requirement is a responsible-gambling measure. Lottery products are a form of gambling, and 18 is the age Florida treats you as an adult who can decide to play. It is the same reasoning behind age limits on other adult purchases.

And once you are old enough to win

Claiming works the same as anywhere: small prizes at the store, larger ones at a lottery office with a photo ID and your Social Security number, and taxes come out of the bigger wins (how lottery winnings are taxed). You also generally claim in the state where you bought the ticket, which we cover in claiming across state lines.

In Florida, 18 is the number: 18 to buy, 18 to claim, no exceptions at the register. If you are of age and want to see which tickets are actually worth buying, that is what our Florida scratch-off rankings are for.

Sources

Florida Statutes 24.115, Payment of Prizes (minors and custodians)