The Roy Howard Community Journalism Center’s “What Is True?” team encountered a social media ad claiming Mississippi players can download an app to buy lottery tickets online.
This claim is false. The Mississippi Lottery does not have an official app, and any ads or websites promoting one are scams. 
Read the full fact-check below to avoid becoming a victim of this latest scam:
With national lotteries reaching record payouts, an increasing number of ads on social media have invited Mississippi players to download an app to purchase Mississippi lottery tickets and check their numbers. However, the Mississippi Lottery does not have an official app and has informed the public that these ads are scams.
“You can’t buy Mississippi lottery products online. It’s illegal,” said Savannah Tirey, vice president of communications for the Mississippi Lottery Corporation.
According to Tirey, Mississippi law limits lottery purchases to physical sales only at brick-and-mortar locations by certified retailers.
In a 2024 official opinion, Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch clarified that state law prohibits any person other than a licensed lottery retailer from selling tickets. The opinion states, “The Lottery Law prohibits any person other than a duly certified lottery retailer from selling lottery tickets to the public. Further, the sale of lottery tickets using a computer, tablet, or smartphone would violate the prohibition against selling lottery tickets by any method involving ‘any personal computer, tablet, smartphone, mobile device or other similar equipment or type of device’ in Section 27-115-17(2)(d) and also would not comport with the age verification and signage requirements in Sections 27-115-73 and 27-115-67.”
The Mississippi Lottery Corporation was alerted to the scam by players who saw the ads on social media and reached out to ask if they were true.
“We tried to download it ourselves, but were unsuccessful,” said Tirey. “We don’t know if it is a functioning app at all, but that’s not saying there aren’t some out there.”
Both the Google Play and Apple App stores currently list Mississippi Lottery-related apps available for download. The Mississippi Lottery Corporation has reported the apps to Google and Apple, warning they can mislead players into sharing personal or financial information.
Tirey said there can never be enough reminders warning people not to give out their personal banking information online. “We want to be completely transparent about our products.”
Mississippi Lottery encourages players to report anything suspicious by calling its customer service line at 601-487-1355 or emailing [email protected].
Here’s how you can spot misinformation about lottery scams:
— Verify the source. The Mississippi Lottery does not sell tickets or release official apps. Always check information directly on mslottery.com.
— Be cautious of urgency. Scam ads often create excitement during record jackpots to push quick downloads or purchases.
— Watch for poor design or grammar. Legitimate government communications rarely include typos, vague logos, or broken links.
— Never share personal or banking information with unverified apps or websites.
This report was produced by the Roy Howard Community Journalism Center as part of its “What Is True?” fact-checking service. The center investigates local claims to help the public separate fact from fiction. To learn more or submit a claim for review, visit rhcjcnews.com/witreq.
