Ohio Grocery Stores Offering Lottery Game Payment Cards for Smartphone Play

Fintech company Blackhawk and lottery platform company Linq3 said Monday Ohio consumers can now buy Mega Millions and Powerball tickets via a mobile-enabled Lottery Card at Buehler's, Giant Eagle and Kroger stores. Adults 18 and older can buy the cards on card racks and checkout lanes for $10 or $20 to cover five or 10 plays, with an 89 cent charge for the mobile payment service. Using their smartphones, customers text a card's unique code to a specified number, complete enrollment information and then select numbers and draw date for the lottery games. Winners are notified via text and picture message and most winnings are paid automatically via PayPal, they said.