PITTSBURGH —

As the familiar Pennsylvania Lottery signs and slogans say, you can still "Play Here" at a business in your neighborhood.

But now you can also play on your computer or smartphone, with the lottery allowing people to buy Mega Millions and Powerball tickets online through the state's iLottery platform.

At J&K Plus in Wilkins Township, the word of online Powerball and Mega Millions sales was a surprise to store owner Ken Weightman.

"My initial reaction is not really good, obviously, because the lottery is my business," Weightman told Pittsburgh's Action News 4.

He's been in business at his store for nearly 30 years -- and the lottery is his business's life blood.

"It keeps me open. We have to have the lottery," Weightman said. "Without the lottery, the rest of the store wouldn't support the business."

He hopes customers will still value the personal connection and service.

"We're old school here. There's a lot of lottery players that are old school, just like me," Weightman said. He later added, "We really need your business, you know, and I really appreciate it."

The lottery bureau says players who buy Powerball and Mega Millions tickets online can still choose their own numbers or select the "quick pick" option to get randomly selected numbers. Players must sign up for an iLottery account and deposit funds in order to make purchases. They're required during sign-up to securely submit proof of identity and age. Players must be 18 or older.

After buying tickets, players will be able to review their transaction history, which will include past and current drawings and plays.

iLottery also includes several player-controlled settings, including time limits, deposit limits and spending limits.

More information about how to play the Pennsylvania Lottery online is available at paiLottery.com.

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