It’s easy to get sucked into the promise of riches, but using a credit card to buy lottery tickets can be dangerous. If you buy multiple tickets regularly, your yearly costs can quickly snowball.

A Maryland man played the numbers from his credit card balance, “said a prayer” and won $50,000 playing Pick 5, lottery officials said.

Key takeaways. Using a credit card to purchase lottery tickets is legal in over 20 states, although credit card users should exercise caution. In states where it is legal, individual retailers are ...