A system and method for buying tickets for games or lotteries in which a seller receives predicted game or lottery outcome data communicated from a buyer over a communication path. The seller generates a printed ticket based on the received outcome data and the seller transfers the printed ticket to a custodian that holds the printed ticket on behalf of the buyer. The custodian transmits data relating to the printed ticket to the buyer over the communication path and notifies the buyer if the printed ticket corresponds to an actual game or lottery outcome.