Iowa ? The nation’s two biggest lottery games are talking about cross-selling tickets in U.S. lottery jurisdictions with the potential for a national lottery, the head of a lottery association said Tuesday.

Powerball is played in 31 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Mega Millions is played in 12 states. The consortium behind Mega Millions and the Urbandale, Iowa-based Multi-State Lottery Association, which runs Powerball, have agreed in principle to cross-sell tickets for both games beginning next year, officials said.

The idea surfaced last year after officials noticed that when the jackpots grew, players who live in states offering Powerball would cross the border to buy tickets in another state selling Mega Millions and visa versa, Shaheen said.

Cross-selling would give players the chance to buy whatever ticket they want in their home state, said Andi Brancato, a spokeswoman for the Michigan Lottery, which is a member of Mega Millions.