Buying lottery tickets online can save a lot of time – and money – when you discover how to do it. Knowing that most fans of lotteries still do not know how to do that properly and in safety, and especially not to buy lottery tickets to foreign games online, we built this guide. In a concise and simple way, we list everything that you need to know in order to play the lottery online!
Quick Jump
- What Do You Need to Know Before Buying Lottery Tickets Online?
- Is It Legal to Buy Lottery Tickets Online?
- Is It Safe to Buy Lottery Tickets Online?
- Where to Buy Lottery Tickets Online?
- How to Buy My Lottery Tickets Online?
- Lottery Games Available to Buy Online
- How to Pay for Online Lottery Tickets?
- The Verdict: Should You Be Buying Lottery Tickets Online?
- FAQ
What Do You Need to Know Before Buying Lottery Tickets Online?
Regardless of whether buying lottery tickets online is a new or usual thing to you, it is important to pay attention to the following hints:
- You need to obey your local legislation when it comes to online lotteries.
- There are discounts and promotions available on the lottery sites.
- Prefer to play on websites that we have tested for your safety.
- Purchases via lottery agents will require big prizes to be claimed in person.
- Deposit with a method that you would like to withdraw as well.
Now, let’s understand how buying online lottery tickets actually works!
Is It Legal to Buy Lottery Tickets Online?
There is one thing to consider when you wonder if it is legal to buy lottery tickets online: your local legislation. Whenever the laws in your country specifically ban lotteries overall or only online lottery, you are not allowed to play. Most probably, the recommended lottery sites will not even allow you to register.
When online lotteries are not mentioned or explicitly legalized, you know that it is legal to buy lottery tickets online, as that is our case and the case of most players out there.
Therefore, checking the list of restricted countries for each website and knowing your local legislation is a must. Other than that, we are here to help you determine what is the safest pick for you to buy lottery tickets online.
Countries Where the Online Lottery Is Legal
Especially when it comes to buying tickets online for lotteries from other countries, there are not many countries with legal limitations. In fact, it makes more sense to list where it is not legal to buy lottery tickets online. If your country is not on the list, you will most probably do well on most or all of the lottery sites that we recommend.
These are the countries where the residents are unfortunate and cannot buy lottery tickets online:
- Bahamas
- Belarus
- Brunei
- Cambodia
- China
- Cuba
- Cyprus
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Poland
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- Singapore
- Switzerland
- Syria
- Turkey
- United Arab Emirates
- United States of America (*)
(*) Some states offer local lottery games online or through the app Jackpocket or from theLotter website.
Notice that the vast majority of the countries where it is not legal to buy lottery tickets online are under restrictive governments or follow a specific religion that bans gambling. That is quite a short list, and there are many countries left where people can buy lottery tickets online and enjoy worldwide games from their homes.
Is It Safe to Buy Lottery Tickets Online?
Safety is one of the most important factors when deciding how to buy tickets online. Many people who discover the possibility of buying lottery tickets online keep spending a lot of time going to the store, limited to local options, afraid of what may happen. The truth is that there are websites even safer than physical purchases, thanks to technology and responsible gambling.
Nowadays, the safe websites offering you lottery tickets online are all licensed and monitored by authorities. They also offer pages with encryption for our personal and financial data, and, depending on the type of lottery site, you have either real scanned tickets or the paying insurance companies to rely on.
Without a doubt, it is currently safe to buy lottery tickets online if you know how to spot websites you can trust. Our reviews will help you with that because we actually test the brands.
Top 5 Indicators of a Safe Site to Buy Lottery Tickets Online
Either to verify all the parameters that we put those lottery websites through or to locate the safe options yourself, there are some indicators that can help you avoid scams. By checking them, you will eliminate your risks:
- License: Unless you are playing at the official lottery website of your state or country, the website needs a license from a trustworthy authority to operate legally.
- SSL: Since we need to provide personal details to register and financial details to buy lottery tickets online, it is essential to have an SSL certificate protecting them.
- Payment Methods: Payments must be carried out via reliable methods, not indirectly through informal bank transfers or by phone.
- Bugs and Mistakes: Grammar mistakes, sentences that make no sense, or pages that are not working are important red signs of a scam lottery.
- Reliability: Reliable websites will have feedback from real users and proof of payment. Our reviews can also be a good source of information.
In 100% of the cases, the websites which successfully get through the metrics above can be considered safe. Then, the only thing between someone who can buy a lottery ticket and the prize is the level of luck.
Where to Buy Lottery Tickets Online?
There is more than one type of alternative when it comes to buying lottery tickets online in countries where that practice is legally accepted. In order to play lotteries from other countries, it is necessary to pick a private company website that acts as a lottery agent or lottery betting site. You will most probably find from 20 to 60 games worldwide to play.
On the other hand, you might be lucky enough for your official local lottery to offer a website to buy lottery tickets online. However, that option will always be limited to games offered within your state or country. In other words, you may play online in the UK, but you will never be able to play Powerball from the local lottery website.
Let’s get to know and understand all the variations of lotteries.
Lottery Agent Sites
The lottery agent sites are operators which have staff in several countries that actually purchase tickets on our behalf. When we buy lottery tickets online at lottery agent websites like theLotter, the scanned tickets become available for us to check within due time.
Some characteristics of lottery agent sites include a higher number of lotteries, higher prices to cover the ticket cost, and the need to claim big prizes in person. Among the pros and cons, the reputation of long-established lottery agents and the certainty that the tickets exist in the official lottery are the best features of lottery agents.
In the case you win, they always let you know, meaning that you do not have to keep an eye on lottery results to avoid your lottery ticket going unclaimed. Instructions on how to get your hands on that money are also sent via email.
Lottery Betting Sites
When we compare buying real lottery tickets to lottery betting sites, the differences are very clear. The most important of them lies in the fact that lottery betting sites allow you to bet on the results, which means that the lottery tickets you buy online are merely symbolic.
While the offer of lottery games tends to be shorter, there may be exclusive titles with bigger prizes and results based on actual lotteries for trust. Since we are talking about being trustworthy, those websites pay the prizes just as if you were playing with real tickets. Instead of the website, the insurer hired by them is responsible for paying those prizes.
The two main advantages of buying lottery tickets online through bets are that you do not have to claim prizes in person and the fact that the fees tend to be lower – not true for all websites, as we know that there are betting sites with quite high fees.
Since there are no real tickets, it is essential to choose reliable lottery betting sites to know that your money and chances are safe.
Official Local or Government Lotteries
Government or local lotteries are those you can buy at the nearest retailer. The options are quite shorter in number, odds, and prizes when compared to online lotteries, but it is what most people know before they discover there are other people buying lottery tickets online.
In some cases, and it might be in a particular state or within the whole country, you can purchase them online. Therefore, it would be the same rules as if you were playing those games at your favorite store. The advantages of online lottery sites provided by companies from elsewhere do not exist on local lottery websites.
Is It Possible to Buy Lottery Tickets Online From Another State?
The answer depends on where you live. Large countries in which states have their own saying when it comes to lotteries have varying rules. For example, in the United States and India, you may buy lottery tickets from other states in most cases, as long as you go there and purchase at a retailer.
There are exceptions, meaning that you may not be allowed to play lotteries from another state if the local law says so.
What Makes a Lottery Site Good or Bad?
Aside from the safety and reliability perspective that we have explored earlier in this guide to buying lottery tickets online, there are other characteristics that define a good lottery site. In summary, we could highlight the following parameters:
- Lotteries: Number and characteristics of the lotteries available to play.
- Pricing: Fairness and affordability of the fees charged for the tickets.
- Conditions: No commissions and fair withdrawal terms are essential.
- Payments: Deposit and withdrawal methods are useful in your country.
- Support: An easy way to get answers from the staff.
- Offers: Promotions, bundles, and discounts are available on the site.
The better the grade a website receives in each of those parameters, the more we recommend it. Check out our reviews, and they will enlighten your choices.
How to Buy My Lottery Tickets Online?
Before anything else, you should use the information available above to decide on which lottery site you are going to buy lottery tickets online. Then, simply follow the next steps:
1. Register an account by tapping on the Sign-Up button and filling out a small form:
2. Once you are logged in, the next step is to choose a way to make the deposit and fund your balance. Alternatively, you may leave the payment for after you have chosen the numbers and tickets.
3. Regardless of paying upfront or not, open the list of lotteries that the website offers to buy your ticket:
4. Once that choice is made, you will be able to pick the numbers for each ticket or let the system randomly pick them:
5. Depending on the website of your choice, discounts may be available under certain conditions. Check them out, as you may be able to save some money and buy more tickets:
6. Finally, conclude your purchase or add more tickets to your cart by repeating from step 3. Once you are done, pay for the tickets:
7. You have officially bought lottery tickets online and are ready to wait for the results!
How Much Do Online Lottery Tickets Cost?
The price of lottery tickets varies greatly from one site to another. There is not one specific fixed price, not even among lotteries of the same type. If you decide to play at the official local lottery, the price is the exact same one found at retailers, but online lotteries with games from all around the world determine their own price.
To help you get a clear idea of how much you pay when you buy lottery tickets online, check out the prices for the most popular lotteries on the websites we have reviewed:
| Website | Powerball | Mega Millions | Euromillions | Eurojackpot | SuperEnalotto |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| theLotter / LottoSmile | US$5.00 | US$5.00 | US$6.56 | US$6.04 | US$3.02 |
| LottoAgent | US$5.29 | US$5.29 | US$5.98 | US$5.56 | US$2.94 |
| Jackpot.com | €3.50 | €3.50 | €4.00 | €3.50 | €3.50 |
| WinTrillions | US$4.95 | US$5.50 | US$12.00 | US$8.00 | US$6.00 |
Clearly, the prices for buying lottery tickets online vary greatly. In fact, depending on the game and even the discounts applied on each website, having an account on more than one lottery site makes sense to seize all the opportunities.
How Many Lottery Tickets Can Be Bought Online?
You may buy as many online lottery tickets as you want. When it comes to physical purchases, the more tickets you buy, the more difficult it is to check the results. Fortunately, you do not have that limitation, and although you might not be able to put more than a couple of dozen of tickets in your cart at a time, you may repeat the process several times.
Just make sure to know that you can always enroll in the next drawings and adapt your purchase to your needs and lottery strategies.
When Can I Buy Lottery Tickets Online?
As long as the drawing did not happen yet, you may purchase your lottery tickets online. You will notice that the websites will show a countdown next to the lotteries indicating how much time is left for the next drawing:
Unlike when you purchase lottery tickets at retailers, the websites are available 24/7, and if you feel like buying at 2 a.m., you will manage to do so.
Lottery Games Available to Buy Online
If one of the main advantages of buying lottery tickets online is to have access to worldwide lotteries that you will never be able to play from your local store, it makes sense to talk a bit more about them. In fact, I will bring up the prizes, odds, and their playing matrix to help you decide which ones to consider your favorites next time you buy lottery tickets online:
| Lottery | Format | Odds | Starting Jackpot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powerball | 5/69 + 1/26 | 1 in 292,201,338 | US$ 20 Million |
| Mega Millions | 5/70 + 1/25 | 1 in 302,575,350 | US$ 20 Million |
| Euromillions | 5/50 + 2/12 | 1 in 139,838,160 | € 17 Million |
| Austria Lotto | 6/45 | 1 in 8,415,060 | € 1.5 Million |
| Lotto 6/49 | 6/49 | 1 in 13,983,816 | CA$ 5 Million |
| Eurojackpot | 5/50 + 2/10 | 1 in 95,344,200 | € 10 Million |
| Melate Mexico | 6/56 + Bonus | 1 in 32,468,436 | MX$ 30 Million |
| El Gordo de La Primitiva | 5/50 + 1/9 | 1 in 31,625,100 | € 5 Million |
| Irish Lotto | 6/47 | 1 in 10,737,573 | €2 Million |
Depending on the website that you choose, there might be differences in the lotteries that are offered, especially regarding the total numbers.
Individual Playing Vs. Lottery Syndicates
When you decide that you want to buy lottery tickets online, it is important to contemplate all the possibilities. Some lottery sites will allow you to participate in syndicates, which is still buying lottery tickets but sharing the chances and cost with other people. The example below would give you a share that contains 200 combinations for less than US$ 14.00:
The best way to decide between playing by yourself or joining a syndicate is by wondering if the huge discount is worth sharing the prize. Picture a US$ 1 million prize shared among those 144 people (144 shares). You would get only a bit less than US$ 7,000, not to mention lottery taxes and discounts. A big jackpot, on the other hand, could still change your life.
Multi-Draw Purchases and Subscriptions
As shown in our step-by-step through buying online lottery tickets, you might purchase tickets for future drawings. They can be purchased through subscriptions, which are kept active until you cancel them, and those often come with discounts from 5% to 25% off.
On the other hand, you might buy lottery tickets in advance through the multi-draw alternative. In that case, you buy lottery tickets from a predetermined number of drawings in advance and, in most cases, receive a discount from the total price.
In other words, if you are a regular player, never forget to consider buying more lottery tickets online in advance.
Scratchcards and Raffles
On top of lottery tickets, it is also possible to participate in raffles online and even buy scratchcards. The first group works like lotteries: you buy and wait for the results to put your hands in the money prize. On the other hand, scratchcards work like slots and other casino games: your bets are like purchases, and the prizes from a few hundred to up to a million dollars are instantly added to the account.
How to Pay for Online Lottery Tickets?
We brought payment methods up in our step-by-step, but it might be useful to go a bit deeper into the subject for some lottery players who are new to online purchases. Fortunately, lottery websites are each time better prepared when it comes to covering deposit and withdrawal methods.
Just as an example, some countries where the payment methods were quite limited on those sites, such as Brazil, India, and the Philippines, can now find local solutions such as fast bank transfers. Each group of payment methods has its own characteristics, and we will consider them below.
Deposit & Withdrawal Methods
As soon as you are done adding lottery tickets to your cart, it will be time to pick a way to pay for them. Those are the deposit methods, and you need to keep in mind that the same chosen method will be used for withdrawals (for small prizes), or you will withdraw jackpots through bank transfers.
Credit & Debit Cards
Being usually the most common option for deposits because of how easy it is to use them and because it is generally accepted, credit and debit cards can allow you to buy tickets online for lotteries around the world. It is important to pay attention to possible fees applied by your bank or card operator, especially when you are buying in a currency that is not your standard one.
In general, VISA and Mastercard are the common options offered worldwide. In some cases, withdrawals go to the issuer bank of that card.
E-Wallets and Payment Systems
Neteller, Skrill, and AstroPay are some common names of e-wallets that are popular and safe to use to play lotteries online and anything else. By being an intermediate between your account and the websites, they allow you to use any bank you prefer, although it will take an extra step in depositing and withdrawing. That extra layer can also be seen as an additional way of keeping your data safe.
Also, those payment systems are known for applying fees on virtually any transaction. Therefore, do not forget to consider that characteristic when you choose them.
Bank Transfers
Big withdrawals from lottery betting sites will ultimately occur via bank transfers. Even when that option is not officially shown on the website as a deposit or withdrawal method, at least the cash out of jackpots will occur that way. That is just because it is the safest and most practical way of sending big amounts when you win the lottery!
Discounts and Promotions
I can never emphasize enough how important it is to pay attention to the possibilities of discounts and promotions on online lotteries. We already have to pay a bit extra for the comfort and flexibility, so any discount is welcome. In general, you may find:
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- Discount for the purchase of multiple lines;
- New player’s welcome bonus;
- Subscription or multi-draw discounts;
- Freebies and extra tickets.
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In short, there is room for paying up to 50% of the total price in some cases, allowing you to buy even more tickets online or simply save money.
The Verdict: Should You Be Buying Lottery Tickets Online?
It should be clear by now that there are safe and reliable sites to buy your lottery tickets online and alternatives depending on how you prefer to claim your prizes. The number of lotteries you have access to is incredible, and the deposits and withdrawals are considerably intuitive.
If you have confirmed that you are in one of the many countries where that practice is legal, you should definitely be buying lottery tickets online. If you are capable of purchasing tickets for your local lotteries in person, you can do that to save money and use lottery sites to buy tickets online for lotteries from other countries of the world. Just do not forget to check for discounts and promotions!
Through this guide, I hope that you feel more comfortable about playing lotteries online by buying your tickets through reliable and reviewed websites!
