How to Buy Lottery Tickets Online? (Full Guide)
- Liam Wilson
- Updated on May 18, 2023
Welcome to Lottery ‘n Go, the only place you will ever need for playing lotto online! We cover an extensive selection of worldwide lotteries and deliver visitors an easy way to purchase lottery tickets.
Whether you are an experienced lottery player or a beginner only entering the gaming world, you are in the right place. Here is what you should know about online lottery tickets and how to play the lottery!
Contents
- Upcoming Jackpots
- Why Would You Play the Lottery?
- Things to Know When Buying Lottery Tickets
- Where Can I Buy Lottery Tickets Online?
- Purchasing Lottery Tickets and Redeeming Prizes
- Depositing and Withdrawing
- Best Online Lottery Tickets to Buy for $1 or Less
- Top Ten Lotteries to Play Online
- Best Lottery Tickets With Highest Jackpots
- Use Mobile Apps to improve the lottery experience
- Is It Legal to Buy Lottery Tickets Online?
- Is It Safe to Buy Lottery Tickets Online?
- Countries
- Lottery Strategies
- Lottery Results
- Lottery Calculators and Tools
- Lottery Winners
- 14 FAQs About How to Buy Lottery Tickets Online
Upcoming Jackpots
Why Would You Play the Lottery?
Investing only a couple of dollars to win a multi-million-dollar prize is tempting for everyone. There are certain tips on how to win the lottery as well. Jackpots and other big prizes surely are a part of the reason why people try their luck in the lottery.
Sure, winning prizes is great, but the entire experience of playing the lottery is fun. For example, choosing lottery strategies that fit your style, and experimenting with various approaches is exciting. Not to mention watching the draw live or checking the results. It is the adrenaline and thrill of guessing the right numbers that people love.
Purchasing a lottery ticket can only require several seconds, especially if you choose the Quick Pick feature. The drawing doesn’t last more than several minutes, which means it is perfect even for busy people.
People of all ages love the lottery. That makes it an excellent opportunity to bond with your family and friends. You can even consider syndicate play – pooling your money and buying tickets together!
Casual players can keep things simple by going with one-drum concepts and low stakes. But if you want to make things more interesting, go with complex lotteries with advanced features and additional games.
Step 1: Choose an Online Lottery Site
The first step is to choose the online lottery site where you will play the lottery. You will find many options, and deciding which one for you may get confusing. Ideally, you should only play with the best sites to enjoy a safe and secure gaming experience. Some of the best online lottery sites to play the lottery are TheLotter, LottoAgent, Agent247, Jackpot.com, and Wintrillions.
If you are finding it too difficult to find a lottery site, we recommend that you read our review on the best sites to play the lottery.
- TheLotter Review
- LottoAgent Review
- Lotto247 Review
- Jackpot.com Review
- WinTrillions Review
- PlayHugeLottos Review
- PlayUSALotteries Review
- LottoGo Review
- LottoKings Review
- LottoLand Review
- Lottofy Review
Step 2: Fund your lottery Account
You must fund your lottery account to buy tickets and start playing. The best online lottery sites have different payment methods, including bank transfers, credit cards, debit cards, e-wallets, and cryptocurrency. Choose your preferred payment method to deposit in your account so you can buy tickets.
Step 3: Decide on Which Lottery to Play
The best online lottery sites have hundreds of lotteries available from all around the world. The process starts by choosing a lottery that suits your style. You can choose a simple one-drum lottery with a familiar concept or a multi-drum game with additional draws and multipliers.
The great thing about online lottery tickets is that you are not limited by your country of residence. You can purchase tickets for games organized in other parts of the world and still enjoy the chance of winning prizes.
Step 4: Get Your Tickets
Each lotto requires picking a specific set of numbers or letting the software select them randomly. Once you choose the desired lottery, you can pick the specifics of your tickets. Don’t forget to look at the available additional sessions and other perks offered by that particular game.
After you pick the desired number of tickets and other specifics, the only thing remaining is to confirm the transaction. You will need funds in your account with that payment method before finalizing the purchase.
Step 5: Confirm your lottery numbers
Confirm that the numbers on the ticket are the ones you want to play in the lottery. Once you click Confirm, you will get a message that you purchased the tickets successfully.
Step 6: Wait for the Draw
Look at the schedule and find out when the next drawing session is. You will get a scanned ticket, which will be stored in your account so you can’t lose it. Write down the numbers and wait for the draw. While waiting, you can consider other cool games and purchase more lottery tickets. If lotto dominator ever intrigued you, do not forget to check out the truths behind it!
You can always see the latest lottery results here.
Step 7: Claim Your Winnings!
The great thing about playing the lottery online is that your rewards will be commission-free. Taxes are still applicable, but the internet gaming vendor won’t take a single cent from your prizes.
Smaller prizes will be paid directly into your account. You might need to confirm your identity if you win an enormous reward (it’s better to read our guide about winning the lottery steps). The lottery vendor will inform you if you should personally visit the lotto’s headquarters to claim the prize, but that only happens in case of jackpots and other big wins. In case you win a lottery, you can check out how long it takes after winning to get the money.
Things to Know When Buying Lottery Tickets
As the name suggests, multipliers can increase your prizes. These are available in games like Powerball and MegaMillions. Their task is to boost all reward categories, except for the jackpot. The cost of a multiplier is usually lower than the default ticket price.
These are extra drawings that occur during a single lottery session. Consider them as additional chances to win. Some lotteries allow you to pick separate numbers, while others require using the same numbers as for the basic draws. Other additional draws don’t even use classic lottery numbers, but rather rely on digits and codes on your tickets. The price of additional games might vary but is usually lower than the basic ticket cost.
A lottery syndicate is a group who purchase lottery tickets together. That way, they boost their winning odds. However, the winnings will be shared among winners. Some syndicates might not allow you to choose the numbers on the tickets; it may come with pre-filled combinations so you only have to buy the share to play. For more information on lottery syndicates for the top games, we recommend you read our guides.
This is the name of a feature that allows the software to select your number instead of you. By pressing a single button, you let the number selection to chance. Some jackpot winners were won by using Quick Pick.
By utilizing advance play, you can purchase tickets for multiple drawings in advance. You will participate in the same numbers in all drawings. The length of the advance play could vary from one week to a couple of months.
Where Can I Buy Lottery Tickets Online?
Here are the two ways to buy lottery tickets online.
Mobile/ Desktop Browser
You can purchase a ticket for a specific lottery via its operator’s website. The alternative is visiting a licensed internet lottery vendor. These sites gather the most popular worldwide lotteries in a single place. That allows you to use a single account to play dozens of games. That increases the fun and gives you more chances of winning.
You can easily access the website of your favorite lottery or lottery site through a mobile or desktop browser. All you need is to input the URL, log into your account, and you will be good to buy lottery tickets.
Mobile Apps
Mobile apps offer simplicity and comfortability that browsing through a browser doesn’t give. You will be able to play the lottery without shuffling through web pages. It makes it easy to access the interface of the lottery website, receive notifications, and stay on top of your lottery games. They are available on both Android and iOS devices.
All you need to do is go to the lottery website to find the download link for the app if it is available. Then you can keep using it instead of going to the mobile browser every time. You may also be able to get it on your app store.
Purchasing Lottery Tickets and Redeeming Prizes
One of the advantages of playing online is the instant purchase and redeeming of lottery prizes. You can buy your tickets for your favorite lottery games in a single click. You can also claim your winnings instantly. Small winnings will be deposited straight into your lottery account. But you may need to wait a while to claim jackpot prizes.
Depositing and Withdrawing
You can deposit and make withdrawals from your lottery accounts through different payment methods that will be made available on the lottery site. The most common options are ACH payment, debit cards, credit cards, and PayPal.
It is not easy to pick a reliable lottery vendor. That is why we selected the top three choices and listed them below!
The Lotter is not only our favorite but also the top destination of thousands of lottery players from around the world. The website is available in 14 different languages and offers more than 35 lotteries. According to the statistics on the site, The Lottery paid almost $100 million to its players so far!
Users can choose from multiple deposit and withdrawal methods, and the process of purchasing tickets is simple. If you want to play on the go, you can use free iOS and Android apps.
If you appreciate a fine-looking website with modern graphics, you’ll love Lotto247. The platform has a long tradition as it has been around for over 15 years. They welcome new users with a 50% deposit bonus.
You can buy tickets for all major US, European, and Australian lotteries at Lotto247. The website is mobile-friendly and localized to more than ten languages. If you have any questions about the site, customer support is friendly and ready to help.
LottoAgent chooses the lotteries to include on their website carefully. All the popular games are there, including transnational European and multi-jurisdictional US lotteries. You can pick from five languages on the platform. Although the app is only available for Android, the website is mobile-friendly.
Players can pick from 15 payment methods at the LottoAgent. The entire interface is easy to use, and beginners shouldn’t have a problem getting used to the site.
Best Online Lottery Tickets to Buy for $1 or Less
When you can choose between dozens of various lotteries, it is essential not to rush. You can find the best online lottery to play by analyzing the specifics of each game. The price of lottery tickets is one of the factors to analyze in the process.
Some players prefer to keep their expenses low. That might be suitable for newbies, as well as those who like keeping things casual. That is why we selected games with lottery tickets that cost under $1.
Lottery | Ticket Price | Jackpot Odds | Current Jackpot | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ukraine Megalot | $0.23 | 1:52,457,860 | ₴ 1 | ||
Poland Mini Lotto | $0.38 | 1:850,668 | zł 400 K | ||
Brazil Quina | $0.43 | 1:24,040,016 | $ 2.6 Million | ||
Mexico Melate | $0.70 | 1:32,468,436 | MXN 60.5 Million | ||
Texas Cash Five | $1 | 1:324,632 | US$ 25 K |
Why you should play it: Everyday drawings keep things interesting.
A daily drawing session means that Poland Mini Lotto offers a chance to win every day. The simple 5/42 concept and three prize tiers ensure that the game is easy to understand and perfect for beginners.
The jackpot isn’t guaranteed, but 50% of the prize fund goes into the grand reward pool. You can also try your luck in the standard Poland Lotto, but its drawings are only three times per week.
Why you should play it: A long tradition and frequent drawings.
Brazil Quina offers an attractive ticket price of the only BRL2, which is approximately $0.43. For the price, you enter the draw that has a guaranteed jackpot of BRL500,000, which is more than $95,000.
Quina offers four prize tiers and six weekly draws. Rollover jackpots allow the sums to increase and reach more attractive amounts. The drawing concept is simple, with a single drum and 80 balls participating in each session. Guessing all five drawn balls correctly is necessary to win the jackpot.
Why you should play it: A large guaranteed jackpot fund.
If you consider that the price of the basic Melate ticket is only 15 Mexican pesos (around $0.70), you realize that the jackpot of 30,000,000 Pesos (approximately $1.2 million) sounds excellent. You need to guess six out of 56 numbers to win it, and you have two opportunities every week to do that.
Mexican Melate offers decent overall winning odds, and you can also purchase tickets for two additional games. Those “rematches” cost only 15 pesos together, which makes this the most affordable lottery with additional drawings.
Why you should play it: Favorable jackpot winning odds.
Many lotteries have the basic ticket price set at $1, including but not limited to New York Take 5 and Texas Two-Step. The unique thing about Cash Five lies in the favorable jackpot winning odds, which lie at 1:324,632.
It is a shame that the jackpot doesn’t have a rollover function, but $25,000 still sounds excellent. That is especially true since this prize is offered six times per week. All you need to do to win it is to guess all five numbers drawn out of a 35-number drum correctly.
Free Lottery Tickets- Is it Free or Fake?
A free lottery site offers a chance to participate in lotto games without investing a single cent. While you can participate in these lotteries for free, the prizes are often modest. They could include cash, vouchers, or free tickets for premium games.
Top Ten Lotteries to Play Online
Lottery | Brief Information | Jackpot | Draw Time | Odds | Play |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
The US Powerball is one of the most popular lotteries worldwide. It offers a huge jackpot that starts from $20 million and can roll over to hundreds of millions. | Starts from $20 million | Wednesday and Saturday at 22:59 EST | 1 in 292,201,338 | ||
US Powerball is a two-drum lottery that promises huge jackpots. It offers prizes in eight categories. | Starts from $20 million | Tuesday and Friday at 23:00 EST | 1 in 302,575,350 | ||
EuroJackpot offers attractive prizes, decent odds, and affordability. It has prizes in twelve categories.categories | Starts from €10 million | Friday at 17:00 EST | 1 in 95,344,200 | ||
Euro Millions is a two-drum lottery organized in 13 countries across Europe. It offers a jackpot that can rise as high as €250 million. | Starts from €15 million | Tuesday and Friday at 15:30 EST | 1 in 139,838,160 | ||
SuperEnalotto offers huge jackpots but also unfavorable odds of winning them. You can play it from anywhere in the world. | Starts from €2 million | Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 20:00 EST | 1 in 622,614,630 | ||
Brazil Mega Sena is a two-drum lottery with better odds than most European lotteries. There are prizes in three tiers. | Starts from BRL 2 million | Wednesday and Saturday at 20:00 BRT | 1 in 50,063,860 | ||
Brazil Quina is an excellent lottery for players who want a game with smaller odds and lower ticket prices. | Starts from BRL 500,000 | Monday to Saturday at 21:00 CET | 1 in 24,040,016 | ||
The French lottery offers better odds than most lotteries. It also has a raffle for players who enter the lottery. | Starts from €2 million | Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 20:30 local time | 1 in 19,068,840 | ||
The Canada Lotto 649 is a single-draw lottery with prizes in seven different categories. It also qualifies players for a $1 million raffle. | Starts from $5 million | Wednesday and Saturday at 22:30 EST | 1 in 13,983,816 | ||
The Germany Lotto is a two-drum lottery involving six numbers and an extra number. It has prizes in nine prize tiers. | €1,000,000 on Wednesdays and €2,000,000 on Saturdays. | Wednesday and Saturday at 6:25 pm and 7:25 pm (CET) | 1 in 139,838,160 |
Best Lottery Tickets With Highest Jackpots
Are lottery tickets for massive and life-changing jackpots expensive?
That is not necessarily true since these games offer relatively similar prices. On top of that, it sounds great if you can win over $50 (or even $500) million for only a couple of dollars invested.
Lottery | Ticket Price | Jackpot Odds | Current Jackpot | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
US Powerball | $2 | 1:292,201,338 | US$ 146 Million | ||
US MegaMillions | $2 | 1:302,575,350 | US$ 132 Million | ||
Australia Saturday Lotto | $1.45 | 1:8,145,060 | AU$ 10 Million | ||
EuroMillions | €2.5 ($3) | 1:139,838,160 | € 55 Million | ||
Italy SuperEnalotto | €1 ($1.2) | 1:622,614,630 | € 32.1 Million |
Why you should play it: Highest jackpot prize ever won in the lottery was in this game.
Multi-jurisdictional US lotteries are popular, and they frequently offer guaranteed jackpot pools, such as Lotto America. However, US Powerball might be the single most popular lottery in the world. That is for a good reason because massive jackpots are often won in this game. The odds are not that favorable, but the guaranteed prize of $40 million justifies that. Powerball involves a 5/69 + 1/26 concept, and guessing all numbers correctly is required to win the jackpot.
Why you should play it: The biggest single-winner jackpot was won in this lottery.
US MegaMillions offer the same guaranteed main prize as Powerball. Its odds for winning a jackpot are a bit worse, however, but you can still win huge prizes. Furthermore, the biggest single-player jackpot was issued in this game. MegaMillions uses a two-drum concept with 5/75 + 1/15 formula. You can increase most of the prizes by activating the Multiplier, which costs an additional $1. The draws are held two times weekly, and the drawing days are Tuesday and Friday.
Why you should play it: A jackpot winner guaranteed every five draws or less.
Australian Powerball is the variant of this game available in this country, but Saturday Lotto is equally popular. It offers a single-drum concept with 6+2 balls drawn out of a 45-ball drum. The additional balls only participate in lower-tier prizes. The jackpot odds are relatively acceptable, especially since the guaranteed fund is AUD4,000,000. Since the jackpot only has four rollover options, that means every fifth draw guarantees a winner.
Why you should play it: A tempting jackpot and a big number of prize tiers.
Apart from EuroJackpot, this is the most famous European lottery. EuroMillions sells millions of tickets for every draw, and you can participate in two sessions weekly. The guaranteed jackpot prize is €15 million, and the jackpot cap is set at €190 million. Additionally, an occasional Superdraw guarantees a €100 million prize fund.
The ticket price for EuroMillions is €2.5, although it might vary from one country to another. A total of 13 prize tiers makes the game interesting for all players.
Why you should play it: Huge jackpots for a European lottery.
Italy SuperEnalotto is a unique lottery. It is famous as being the lotto that offers the most unfavorable jackpot odds in the world. However, it is still incredibly popular. The secret lies in a relatively affordable ticket price set at €1, and jackpots that can increase to whopping sums. The biggest prize ever given in this game was €209 million! SuperEnalotto offers a single-drum jackpot with a 6/90 concept and a Jolly number that decides the winners of the second prize tier.
Use Mobile Apps to improve the lottery experience
Some websites have mobile apps that work on iOS or Android platforms, making it even easier to play the lottery. They help you to have a more comfortable and enjoyable gaming experience. Playing with the mobile app will help you do the following quickly on mobile sites.
- Play the lottery game
- Monitor the draw
- Keep track of the size of the upcoming jackpot
- Make random selections
- Join lottery syndicates
- Check your ticket and winnings
- Make financial transactions on your lottery account
Is It Legal to Buy Lottery Tickets Online?
The legality of everything you do depends on the laws of your country. The same goes for the lottery. Whether the online lottery is legal depends on location. This is why we advise you to learn the lottery rules of your country of residence so you can always stay on the right side of the law.
In many countries, the government places a monopoly on lottery operations. However, their laws do not say anything about the online lottery. A typical example is India. While state governments monopolize gambling operations within the country, their laws do not extend to international lotteries, so players can still play the lottery online. This implies that the online lottery is legal in India.
The good news is that most countries allow playing the lottery online and don’t restrict their residents when purchasing tickets.
The next thing to confirm is that online lottery vendors are doing legit business. As long as you pick a legitimate seller and your local laws allow it, purchasing lottery tickets over the internet is perfectly legal.
Most lotteries allow non-residents to participate. Players from around the world can enjoy dozens of state, national, and transnational lotteries legally. The table below shows some popular lotteries, their origin countries, and places where it is legal to play them.
Decades ago, tourists went to other countries to purchase lottery tickets. Today, the internet made that available without leaving the comfort of your home. It doesn’t matter if you are a resident of that country. The lottery website will buy the lottery ticket on your behalf. In other cases, you may not be actually playing the lottery but betting on the outcome. The power of syndicates has also made playing the lottery a little more exciting!
What are the Online Lottery Laws in the United States?
Two federal laws consider the sale of lottery tickets through postal mail as an illegal act.
- The 18 US Code 1302 states that anyone who sells lottery tickets through mail shall be imprisoned for a minimum of two years.
- The Interstate Wire Act of 1961 also prevents players from placing bets through wire transmission.
However, the Department of Justice – in December 2011- released clarification on the Interstate Wire Act, indicating that it applies only to sports betting and not lottery tickets. Their ruling allowed states to sell lottery tickets over the internet. Even then, many states are reluctant to allow online lottery ticket sales because they are wary of fraud risks, scams, and other problems associated with the internet.
What States Allow You to Buy Lottery Tickets Online?
Online lottery is legal in most parts of the world. That being said, regulations might vary from one state to another in the United States. We recommend consulting the local law in your current location. If it allows playing lottery online, you can pick the desired game and purchase tickets today. For you, there should be no limitations when choosing the lottery to participate in, and try your luck in winning prizes.
The United States has specific laws regarding purchasing tickets directly from providers. For example, even though MegaMillions is available in over 40 states, only six of them allow buying tickets online. Those include North Dakota, North Carolina, Michigan, Kentucky, Illinois, and Georgia. Virginia, New York, and New Hampshire allow online lottery subscriptions. Some states also offer instant online lottery games.
These states allow playing the lottery online at the moment are listed in the table below.
Please note that this means that a sale cannot occur between two states. However, if you go to another state and purchase a ticket there, that is perfectly legit.
Is It Safe to Buy Lottery Tickets Online?
Yes, purchasing lottery tickets over the internet is perfectly safe. After all, it is not any different from other online transactions.
The only thing to ensure is that you pick a reliable internet lottery vendor. You want a site that is reputable and has a long tradition. Make sure that you read terms and conditions and confirm the site complies with the latest regulations and applies security measures.
Countries
You will find various lotteries from different parts of the world. Players have the luxury of choice and can play lotteries from the United States of America, Europe, and other parts of the world. For more information, consult our lottery page by country.
Lottery Strategies
You can improve your chances in the lottery by employing strategies that help you choose your numbers and make intelligent decisions. Some of the best strategies to use are:
Lottery Results
We also post lottery results and winning numbers for popular lottery games after the draw. This will help you keep track of the lottery games, know if you qualify for a prize, and prepare to claim your winning from the lottery organizer.
Lottery Calculators and Tools
You could enhance your gaming experience with the right tools. Check out some of them below.
- Lottery odds calculator – This tool can help you calculate the odds of winning the game. It will help you to be realistic when using lottery strategies. You can use it for any lottery.
- Lottery tax calculator – You will pay tax when you win the jackpot. This tool simplifies the mathematical calculation and helps you to know your tax payment in a single click. You will also use our Powerball tax calculator and Megamillions tax calculator to help you calculate tax in these games.
- Lottery Number Generator – Don’t know which numbers to play in the lottery? Our lottery number generator can help you generate number combinations with a good chance of appearing in the draw.
- Lottery Prediction Software – These programs analyze past lottery results to predict combinations for the next draw.
Lottery Winners
Winning the lottery will change your life. It has transformed many into millionaires and helped them to live comfortable lives. You can win the lottery too. Play the lottery. Who knows? You may be lucky. Below are some related stories about lottery winners
Consult our blog for everything you need to know about the lottery.
14 FAQs About How to Buy Lottery Tickets Online
Yes, you can buy lottery tickets online. In fact, purchasing tickets online from the comfort of your home is easier than ever before. Several online platforms offer lottery games that you can choose from. All you need to do is select the right website and register on it. Then find your favorite game, explore the payment options, and buy the tickets with just a click of a button. It’s also crucial to be watchful of the deadlines to get the tickets on time.
Yes, many online lotto providers have a mobile-friendly interface. You can head to their website and purchase tickets over a mobile phone. Some platforms even offer free apps for iOS and Android to simplify the process.
Some operators offer free mobile apps you can download to purchase lottery tickets. It is an easy way to buy tickets for your favorite games on the go. That might be convenient when the deadline for the upcoming session is close, and you want to participate in the draw.
Yes, people are winning the lottery online all the time! That includes claiming both small and large prizes. It is quite common that even the biggest rewards, including jackpots, are won by playing online.
The lottery rules are the same for all players. However, many say that purchasing lotto tickets is easier online. That is because you don’t have to leave home, and you have a long list of lotteries available to play.
Make sure to double-check the rules of the platform and the legislations of your state and country at the moment. If you win a big prize, you might need to prove your identity when claiming it, which might potentially cause problems.
Yes, if you are a legitimate online lottery ticket provider. These operators make sure to follow the laws and regulations applicable to them. That makes it legal for them to do the business of selling lottery tickets.
Some operators allow you to purchase lottery tickets directly on their website. The limitation is that you can only buy those lottery tickets, or participate in other games offered by that provider. But if you choose online lotto vendors, you can purchase tickets for various lotteries designed by companies from different countries.
An online lottery ticket could cost anywhere from $0.30 to $5 or more. The average ticket prices are usually from $1 to $3 per line.
For most games, you have limitations on how many lines you can play per ticket. The restrictions for the number of lottery tickets you can buy at a time don’t exist (or is set at a large number of tickets), as long as you have sufficient funds in your account to purchase them.
Always stick to reputable online lotto vendors for buying slips for your favorite games. The deadline for each game might be different, but it is usually placed to 15-60 minutes before the draw starts.
Payment methods depend on the vendor and your location. The most common payment methods include credit and debit cards, Skrill and other e-wallets, and prepaid card vouchers.
The tax depends on the location. If you play in a country without an applicable lottery tax, you get to take the entire sum home. A country with a flat tax rate of 10% would charge you $1,000 on a winning $10,000 lottery ticket. In the US, you are subject to local, state, and federal taxes. Check out this lottery payout and tax calculator to determine your exact winnings.