How to Play the Online Lottery

online lottery

There are several lottery games to choose from across the US. While some are available only in state lottery stores, others can also be played online. Most state lotteries offer a range of instant win scratch games and traditional drawing-style games with huge starting jackpots. The Powerball and Mega Millions games are among the most popular online.

The first online lottery to be launched in the United States was Illinois’ Internet Lottery, which started offering ticket sales for Lotto and Mega Millions in 2012. Several other states have since followed suit and many more are expected to join them in the near future.

Legitimate Online Lottery Sites

Legal and reputable online lottery sites are licensed by a state gambling authority, have security measures in place to protect your personal information, offer secure payment options and have SSL encryption software installed to keep your details safe from hackers. Some sites also offer a range of bonus and loyalty programs to help you build up your bankroll.

You should read the terms of use and privacy policies before playing on any site, as some may have terms that are deemed unlawful by state gaming authorities. This will help you avoid getting scammed and will ensure you play the games you love without worry.

Buying tickets on an online lottery site is a simple process. Once you’ve decided on a game, select the numbers that match your selected draw date and click the Buy Now button. You can pay for your ticket using credit or debit cards or via a bank transfer.

Some of the best online lottery websites have free signup bonuses and great customer support. This is a great way to test out the service before you commit to spending real money. Moreover, some sites will store your account information for you, so you can purchase tickets at any time.

Other online lottery sites charge a small fee to cover the costs of managing your account and processing payments, but they will usually waive this fee if you buy a large number of tickets or win big. You should also be aware that some sites will make a profit by adding fees to your ticket prices.

Most states have lottery subscriptions, which allow you to buy a set number of tickets automatically on a regular basis. These subscriptions can run for weeks, months or even a year at a time.

You can sign up for these subscriptions through your state’s lottery website, and you can choose how many tickets you want to buy each month or year. Some lottery websites also have mobile apps for their customers to access their accounts, enabling them to buy tickets whenever they are out and about.

In addition to the above-mentioned subscriptions, some states are also starting to sell a number of scratch card-style games online. These are typically offered by non-profit organizations and may have smaller starting jackpots than the more popular lottery games.