Whether you play the lottery in person or online, there are several things you should know to ensure you have a safe and secure experience. Some of the most important factors include the site’s license and the variety of payment methods available. Depending on your preferences, you may want to consider an online lottery site with loyalty and VIP schemes, which can award you with special rewards and perks as you play.
How to Play Online Lotteries
The US is home to 44 states that offer some form of lottery, including instant win scratch tickets and traditional drawing-style games with big jackpots. Some states even offer subscriptions that allow you to buy tickets whenever you like. The majority of states require you to go in person to purchase tickets, but some have moved to online sales as well.
There are several different ways to play the lottery online, but one of the most popular is through a licensed lottery website. This saves you time, money, and feels more secure than using third-party sites that don’t have any oversight.
These websites also typically have better customer service and more secure banking options than other online lottery sites. These sites will accept a range of credit and debit cards, as well as e-wallets like Neteller and Skrill, as long as they are legally registered in the country in which you live.
The best lottery sites also offer a range of loyalty and VIP schemes, which reward you with exclusive promotions and extra perks for playing their games. These can include bonuses, cashbacks, and free tickets to upcoming draws.
In addition to online lottery sites, players can also use legal lottery courier services, which can send you official lottery tickets for a fee. These companies have to discuss their business model with regulators and receive the necessary permissions.
Some of these services will have a representative go to your local store, buy a ticket for you and then send it back to you by mail. You pay them a small fee, but you don’t have to pay anything extra if you win.
These online lottery sites have a wide selection of games to choose from, including a variety of instant win and draw style games. They are usually powered by software provided by IGT, which supplies a number of the lotteries in the US.
Most of these sites have mobile apps, which make it easy to play from anywhere. If you have a smartphone or tablet, it’s a good idea to find a lottery app that is optimized for your device, as these often run faster than regular websites.
If you don’t want to download an app, most online lottery sites have a mobile-friendly website that works on all platforms. However, you should be aware that these websites can occasionally lag when played on a mobile phone or tablet.
Currently, there are seven states in the United States that sell online lottery tickets. These include Illinois, which launched its online lottery in March 2012; New Hampshire, which started selling tickets in July 2017; and Missouri, which began selling online Lotto and Mega Millions tickets in December 2012. In 2021, the District of Columbia plans to launch online lottery games as well.