Online lottery is a convenient way to purchase official state-licensed lotto tickets without leaving the comfort of your own home. While some states require you to visit a retailer in person to purchase tickets, other states allow players to make purchases through an official online lottery website. In the US, you can play both traditional drawing games and instant win scratch-off tickets through a number of lottery websites. Some even offer live drawings and jackpots in real time.
Most online lottos aren’t government-run, but instead private businesses that act as middlemen between you and the official lotteries. However, these companies do have to follow strict legal guidelines in order to remain regulated and protect you as a player. As such, you can trust them to keep your information secure and pay out winnings promptly.
The best online lottery sites offer a range of features, including multi-draws, subscriptions, and syndicates. Multi-draws let you use your same numbers in multiple draws for a discount price. This feature is especially useful if you want to increase your chances of winning the jackpot. Similarly, subscriptions let you buy tickets for multiple draws in advance for a discounted rate. The best online lottery sites also offer a wide variety of payment methods, including credit/debit cards and eWallets. Some also support bank wire transfers, making it easier to transfer funds into your account.
Before you sign up to a site, you should be sure that it offers the types of games you’re interested in playing. Typically, these include traditional state-licensed draw and scratch-off games, as well as Powerball and Mega Millions. Some sites also offer more specialized options, like sports betting or virtual lottery games. In addition to offering the most popular lotto games, reputable sites will have a high customer satisfaction rating and a variety of bonuses for new and returning customers. Bonuses can be in the form of free lottery tickets, discounts on ticket prices, or cashback.