Help/FAQ Page

Playing the lottery is fun, but having more information makes you a better, safer player. Scroll to topics you’ve wondered about and get all the facts you need.

FAQ on Lottery Basics & Rules

Is It Safe to Play the Lottery Online?

It’s safe to play the lottery online, as long as you use reputable sites that have the necessary security features in place, such as encryption to protect your personal details. Safe vendors are also registered with governing bodies and gambling authorities. The best sites will make information about these aspects easily accessible, so you can view the details.

Can I Play International Lotteries from Any Country?

Thanks to online lottery vendors that sell lottery tickets from lotteries across the world, almost anyone can play these global lotteries from the comfort of their homes. However, a certain country may have legislation in place that makes playing the lottery illegal, or a lottery site can have restrictions in place regarding who can use the services. You’ll find these details on a lottery website, or you may discover you’re automatically blocked from accessing the platform online.

How Old Do I Need to Be to Buy a Lottery Ticket?

Most lotteries only allow people 18 years and older to play. Therefore, in order to open an account, you may have to provide identification to prove your age.

How Long Is a Lottery Ticket Valid?

Lotteries have different rules about how long tickets stay valid. There may also be different validity periods for different games hosted by the same lottery vendor. 180 days (3 months) is a common timeline, but these periods can be as short as 90 days. Usually the maximum time given to claim a prize is 1 year (365 days) from the day of the draw.

Lotteries vs Lottery Agents – What’s the Difference?

A lottery agent is a third party from whom you purchase a ticket that the official lottery issued. The lottery agent buys the ticket on your behalf and sends you a copy of the ticket.

You pick numbers online, using the lottery agent’s website. Then the lottery agent’s team members go out to a lottery retailer – a brick and mortar store – and purchase a ticket with the numbers you selected. They will send you a scanned copy of this real lottery ticket.

Lottery agents make it possible for people to buy tickets of lotteries based in other states or even other countries.

Can I Play the Lottery as Part of a Group?

Yes, you can play the lottery as part of a group. You can form a syndicate with people you know, or use syndicate options available on certain lottery sites. This is also called a lottery pool. If you play as part of a group, put the details of your agreement in writing in order to protect everyone’s interests and prevent conflict in the case of distributing winnings among members.

Can I Play the Lottery on My Phone?

Yes, playing the lottery on your phone via a browser is possible, if that lottery or lottery agent sells tickets online. Some lotteries and lottery agents also have apps that make it easier to navigate between options. However, certain apps only provide information, such as the latest lottery numbers, without the option to purchase tickets.

How Can I Contact a Lottery?

Each lottery will have its own contact methods to communicate with clients. This can be via email, phone or online chat. The best lottery sites have 24/7 support so you can get help whenever you need it.

FAQ on Lottery Winnings & Prizes

How to Claim a Lottery Prize?

For many lotteries’ prizes you can take your lottery ticket to a lottery vendor and claim your prize. When playing the lottery online, certain lottery agents automatically pay winnings into your account, soon after a draw has taken place. For larger wins, you may need to supply documentation or even travel to claim the prize.

When playing international lotteries, this may require you to travel to another country. Some lotteries may also allow you to claim by post.

Must I Pay Tax on My Lottery Winnings?

Firstly, you may have to pay local tax, which relates to tax deducted at the source of your winnings. But some countries are tax free in this regard.

Furthermore, when playing international lotteries, depending on your country of residence – or where you’re playing from – you may also have to pay tax on the amount you receive.

Tax payments can be influenced by factors such as whether it’s a primary source of income for you. You can consult a tax lawyer for detailed guidelines on what you need to pay and declare.

Does an Online Lottery Charge Fees on Winnings?

Different vendors have different policies regarding fees on winnings. Some of them won’t charge any fees, but note that you may still pay transfer fees if you use certain payout methods.

What Was the Largest Lottery Jackpot Ever Paid?

The largest jackpot was the 2012 prize for the Spanish Christmas Lottery, also called El Gordo. It had a prize of $3.2 billion up for grabs. However, because of the setup of this lottery, this prize always gets split between multiple winners.

The event seen as the world’s biggest lottery jackpot was Powerball’s payout of $1.586 billion, which took place in 2016. For this draw there were three tickets with the correct numbers, so each winner eventually received a third of the prize money. After deductions, this was a cash value for $327 million for each person.

The largest jackpot a single person received was for a Mega Millions winning ticket in 2018. The jackpot was $1.53 billion and the cash value payout was $877.8 million.

Can I Claim a Jackpot Anonymously?

Your right to stay anonymous depends on the lottery organization’s requirements and where you play. Many countries in Europe, as well as New Zealand prioritize privacy. However, in America rules about anonymity differ between states.

FAQ about Lottery Deposits, Numbers & Results

How to Buy Lottery Tickets Online?

You can purchase lottery tickets from international lotteries by using lottery agents. These third parties will buy a ticket on your behalf, scan it and send it to you, usually via email. This is enough to make you eligible for a prize.

To initiate the process, you must open an account on the lottery agent’s website. You will then deposit money into your account’s wallet, with which you can buy tickets.

Browse the available lotteries and pick the one you’re interested in. The lottery agent gives you a digital representation of the lottery numbers for a specific lottery. You can select your lucky numbers, submit them and confirm the payment for your ticket. The lottery agents also offer a Quick Pick service if you want to submit random numbers.

You’ll receive confirmation of your ticket, usually via email. Then you wait for the draw and see if you’re a winner.

How to Get Discounts When Playing the Lottery Online?

There are many ways to become eligible for discounts when playing the lottery online. Look for starting bonuses for new players. Alternatively, some lottery agents offer discount pricing for multi-draws – when you buy a specific number of tickets at once, for upcoming draws.

Many lottery agents also run promotions, which can get you tickets at lower prices than usual. For example, you may get every 5th ticket free. Also read up on the benefits of becoming a VIP member, which often goes hand in hand with discounts only available to these special members.

What Payment Methods Can I Use when Playing Lotteries?

Each lottery and lottery agent will have their own list of available payment methods. This can range from using your credit or debit card, to doing an electronic transfer or using one of the many helpful, safe and user friendly digital wallet providers such as PayPal and Skrill.

Different minimum payment amounts may apply to each payment method.

Buying Lottery Tickets from a Store vs Buying Online – What Is Better?

For buying in store vs online, there are pros and cons to each method. When playing online, you have access 24/7, not only during business hours, and there’s no standing in a queue to buy. You can also do it wherever you are, since you can use your mobile device.

If you don’t like walking around with cash, you may not like buying in store. Purchasing online is an easier and safer option, as long as you use reputable websites.

In some cases, lottery tickets in a brick-and-mortar store are cheaper, because a lottery agent may charge service fees for buying tickets on your behalf. In some instances, in store tickets do require additional costs that don’t apply when playing lotteries online. You need to do your research and find the best sites, giving you the most benefits and best prices.

Furthermore, depending on which lottery agents you use, you may wait a while before getting confirmation of your ticket. This is because a lottery agent has to go and buy the ticket on your behalf. In contrast, if you buy in store, you have immediate proof of your purchase in hand. But, when using the trusted lottery agent sites with good reputations, you soon see that this isn’t a big concern.

How Many Online Lottery Tickets Can I Buy?

There is usually no limit to how many tickets you can buy. You’re allowed to buy as many as you wish for a specific draw. You can also place an advance bet, where tickets you buy are for upcoming draws. Certain vendors allow you to automatically enter the same numbers for multiple draws in the future.

How to Check the Online Lottery Results?

You can use one of many methods to check online lottery results. The lottery itself will share the numbers on their site. You can also use a lottery results app to view all the latest results. Some of these apps can compare your lottery tickets with the numbers of the draw and alert you if you’re eligible for a prize. Certain lottery agents will also automatically notify you via email if you win.

How Much Money Can I Win With Online Lotteries?

With online lotteries you can win the same prizes that well known lotteries advertise. This includes the progressive jackpot prizes that can grow to excessive amounts.

To find out which prizes a certain online lottery has on offer, view the prize tiers which you’ll find on the official lottery sites, or lottery agents’ online platforms.