Lottery Online is the process of purchasing entries to official government-run lotteries via an online platform. Most of these sites are privately run and act as middlemen to allow players to purchase tickets for national and international games from the comfort of their homes. The best sites are secure, regulated, and use reputable payment methods with SSL encryption to protect your personal details.
There are two types of lottery websites: those that purchase tickets for players and those that provide a betting service on the outcomes of various lottery games. The former are usually regulated by state gaming authorities and offer secure deposit and withdrawal options, such as Visa and MasterCard. They will also display their licensing details on their website. The latter are often scams and should be avoided at all costs.
Buying a ticket from an online lottery website that does not buy the ticket for you is illegal in most jurisdictions. This is because the site has no proof that it holds the ticket and may not be able to honour any winnings if you do win. To avoid this, make sure you only play with a reputable site and check their licensing details before you sign up.
Most US states have a lottery website where you can purchase a ticket online. For example, Illinois launched its iLottery in 2012. It offers an impressive array of games including Powerball and Mega Millions. It also has instant-win scratch offs, keno, and discount ticket offers.