Lottery Sites in the UK
At online lottery sites, UK players can buy lottery tickets and win their share of the prize pool without having to leave their homes. And there is a lot to choose from other than the National Lottery. Keep reading to learn more about how online lotto works and the best lottery sites for UK players!
Best Online Lottery Sites
- Lots of promotions and bonuses
- Sport, casino, live casino, poker and bingo
- Mobile apps available
- Large selection of lotteries and casino games
- Wager-free welcome spins
- Lots of accepted payment methods
- Choose from several welcome bonuses
- Casino games, live casino, sportsbook, bingo and more
- Low minimum deposit
Introduction to Lotto
A lottery or lotto game is a form of gambling where numbers are drawn at random and players can win a part of a prize pool depending on the corresponding numbers they have from the draw. The gameplay is easy and quick to understand, with potentially grand prizes waiting.
Lotteries are popular all around the world. The game can be organised as anything from small draws for local charities to national or international institutions with weekly draws and millions of pounds in the pot. Due to their simplicity and large potential, lotteries have become very popular and have also made their way online.
How To Play Lottery Online in the UK
Playing the lottery online is as easy as 1-2-3:
- Find and sign up at a UK-licensed lottery site
- Log in and fund your account
- Buy tickets for the lotteries offered
- Cross your fingers and wait for the draw 🤞
We have made the first step easy for you by listing some of the best online lottery sites for UK players at the top of this guide. They are all licensed by the UKGC and fully safe to join. All you need to do is pick one!
Once your account is created and funded, you can choose which lotteries you want to join. Simply select a lottery, choose your numbers and buy your tickets. You then have to wait for the draw, and once the winners are announced, you will automatically get any wins transferred directly to your online account. It couldn’t be easier!
Checking the Lotto Results
Checking the lotto results online is very simple and requires far less effort than playing the lottery offline. How the results are drawn will depend on which type of lottery game you are playing. The two main differences are instant win games compared to number draw games.
- Instant Win: Instant win online lotteries are just what they sound like; lottery games with an instant result. Instant win lottery games include very quick and easy online scratchcard games. In these games, you will instantly see if you have won a prize or not, without having to wait for a draw.
- Number Draw: With the online number draw lotteries, you need to wait for the actual draw to see if you have won or not. While this means you won’t be able to see your result right away, it also creates more authentic lottery gameplay. And with online lotteries, you won’t have to wait for days to see the result: Some games offer daily or even hourly draws.
If you find it exciting to watch the actual draw, you can normally do this live on the lottery website as it happens, just like watching it on the telly.
How to Win in Online Lotto
The gameplay of lotto is very simple and similar to bingo. You participate by buying tickets to the game, and this ticket can result in many different wins, all depending on which numbers get drawn.
The ticket will normally have six numbers on it. Depending on the game you play, the numbers can be anything from 1 to 40, 50 or more. And just like in bingo, the goal is for your chosen numbers to be drawn.
Usually, you can choose your own lottery numbers (for example, by using your lucky numbers, birthdays, etc). But you can also choose to get them automatically generated if you prefer.
Once you have bought your ticket(s), you just need to wait for the draw to begin. When it does, numbers will be drawn at random. If your lottery ticket has six numbers on it, the goal is for all of those six numbers to be drawn. If that happens, you get the first prize – either alone or shared with other players who got the same result. But you can also win quite a lot from having just five or four correct numbers.
So, how many numbers do you need to win in the lottery? If you want the top prize, you need all of them. And if you are wondering what happens if you win the lottery online, it is pretty much the same as if you win “offline”. The prize will be credited to you and is yours to keep and spend!
Benefits of Online Lottery Sites
With online lotto games, you don’t need to go to a shop to buy or reclaim your tickets. At the same time, you will get a far larger variety of lotteries to choose from than anywhere else. Clearly, there are many pros to playing the lottery online. Here are some of the major benefits to know about:
- Join different lotteries from around the world
Online, the sky is the limit. You won’t have to settle for a few lotteries but can access an abundance of draws from all over. - Use just one account and transaction
Once you find a lottery site you like, you can make all purchases from that one account. No need for lots of apps and logins, if you just find a site with lots of offers. - Enjoy bonuses and promotions
The best lottery sites are like online casinos that offer bonuses to players. Expect additional cash, reduced prices and other offers that you won’t find in the shop. - Play whenever, from wherever
With online lottery betting, you can join draws from the comfort of your home or while on the go. Play via a mobile device or whatever you prefer, all online and digital.
Are There Any Drawbacks?
Online lottery sites seem to be the future of the lottery. They keep growing in popularity and make it easier for players to join lotteries around the world. But are there any drawbacks? Well, there are at least some things to keep in mind before playing:
- Not all lotto sites are licensed. Some lottery websites that accept British players operate illegally, without a valid license from the UKGC. You won’t find such sites here at Kabono, though!
- Online lottery sites are not as widespread yet. There are many gambling websites, but most focus on slots, other casino games and/or sports betting. Lottery still seems to be a minority offering, therefore making it more difficult to find legit sites to choose from.
Different Types of Online Lottery
When playing the lottery online, you will be met with a lot more choices than in traditional, local lotteries. We have already introduced the possibility of instant wins vs timed draws (that can have frequent draws), but more specifically, there are various lotteries to try out. Here are our current top three favourites to keep an eye out for!
The National Lottery (UK)
The UK National Lottery is the main lottery operator in the UK, with the Lotto draw being the main event. This is a bi-weekly draw taking place every Wednesday and Saturday.
This lottery is played with 59 balls (1-59), where players need all six numbers correct to hit the jackpot. Each draw starts at a guaranteed £1 million win.
EuroMillions (Europe)
Moving onto a transnational European lottery, EuroMillions is a grand lottery with a total of nine participating countries: Austria, Belgium, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK.
Due to the many participants from all the member countries, the jackpot of this lottery grows to massive sums. This lottery is played with the numbers from 1 to 50, where players have to choose and match both 5 main numbers and two Lucky Stars (1-11).
Mega Millions (US)
The US has many state- and nationwide lotteries reaching large jackpot sums. One of the most popular is Mega Millions, which has 46 member states.
This lottery has a minimum jackpot of $40 million (£30 million). In order to win, players must match five numbers from the white balls numbering 1-69 and one out of the 26 red, bonus balls. Like the UK lottery, this draw is hosted every Wednesday and Saturday.
Where to Play Online Lottery in the UK
Thanks to online lottery sites and online casinos offering lottery games, playing the lottery has never been easier. There are many websites where you can play the lottery online, but it is important to ensure that the site offers legal gambling. For UK players, this means that the site needs to be licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission.
Here at Kabono, we review and recommend some of the best online casinos for UK players. And luckily, several of them offer online lottery games! These are our top picks:
- Lots of promotions and bonuses
- Sport, casino, live casino, poker and bingo
- Mobile apps available
- Large selection of lotteries and casino games
- Wager-free welcome spins
- Lots of accepted payment methods
- Choose from several welcome bonuses
- Casino games, live casino, sportsbook, bingo and more
- Low minimum deposit
Lotto Sites With Slots
When it comes to lottery sites in the UK, there’s more than meets the eye. Many of these sites offer an exciting dual experience by not only hosting a variety of lotto games but also featuring a wide selection of online slots. This means that players looking for some extra entertainment can enjoy the best of both worlds in a single place.
Whether you’re drawn to the anticipation of lottery draws or the fast-paced action of slot machines, these hybrid sites provide a comprehensive gaming experience that caters to all kinds of preferences.
Online Lottery FAQ
On this page, we recommend some of the best online lottery sites for UK players and explain how you can get started with lotto online. To close off, we want to answer some commonly asked questions related to lotteries. If you have any other questions, let us know!
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How does lotto work?
Lotto works similarly to bingo where random numbers are drawn and the goal is for you to have those numbers on your lotto ticket. You can buy several tickets and, depending on the game you play, they will have a set amount of numbers according to the specific lottery. The goal is for all your numbers to be drawn, but you can also win a good prize if you have a few of the numbers correct.
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How do I buy a lottery ticket in the UK?
In the UK, you can buy lottery tickets in lottery shops and other physical establishments that sell them – or online. By buying your tickets online, you get access to a larger variety of international lotteries.
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Is it legal to buy lottery tickets online?
Yes, it is fully legal and safe to buy lottery tickets online. With online lottery sites, UK players can buy tickets to both national and international draws. Just make sure that you sign up at a licensed and regulated website.
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Can I play the UK lottery online?
Yes, you can buy tickets for the National Lottery online. You can do so directly from their website or other affiliated websites that offer tickets to the UK draw.
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How many times can lotto roll over?
In most lotteries, if no one wins the first prize (by having all numbers drawn), the prize rolls over to the next draw. All lotteries will have a maximum limit on the number of times this can happen, to ensure that the top prize is won on a regular basis. For the UK National Lottery, the maximum rollover is five times.
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Which online lottery is best?
The answer to your question will really depend on your personal preferences. Some of the biggest international lotteries include EuroMillions and MegaMillions. As most lotteries only have draws once or twice a week, we recommend buying tickets to a few different ones to have something to look forward to more days of the week. In our opinion, the best lottery to play in the UK is Powerball (from the US).
The only question that remains then is:
Are you ready to play the lottery online?
Head back up to the top of this guide to see our top list of the best UK lottery sites, pick your favourite and buy your tickets!