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 in 2023
- Choose from several welcome bonuses
- Casino games, live casino, sportsbook, bingo and more
- Low minimum deposit
- Lots of promotions and bonuses
- Online since 1998
- Sport, casino, live casino, poker and bingo
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 correlating 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. There is no requirement to bet a lot to get a chance of winning, as the outcome is completely random. Due to this simplicity and large potential, lotteries have become very popular and also made their way online.
How To Play Lottery Online in the UK
Playing 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
- Start buying tickets for lotteries offered
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!
Thanks to the growth of online lottery sites, UK players can sign up at their preferred licensed platform. At these sites, players gain access to both national and international lotteries with enormous prize pools. This can include the likes of EuroMillions, MegaMillions and other famous draws.
Once your account is created and funded, you can choose which lotteries you want to join. Simply open 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!
PS: We also have a dedicated beginner’s guide to online lottery.
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. Normally you can choose your own lottery numbers (for example using your lucky numbers, birthday dates 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 lotto 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 price – either alone or shared with other players who got the same result. But you can also win quite a lot from having just five, four or fewer numbers correct too.
So how many numbers do you need to win in lotto? 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. 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.
Not Just the National Lottery…
The National Lottery is the state-franchised national lottery in the United Kingdom. This lottery can also be joined online, at its official website licensed by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission. But while this is “the official lottery of the UK”, it does not mean it is the only option available to Britons. That is because there are several other lottery sites licensed by the UKGC.
The lottery sites listed in this guide are all licensed and legal for players from the UK. And there are even more options out there too; we just list the best from our criteria. So if you are looking to play lotto online, it’s a good idea to expand your horizon by trying another option than the National Lottery.
- Choose from several welcome bonuses
- Casino games, live casino, sportsbook, bingo and more
- Low minimum deposit
- Lots of promotions and bonuses
- Online since 1998
- Sport, casino, live casino, poker and bingo
Betfred, NetBet and William Hill are all UK betting sites offering a lottery section.
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 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!