United Kingdom
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Lotteries are gambling games that award prizes based on numbers being randomly drawn from a pool of options. The concept is among the oldest ones ever recorded for gambling, going back to the Han Dynasty in China in 200 BC. The rules have been polished over the years, but lotteries have always been popular in different parts of the world. They provided participants with the chance to win large prizes for a relatively small fee.
Records of lotteries that sold tickets and offered money prizes have been found going back to the 15th century. Usually, the games were held by local governments with the goal of raising money for different projects. For example, the Netherlands saw many lotteries being organised by the authorities to help collect money for the poor. It became known as an extra way of paying taxes for those that wanted to take part in the action.
Getting closer to modern times and lotteries still appear in various countries. In fact, the United States is home to some of the biggest events in the world and holds the record for the largest payout ever made. In January 2016, three winners split the Powerball jackpot of $1.586 billion. In Europe, the record jackpot is of €185 million, which was one by a lucky player in Scotland.
Lotto games have also been added to the platform of several online casinos. However, these versions are much smaller and take place every few minutes. The easy access and the familiar gameplay have helped push online lotto to a decent level of popularity.
Lotteries can attract a lot of players for many reasons. Arguably the most significant incentive to play is the progressive jackpot. Most of the big lotteries start with a pot, and the prize from one draw is rolled over to the next time the game is drawn until there comes a time when someone claims it. This makes it easy for the top prize to increase at a fast pace and reach life-changing sums in a short period. Given the fact that it is very difficult to predict all of the numbers correctly, most draws conclude without any winners for the main jackpot.
As for online lotto games, the operators usually aim to offer more betting options to keep things entertaining and also increase the number of winners. Not only can you select the numbers that you think will be picked but you can also wager on something more natural to predict. Of course, the payout rates go down to match the odds. This variety of options makes lotto far more enjoyable where draws take place every few minutes. Lotto is similar to keno and bingo so in this regard it can be a natural choice for fans of these favourite casino games. An added perk to live online lotto is that you can see the draw taking place in real time through certified equipment. Plus, there is usually a beautiful dealer next to the urns to announce the winning numbers.
Lottery games are straightforward to play. The main idea is that players can buy tickets with numbers on them. Depending on the version, a card can have six numbers out of 49, 7 out of 42, 6 out of 60, or other combinations. The big lotteries usually have two pools of numbers, and the jackpot is won by a ticket that matches 5 out of 75 from the first pool and the special number out of 15 options from the second one. Customers can usually choose their own numbers or buy tickets with random selections.
The winning numbers are drawn from custom-made machines. Numbered balls are scrambled, and a jet of air pushes one of them to the surface. The process is repeated until all the numbers are determined. While the jackpot is won with all numbers guessed correctly, there are also smaller prizes for only getting most of them correct. In online lotto games hosted by casino operators, the process has been simplified. Draws don’t take place once a week, and instead, new rounds begin every few minutes.
The primary distinction, however, is that players have additional betting options. The most popular versions are for 7/42, 6/60, and 5/36. These are usually called Lucky 7, Lucky 6, and Lucky 5. After selecting the preferred variant, you will be able to choose from an entire list of betting options. For example, you can choose one ball that will be dropped or opt for at least five out of seven selections. There are even options for the colour of ball, the sum of the total, and more.
The payout rates are displayed next to each line so that you know how much you stand to win if you are correct. When a round begins, some lotto games online show the draw taking place live. Also, beautiful dealers are there to spice things up a bit more. Other operators use virtual games with animated draws to keep things simple. It is difficult to talk about the house edge when it comes to Lotto. Most of the modern online versions have much better payouts than the big lotteries if we take a look at the numbers.
Operators take about 10-15% from the difference between the featured payout rates and the actual odds of winning. However, lotteries can sometimes be a 50/50 game where 50% of the income is awarded back to players, and the other 50% is held by the government program or operating company. Also, we want to make it clear that the life-changing jackpots advertised in national lotteries are not the awarded prizes.
Winners are given the option to choose between a lump sum and annuities. For the lump sum, the reward is roughly the size of one-third of the jackpot advertised; and that is before taxes. On the other hand, annuities from lotteries can be paid over decades at low rates and then a large payment in the final year. With online lotto games, the winnings are much easier to cover. The biggest payouts are of around 2,000 times the bet, and they are easier to claim. For example, when betting on four selected balls in Lucky 7, you can win 1,800 times the wager. The winnings are instantly added to the account.
The truth is that lotteries are a very bad bet. If we analyse the numbers for the most popular lottery in the world, we see that you shouldn’t even consider buying a ticket. In Mega Millions, you need to match 5/75 and 1/15 to win the jackpot. The odds of getting all numbers right are of 258,890,850 to 1. This means that for a ticket of $1 you need to win $259 million. Ticket prices are usually much bigger, and as we said earlier, the advertised jackpot is not the amount you will receive in the bank account.
With all of that being said, if you want to take part in lotteries, we recommend that you do so in moderation. Also, you are probably better off by using random numbers than by selecting ones yourself. The idea here is that many players pick numbers based on dates and years. If you do the same and win, you will likely have to share the jackpot with others. Since lottery jackpots increase after a draw without a winner and the prices remain the same, it is better to play when the prize has already been rolled over a few times.
The odds of winning don’t change, but the potential returns are higher. The best lottery fix you can get is with the online lotto games we mentioned earlier. These are great for getting a similar experience without having to wait days for the next draw. In fact, you don’t have to wait long for a new lotto draw to take place at some online casinos. Granted, the maximum payouts are not worth millions, but the house edge is also significantly smaller.
The opinion on lotto seems to be mixed. There are both benefits and disadvantages to playing this gambling game. However, the scale does seem to tip in favour of the online games since national lotteries keep too much of the revenue.
While online lotto has a lower RTP than most other casino games, it does provide a high level of excitement, especially when playing the live games with real dealers. It is also one the easiest betting games in the world since you don’t have to do anything other than place a bet. Lotto is definitely a game of chance.
There is no way to take advantage of the modern machines to predict the numbers that will come up. Additionally, no strategies can be used to improve your odds. Since the games don’t require a high level of skill, the gameplay is more relaxing for the player, and you will not have any regrets at the end of a session. With a bit of luck, you can win the big prize. The only way to find out is to play, and you get started today!