Online lottery sites serve as middlemen between you and official government-run lotteries. They typically have someone go out and purchase physical tickets on your behalf, then scan them and upload them to an online database. You pay them a fee for the service, but they don’t get a cut of any prizes you win.
These websites offer a wide variety of games including the most popular ones like Powerball and Mega Millions. They can also provide you with a list of current jackpots and odds. You can even select your numbers and purchase your ticket securely on your computer or mobile device. The best online lottery sites are regulated by gambling commissions so you can be sure that your money is safe and secure.
The first state to legalize Lottery Online was Illinois in 2012. Since then, a number of other states have joined them including Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania. Some of them have started offering e-Instant games, which are more like casino-like online games.
Some state lotteries are also working with other partners to provide online lottery games. The New York Lottery, for example, is partnering with a sports betting company to sell lottery tickets online and on mobile devices. This is an important step because the online gaming industry has grown rapidly in recent years and has been largely unregulated. The partnership should help to increase the popularity of the NY Lottery and bring more people into the game.