Online lottery is a new form of gambling that allows players to participate in various lotteries worldwide from the comfort of their home. It is also the fastest way to check results and compare jackpots. Besides, there are a number of smaller games that have the potential to yield significant prizes. To play an online lottery, a player must be of legal age. The minimum age varies by jurisdiction, but it is usually 18 years old. Moreover, he or she must be a resident of the jurisdiction that legalizes lottery games, and must provide proof of identity to prevent fraud.
Players can easily purchase official lottery tickets online with a single click of the mouse or tap on the screen of their mobile devices. This is made possible thanks to high internet penetration and enhanced betting process in terms of security and reliability. The increasing participation of consumers in online lottery has fueled market growth and attracted several international companies to invest in this sector.
In the US, Illinois became the first state to sell lottery tickets online in 2012. Since then, other states have followed suit. Some of them offer instant win scratch-off games while others sell traditional drawing-style games with large jackpots.
Most online lottery sites charge a fee for the services they provide, which is how they make money. These fees may be in the form of a flat-rate daily fee or as a percentage of winnings. Regardless of the type of fees, players should be careful to choose a legitimate site that offers strong banking security measures and other trust marks.