When you play lottery online, you’re not actually buying actual tickets from the operator – instead you’re betting on the outcome of a lotto draw. For example, if you buy an entry for the US Powerball lottery and your numbers match those in the official draw, the winnings will be paid out by a company which is licensed to offer these services. These companies are usually insured against big jackpot wins, with some offering secondary prizes of hundreds of millions of dollars.

Whether you choose to purchase your tickets through an official lottery website or via a legal courier service like Jackpocket, the process is generally pretty simple. For a start, look for sites that offer a good spread of payment methods, including PayPal, Skrill, Paysafecard, Neteller, Click2Pay and direct bank wire transfers. If you want to make sure that your site is safe, we also recommend picking one that offers a password-protected account and secure SSL encryption software.

You can also play the UK’s Health Lottery, which donates a portion of its profits to charities around the country. This charity-focused approach means that the Health Lottery has raised more than PS100 million since its inception. They even have a dedicated mobile app to make it easier to play when you’re on the go. For an even better experience, pick a lottery site that works on both desktop and mobile devices. A well-designed interface that loads quickly and is easy to navigate will give you the best chance of having a smooth transaction.