The online lottery is a popular pastime that allows players to win huge sums of money. The odds of winning are long, but the prize amounts make it worth the risk. Players can choose from a number of different types of lotteries and play them on their computer, mobile phone or tablet. They can also buy tickets at brick-and-mortar locations.
In the US, online lottery first came into existence in 2012, when Illinois became the first state to offer its games on the internet. Since then, many states have followed suit. However, some have strict rules about who can purchase tickets online. These rules differ by state and are often designed to protect against fraud. Some of these rules include requiring that the purchaser be located in the same state as the lottery site. Some states also require that the purchaser be of legal age to play.
Most lottery sites will allow you to make payments through a variety of methods, including PayPal, Skrill, Paysafecard, Click2Pay and direct bank transfer. Some may even accept Bitcoin. If you see that a site only accepts one type of payment, this is a red flag. It could mean that the site is not being transparent about how it charges its customers and is gouging them.