Lotteries are played every week, in lots of countries throughout the world. People have been sceptical about online lotteries, mostly because they did not know what to expect once they were implemented. Well, to be honest, back in the 90s when the first online lotteries were playable, people didn’t even have computers, let alone internet access. Around 2005 to 2007 is when the majority of people had internet access, and had started questioning online lotteries. Not long after, they realized that they are basically playing the same thing, just from a different country. They started using promo codes like the Michigan lottery promo to make better use of their time and money.

Yet, many people still wonder whether there are differences between online lotteries and those run by a government. Here are a couple of things you should know about how lotteries work, which will make things clearer.

Government-run or Online are One and the Same

In order to be able to run a lottery, you need a gambling license, of a certain class, which can vary greatly from one country to another. What this means is that you cannot organize lotteries without some country’s license regulating it.

While governments can run lotteries, like in the case of plenty of European countries and most States in the United States, online lotteries are often the same ones, except you purchase a ticket online. The type of ticket you purchase can vary, which is the thing separating online lotteries from regular ones.

A Ticket Scan Versus Betting on the Outcome

When you purchase an actual ticket and are emailed with a ticket scan, that means that a person must go and purchase a ticket for you, most likely a citizen living in the country whose lottery you are playing. Thus, you end up with an actual ticket of the lottery you wanted to play.

The other kind of lottery playing you can do is betting on the outcome of a lottery. This is different, because you do not get a ticket and you only get confirmation that you will receive the money associated with how many numbers you hit. This is regulated through a gambling license. You will not be paid the money by the lottery organizers, in other words.

Can You Bet on Government-run Lotteries?

Depending on the country and their regulations on whether foreigners can bet on their lottery, you definitely can in some countries. You would be taxed by the said country, or rather, your jackpot would be taxed, as it happens in most European countries, as opposed to the US, where the federal government taxes winning, rather than the states. You could even do so online, if the lottery site is offering the said lottery. You could opt for getting a ticket or a bet on the outcome, depending on what kind of service the site offers.

Where Can You Play Lotteries Online?

Everywhere. There are so many sites which you can use to play lotteries. The problem with so many sites is that many of them will not be as good as others. Look at the reviews and decide which site is the best one for you.

There are almost no differences between online lotteries and government-run ones, as you will most likely end up playing the latter, just online.