How to Play Lotto Games From Other Countries

Have you ever looked at the massive jackpots in the lotto games of other countries and wished you could play?

I have. After all, while the top jackpot the EuroMillions has paid (€190 million) would be tasty, it isn’t quite the $1.6 billion record jackpot which the Mega Millions lotto awarded in 2018.

Wouldn’t it be cool if you could play in these overseas lotteries while sitting in the UK?

Well, now you can. Thanks to innovative new lotto sites, it’s possible to bet on the outcome of lotteries from around the world. All you need is an internet connection and a way to pay.

How is this possible? How can UK players participate in US lotteries? Is it possible to play in the lottery in Australia and elsewhere? I’ll answer these questions and others in this guide to playing in lotto games online.

How You Can Play in Overseas Lotteries

You probably already know that in order to play in the lottery of most countries, you have to be a legal resident of the country you’re playing in.

So, how is it legally possible for UK players to win the Mega Millions, Powerball, and other overseas lottos?

It’s because of the existence of online lotto sites which mimic the results. You don’t buy a ticket for the draw. Instead, you pick your numbers at an online lotto site, and if you win, they pay you the jackpot.

Essentially, you’re playing in overseas lotteries by proxy. The lotto website is the middleman. It makes money on the sale of “tickets”, and it foots the bill if someone wins.

If you’re like me, you might begin to wonder how independent lotto sites could possibly afford to pay jackpots worth millions of dollars or even $1.6 billion.

Well, they don’t pay it all at once. You’ll get a lump sum that will set you up for life, and the operators pay the rest as the months and years roll by.

That’s not as nice as receiving a single check for hundreds of millions, but the other option is not to be able to play these lotteries at all. Also, you’re much less likely to go broke when you’re paid in instalments, so there’s an advantage to it.

The Pros and Cons of Playing in Overseas Lotteries

When I first heard of this concept, I went into geek mode and started learning all I could about playing in online lotteries. I sort of felt like it had to be a scam, and while I was wrong about that, I did unearth some pros and cons to playing in national lottos online.

So, like any other form of gambling, there are risks and rewards to betting on lottery results in other countries. For the most part, you can eliminate some of the worst risks if you take the time to select a legit lotto site backed by a big enough company to take the financial hit should you or someone else win.

With these main advantages and disadvantages in mind, let’s take a look at some of the worldwide lotteries you can participate in when you use these sites.

Each lotto site is different. The following is a list of draws I discovered when browsing multiple different sites. You won’t necessarily be able to play in all of them at the lotto site you choose. Shop around to find a site which offers the exact lotto game you want to play.

The Best Lottery Games From Around the World

Having access to many different national lotto games is exciting. When I first found out about these sites, I wanted to know three things.

• Which lottery draws I could play in and where they are based
• What my odds are of winning the jackpot if I play
• What the biggest jackpot that game has ever paid is

So, I did some research, gathered all of that information together, and placed it in the table below.

Lotto Draw	Country	Odds	Record Jackpot
Powerball	USA	1 in 292,201,350	$1.56 billion
Mega Millions	USA	1 in 302,575,350	$1.6 billion
EuroMillions	Europe	1 in 139,838,160	€190 million
Eurojackpot	Finland	1 in 95,344,200	€90 million
Oz Lotto	Australia	1 in 45,379,620	$111,972,151
Lotto Max	Canada	1 in 33,294,800	$55 million
SuperEnalotto	Italy	1 in 622,614,630	€177.7 million
Lotto 6/49	Canada	1 in 13,983,816	$64 million

There are lots of other smaller lottery games from around the world available at different online lotto sites. I saw the South African Lottery, the Irish lottery, and lots of others.

Some sites even have their own lotteries which have very respectable jackpots up for grabs. These are worth checking out if you want to play in something different.

Note that the odds above are for winning the jackpots. To do so, you’ll have to match the most numbers possible.

It’s great to have access to all of these lotteries and many others. While the odds of winning some of these jackpots are astronomical, I’m willing to have a shot for a jackpot worth hundreds of millions or even a billion.

What to Look for in an Online Lotto Site

I mentioned above that one of the downsides of these online lotto sites is that there are some scam operators in the space. There are also vast differences in quality between some of them. So, I thought it would be a good idea to come up with a checklist to help you avoid the scams and pick the best lotto sites.

Pick a Site Run by a Legit Operator

Lotto sites are a different ballgame than casino and betting sites. The big brands like Bet365 and Betfair don’t offer access to these lotteries, so you can’t fall back on reputation alone. Do your research into the operator, its history, any other sites it owns, and the directors behind it. If you play at UK lotto sites, you’ll be able to find all of this information on Google.

Make Sure It Is Large Enough to Pay Wins

In order to avoid heartbreak, you’ll have to play at a legit and established lottery site with a track record of paying out wins. New lotto sites are tempting because of the bonuses they often offer, but if you strike it lucky and win a jackpot worth £100 million or more, will they be able to pay up? For this reason, I would stick with some of the biggest lotto sites.

Check out the Ticket Prices and Fees

It’s always a good idea to read the terms and conditions when you play at an online lottery website. You’ll often find hidden fees for withdrawals, which can make a substantial difference to your payouts.

You’ll also find that there’s a slight difference between the real ticket price and the price the site charges. Make sure you shop around for the best deals.

Understand Which Lotto Games the Site Offers

This is another good reason to play at bigger, more established lottery sites. They will usually offer a wider variety of games from around the world. Smaller sites have to grow their capital before they can risk offering every lotto game. Have a look around and make sure the games you want to play are available.

Check the Payout Policy, Then Double Check It

Before you enter any lottery draw, make sure you understand what will happen if you win. Some sites will pay you a lump sum up to a certain amount, but after that, they will pay you in weekly or monthly instalments. For the biggest jackpots, it can take 10 years or more to get your money in full at some sites. It’s always best to understand this before you choose an online lottery site.

Conclusion

Real money online casinos offer a world of opportunity, which isn’t usually available to UK players. They give you a chance to win some of the biggest jackpots in the world.

However, you should approach them with caution and an awareness of the many scams operating in the space. Be sure to do your due diligence and pick a trustworthy lotto site, and a whole new world of excitement awaits. With that in mind, good luck, and I hope you win the jackpot!