Lottery online is a great way to play the lottery without having to drive, fly or take a train to your nearest store. You can play national and international games, from your home, office, football stadium, or pub, whichever is most convenient for you. You can also check results and claim prizes from your mobile phone or computer, as long as you are logged in to your official state lottery website.

Many state-licensed lottery sites offer a range of online services for both new and returning players. These include a secure online purchase platform, a variety of payment methods and password protected accounts to keep your personal details safe. In addition, legitimate lottery sites will utilise SSL encryption software to ensure your daily transactions remain secure from malicious prying eyes.

You can also use legal online lottery courier services to order official tickets. However, these services cannot sell tickets directly to players; they can only buy them from approved retailers on behalf of players. This is because federal law prohibits lottery sales across state lines. To avoid breaking the law, lottery websites use geolocation technology to verify that players are in their state when they make a purchase.

To increase your chances of winning the lottery, try picking a few different patterns every time you play. While most people tend to stick with the same numbers, changing your patterns can give you better odds of winning a prize. It’s also a good idea to keep your tickets somewhere safe and make sure to sign them as soon as you purchase them, as this will prove that they are yours in the event of theft.