When playing the lottery online, it’s essential to use a reputable site. Ideally, it should have been in business for a while, be easy to use and provide a variety of payment methods. ACH/eCheck, PayPal and credit cards are common options for deposits at legal online lottery sites. Some offer prepaid cards for withdrawals as well. In the US, you can also buy tickets through a lottery agent or through your state’s official website.

While the rules governing online lottery in the United States vary, most require players to be a resident of the state where they live and to be of legal age to play. Most online lottery websites use geolocation technology to ensure that anyone trying to make a purchase is located within the state’s borders. Those who attempt to play from outside the state will have their winnings automatically blocked.

In the past, many states didn’t allow residents to purchase lottery tickets online because they feared fraud and loss of tax revenue. That changed when the DOJ updated its opinion on the Wire Act, allowing lottery sites to sell tickets to people who live in other states.

Online lottery sites have a range of prizes to award to their users, from small to large. Smaller prizes, typically up to a few thousand dollars, tend to get automatically credited to your account. Larger prizes, like jackpots, may require you to visit the lottery site in person. Fortunately, most lottery websites have a system in place that makes this process as quick and convenient as possible.