Now that it’s possible for people all over the world to buy lottery tickets online, many players are faced with a tough decision. With so many lottos to choose from, how do you know which lottery you should play? It all comes down to your personal style and your goals. Do you dream of winning a big jackpot in 2017? Or would you be content to win smaller prizes more often?
To help you make a lottery resolution for the new year, here’s what you to know about some of the lotteries you can play online:
The lotteries with the biggest jackpots
Lotteries don’t come any bigger than the US Powerball. With a starting jackpot of $40 000 000, the Powerball is the lottery to play if you dream of becoming an instant multi-millionaire. After some changes were made to the format of the game in October 2015, the jackpot rolled over to a record-breaking $1 600 000 000. It was the first lottery to break the billion dollar mark, and its aim is provide players with more roll overs and bigger jackpots.
But, it’s not the only American lottery you can play online. Other popular game is the Mega Millions lottery. It held the record for the biggest jackpot in history for four years before the Powerball nudged it into second place. At this point in time, the Mega Millions holds three of the top ten places for the biggest jackpots ever. While your odds of winning either a Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot are pretty low (one in 292 201 338 and one in 258 890 850 respectively), those big jackpots are worth playing for.
The lotteries with the best odds
If you don’t fancy the odds offered by the American lotteries, you should turn your attention to the Spanish lotteries instead. Games such as the Spanish La Primitiva and BonoLoto offer players much better odds. Although the jackpots are much smaller compared to those offered by the US Powerball and Mega Millions, they’re still big enough to make your dreams come true. Your overall odds of winning any prize in the Spanish La Primitiva or BonoLoto are only one 10, so it’s no surprise that these lotteries attract a lot of players.
Alternatively, you could try the Australian Powerball. The game is modelled on the US Powerball, but it offers players a better chance of winning the jackpot with odds of one in 1 in 76,767,600. And there’s still a chance that you could win a substantial jackpot. Once the jackpot reaches AU $10 000 000, another AU $10 000 000 is added to the draw with each rollover. The biggest Australian Powerball jackpot was an impressive AU $80 000 000 which was won in 2009. Your odds of winning the jackpot stand at one in 76 767 600, which are much better than those offered by the US Powerball.
Which lotteries are tax-free?
If you buy lottery tickets online regularly, you’ll know that tax can take a big chunk of change out of your winnings. In the USA, lottery winnings are regarded as form of income, which is why they are subject to both federal and state taxes. Non-US citizens pay more tax on their lottery winnings than locals. Even Spanish lottery winnings over €2500 are subject to a flat tax rate of 20%.
So, if you want to avoid paying tax on your prize, you should play EuroMillions online. The EuroMillions lottery is offered in thirteen countries, only three of which levy tax on lottery winnings. Provided your online lottery ticket agent doesn’t purchase official EuroMillions lottery tickets from Spain, Portugal or Switzerland, you can look forward to receiving your EuroMillions prize money in full.
But don’t forget to check with your local tax office what the rules are regarding lottery winnings in your own country. It’s possible that once you’ve received your winnings, they’ll be subject to tax according the laws of the country where you live. Make your enquiries before you start playing to avoid a nasty surprise should you be lucky enough to win something.
You could spend hours comparing all the different lottos and still not come up with an answer. But don’t be afraid to rely on your gut instincts. Many players pick which lottery to play based on how they feel about it. So if you think that a Powerball jackpot is in your future, don’t hesitate to buy your Powerball tickets online.
However, you should take some time to pick your lotto numbers. You should aim to pick a random set of numbers, that you feel confident about. Whichever lottery you choose, try to play consistently. All the experts will tell you that playing every draw is one of the best ways to improve your odds of winning. And remember that playing the lottery should be fun. So don’t worry too much about picking the right lottery; go with what feels right to you.
