Written By: Lauren Lister | Fact Checked By: Sarah Lunness
We associate lotteries with purchasing tickets at your local corner shop, colourful slips of paper hiding prizes within them. But nowadays, entering lotteries can be much more convenient thanks to the influx of online lottery sites.
But now, there’s so much choice for lotteries in Canada that you don't know which are quality, legitimate businesses. That’s why our experts are here to tell you what makes an exceptional online lottery and which are our favourites. Keep reading to learn more about the best lottery sites and how to play lottery online.
Best Online Lottery Sites in Canada
How We Pick the Top Canadian Lottery Sites
When picking out the best online lotteries in Canada, our experts use the following metrics to determine which are the cream of the crop.
Licensing and Safety
We’ll never recommend an online lottery that’s unsafe for consumers. When you’re trying to get lucky, you don’t want to be worrying about whether your money and data are safe or if you’re working with a legitimate business.
We’re only considering fully licensed businesses with SSL encryption employed across their sites, so you know you’re in good hands.
Lottery Games
There’s little point in signing up with a lottery site if they don’t have the kinds of games you want to play. So we looked at the websites with the widest range of lotteries to enter, from raffles, keno, scratch cards and mega jackpots. We want to see it all. The wider the variety, the more confident we are that you’ll be satisfied with our picks.
Jackpots, Instant Wins and Number Draws
While we want a great variety of games in our picks, they have to meet these three specific game types. We want to know that we’re covering our bases and hitting all the classics.
We all love the look of that big jackpot, but some players prefer the low-stakes, instant results of a scratch card or keno tickets. But weekly number draws are a staple for a reason, so if possible, we like to see these offered side by side.
Odds
Generally, the higher the average odds are across a lottery site, the better it is. Legitimate companies aren’t afraid to let their consumers engage and win, and frequent payouts prove you can trust an online lottery site when the chips are down.
We like to see a good variety of in-game odds, though; if they are all high odds, you are unlikely to encounter those bigger jackpots, which can suck the fun out for some players. Our favourite lottery sites have all sorts of odds for you to take your chances on.
Player Reviews
Looking at any kind of product, you want to check out what the public says about it. Player reviews are the best way to find unfiltered and honest brand opinions. Online reviews say a lot about the legitimacy and quality of the website you’re using. Of course, you will always find a subset of people who leave negative reviews, but if you have thousands of angry patrons, you can safely assume there’s something wrong.
We ensured that players had good things to say about our top sites. And bonus points if we saw the website responding to reviews and getting issues resolved.
Payment Methods
We want to see two things regarding payment methods: quantity and quality. Customers should have lots of options for how they make their transactions. But we also want to know that these methods are reliable, safe and prompt.
However, we can forgive an online lottery site for fewer options, provided those options are all well-trusted. It shows the business cares more about user safety than advertising to as many people as possible. The best online lottery sites will strike a balance between these, with a good selection of reliable payment methods to meet your personal needs while keeping your funds secure.
Customer Service
Even the best services occasionally encounter issues; no one’s perfect. But when problems do crop up, these lottery sites need to have good customer support on offer to resolve them promptly and in a friendly manner.
And this means that a simple FAQ page just doesn't cut it. We expect a Live Chat at the very least and available throughout most of the day, ideally 24/7. The best online lottery sites will also have telephone and email contacts available so they can help every type of customer.
Design and Usability
They say don't judge a book by its cover, but there’s much to say about how a good design can affect a product experience. We want our online lottery websites to look appealing and impart a feeling of class and legitimacy to their service. Outdated websites and ugly colours won’t do.
Website layout and navigation should also be top-tier. What’s the point of a site you can not navigate? We want to find the lotteries of our choice swiftly and confidently.
Mobile Compatibility
Modern life is increasingly centring around convenience, so we always look for good mobile compatibility. Players want to check out the weekly winning numbers no matter where they're, and putting that in their pocket is the best answer.
At the very least, an excellent online lottery site should have a well-adapted mobile web browser. The layout should work well on the smaller screen, and the services should not lag. The absolute best online lottery sites will have the option of a mobile app instead of a web page. Apps tend to run smoother and faster and are the height of convenience.
For those who are interested in finding out more about mobile casinos in Canada, where you can access lottery online, check out our recent article.
Top Lottery Sites for Canadian Players
Jackpot.com
Another younger company, opening doors in 2016, Jackpot.com, is a unique option for the best online lottery sites. They do not enter customers into the regular lotteries but rather have them bet on the outcomes for different jackpots and then match the winnings themselves. This leads to an unconventional experience, often with better odds. They also have your standard instant win games on offer.
Jackpot.com has an iOS app available (no Android, unfortunately) that shares its fun website design, and the company has a great range of payment methods for you to pick from with zero withdrawal fees.
Jackpot City
Jackpot City is a well-established, e-COGRA-approved online casino licensed by the MGA. It's not exclusively a lottery website but offers great lottery options alongside its more conventional casino service. These include scratch cards and keno.
The best thing about playing lotteries with a business like Jackpot City is its reliable framework and system. The payment methods are extensive and safe, security is excellent, customer service is solid, and there is a fantastic mobile app for those looking to take their lotteries on the go.
We have recently put together a full review of Jackpot City Casino, so if you want to know more about this top canadian online casino, head over to our page.
Dolly Casino
Dolly Casino is brand new on the scene, launching a couple of years ago, and has gone a long way to establishing itself as classy and legit. It wants to be a great all-rounder and, as a part of that, offers lottery options across its site, including a selection of scratch tickets.
We love how accessible Dolly Casino is, with many payment options, including cryptocurrencies, upfront customer service, and its top-of-the-range mobile app. The website also looks great, with a sleek, professional interface on both web and mobile. You can not go wrong with Dolly.
bet365 Casino
You can usually count on bet365 Casino to make lists like this. This international gambling giant has, unsurprisingly, dipped its toes into the lottery market and has brought it up to the same standard as the rest of their services.
The lottery at bet365 is a little hidden, but no lesser than the more specialized websites. In fact, bet365 can boast some of the best fixed odd rates in the world, let alone in Canada. They have a fantastic range of lottery games, plentiful payment methods, excellent security, and you can be confident you are using a legit service.
How to Play Lottery Online
You can play the lottery online from a multitude of dedicated websites. You will need to find one that fits your preferred experience and sign up for an account with them.
If you are unsure which online lottery site to choose, check out our top recommendations as a starting point. Always make sure to perform a brief background check on whatever website you are using before committing to it. From this account, you can browse the various lotteries on offer and play whatever takes your fancy.
How to Buy Lottery Tickets Online
Assuming you have already chosen a website to use and signed up with them, you will need to start depositing funds into your account. You can then use these funds to purchase tickets for your preferred lotteries across the website.
Different tickets for different jackpots and games will vary in price. More expensive tickets often have much higher jackpots but smaller chances to win. In contrast, cheaper tickets will have lower payouts but far higher odds. You could also have to wait for the outcomes of certain lotteries so they can pull physical numbers at a specific time. Other games will be instant. So make sure you know what you are looking for before you commit to buying your tickets.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the best online lottery site?
Though it all depends on personal preference, Lottoland, Jackpot.com, Jackpot City, Dolly Casino, and bet365 Casino are the top online lottery sites for Canadian players.
Are Online Lotto sites safe?
Yes, the same rules that apply to normal online casinos also apply to lottery websites. To find out more, look up the licensing that the website you are accessing runs under.
Can I get lottery on mobile?
That is accurate, in fact, most lottery websites provide an app for your convenience, and all of them work perfectly on desktop and mobile browsers.
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DISCLAIMER: We would like to emphasize that gambling is risky and should not be used to resolve financial difficulties. The saying "the house always wins" is worth keeping in mind. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, we firmly advise you to call the Gamblers Anonymous at 1-626-960-3500 to speak with an expert about getting assistance and making gambling safer for you or your friends and loved ones. Remember that all gaming websites and instructions are intended for people aged 19 and above. Some of the casino sites featured on our site may not be available in your location. Check your local regulations to see if internet gambling is permitted in your area. Check out the following organizations for free gambling addiction resources:
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