The online lottery is a growing industry, and many state lotteries are considering expanding their services to the Internet. While only a handful of states have authorized online lottery ticket sales, more states are likely to follow suit in the coming years. You can purchase tickets online from a variety of reputable lottery websites that offer secure payment options, including Visa, MasterCard, and PayPal.

The growth of the online lottery industry is expected to continue to be driven by the rapid digitization of society. As of 2017, 49% of the world’s population had access to the internet, up from 41.7% in 2015. The growth of the mobile phone market is also contributing to this growth. It is estimated that 8 of every 10 people in developing countries now have a mobile phone, and that number is only expected to increase over time.

Online lottery websites also offer convenience, with the ability to purchase lottery tickets anytime, anywhere. You can do this on your computer, smartphone, or tablet. Most of the top lottery sites are fully mobile friendly and offer the most popular lottery games. However, they may not carry smaller games from certain states. To avoid any scams, make sure to check the site’s security features. You can look for the Trust Logo or SSL encryption.

The Illinois Lottery launched a pilot program in March 2012, making it the first state to offer lottery ticket sales online. In December, Illinois expanded their website to include daily lottery games and Powerball lottery tickets. In addition to purchasing tickets online, players can also subscribe to lottery results.