Buying lottery tickets online

You can play The Health Lottery through our website – simply register an account with us to start buying your Health Lottery tickets online. Read on to find out whether or not buying lottery tickets online is right for you.

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Millions of people take part in lotteries worldwide, with over half of the UK’s over-18 population buying tickets regularly.

The popularity of the lottery is easy to understand, and it is more than merely a weekly (or more regular) draw, it is a much-loved institution with fascinating history, facts, and stories behind each winning draw.  

With so many people playing lotteries, it is easy to understand the growing popularity of playing this old favourite game online. Technological advances have provided one reason for the growth in popularity, as more and more people rely on the convenience of conducting daily tasks on their computer, tablet or smartphone. 

A person used to the traditional shop purchase may ask the question “Why should I buy my lottery ticket online?” Read on to find out why you would choose to play online.  

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Is it better to buy my lottery ticket online or at a local shop?

The high street or corner shop has its advantages for buying the regular, standard lottery ticket or instant scratch card. Many people love their routines, and the social aspects of shopping at their favourite shop. Catching up with locals, buying tickets, and cashing in on those winning numbers are... fun. Use our handy store locator to find where to buy Health Lottery tickets near you.

However, for busy, working families, and people who live remotely, sometimes this is not always a viable option. There is also the risk that small wins may go unclaimed, as for many busy people, travelling to the shop to claim the winnings may take too much time. And, of course, you can go online at any time, and buy your tickets when you want. Just remember that draw times are still fixed, and you can’t buy a ticket for a draw that’s already happened (for obvious reasons!).

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It should also be noted that there is usually a wider choice of games offered to online players. 

Here at The Health Lottery, for example, you can play The Big Win online or get a ticket in a shop, but All or Nothing, QuickWin and our range of Instant Win games can only be played online.

Keep track of your winnings

Apart from busy lifestyles and more games to play, another advantage of having an online account is the ease of claiming winnings. An online account credits capped amounts automatically, with various options depending on the organiser. 

At The Health Lottery, we pay winnings up to £500 directly into your account (called your Online Wallet), and we’ll automatically email you to tell you if you win any amount.

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Is it safe?

Is it safe to buy lottery tickets online? Yes, and in some ways even safer than buying in person! A personal reason for many to have an online account is the fact that tickets are kept safe, and not at risk of being lost in the wind, misplaced, or accidentally destroyed. All too often headlines are splashed across the media with stories of jackpot winners denied their winnings due to defaced tickets, or stories of unclaimed millions due to winners not coming forward. 

Imagine the stress and worry of a winning ticket holder having to keep that precious ticket safe somewhere while they wait to claim their prize and get it paid into their bank account...

Sometimes the journey to the shop to pick up tickets may not be the main priority that day, due to other commitments, or maybe the need to go to the cashpoint first to get cash to pay for tickets. Online accounts circumvent these issues and provide the security of never missing a draw.

There are other blogs where we set out the advantages and watchouts for playing the lottery online safely.

When you play the lottery online, you will receive other benefits such as regular news about the lottery organisers and the good causes that are close to the heart of many players, as well as special offers, and information about new games, jackpots, and Superdraws.

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Never miss a draw when you use Direct Debit to play online 

Finally, another appealing aspect of an online account is that when it is coupled with Direct Debit payments, you can ensure you never miss a weekly draw, and never need to wonder if “your” numbers have dropped precisely when you didn’t play them. 

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It’s also the best way of being loyal to your numbers when you go on holiday, as it’s not permitted to play British lotteries like the National Lottery or The Big Win from The Health Lottery from outside Britain. You can play draws in advance before you get on the plane, but who has the presence of mind to play their numbers when they’re looking for batteries for the scales to weigh the suitcases..?

Playing by subscription with an online account, you have the power to opt for Quick Pick numbers or preselect your favourite regular numbers. Murphy’s Law suggests that the week you forget to buy a ticket or are too busy to get to the shops will be the week those winning numbers come up in the draw! 

You can play All or Nothing and The Big Win by Direct Debit,  and if you sign up to the VIP subscription you can play The Big Win for 20% less! Interested? All you need to know about being a Very Important Player can be found in this article or here.

The Health Lottery operates on behalf of The Health Lottery Foundation, PO BOX 8109, Daventry, NN11 1JA. Promoter: Delva Patman.

The Health Lottery Foundation exists to raise funds in support of health-related causes throughout Great Britain. It receives and assesses grant applications and awards funding across GB. For information on good causes and to apply for a grant click HERE. 20% of every lottery draw ticket and online scratchcard purchased goes towards good causes. Across all games, 34% is spent on prizes and 46% is spent on expenses (actual expenses exceed this figure). Our average annual proceeds from lotteries are £14.5m. The odds of winning The Big Win jackpot are 1 in 2.1m and the odds of winning any Big Win prize is 1 in 9.7. The odds of winning the All or Nothing jackpot is 1 in 1.35m and the odds of winning any All or Nothing prize is 1 in 4.5. The odds of winning a QuickWin jackpot is 1 in 2.1m and the odds of winning any QuickWin prize is 1 in 6. All winning lottery numbers are selected using an approved random number generator (RNG). Click on the links below for full T&Cs and FAQs for each of our games.

Please help us to support vital health causes in your community. The Health Lottery Foundation is licensed by the Gambling Commission.