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Lottery guides

These guides cover how a draw works, what your odds are, how to buy an entry online and what happens to a prize. Each guide says what a ticket can and cannot do: no system, pattern or app changes the odds of a line, and the guides say so where it matters.

Topic pages: syndicates, jackpot odds, strategies, hot and cold numbers, predictors, number generators, how draws work, payout options, memberships, lottery software and mobile apps.

  • 11 guides
  • 3 topics
  • 14 Dec 2023 newest guide

Newest guides

Guides by subject

Grouped by what you want to know: the basics of playing, the games themselves, and what to do with a win.

Lottery Strategy Guides

2 guides

Lottery Basics & Player Guides

6 guides

Lottery Game Guides

3 guides

Lottery guides: common questions

Where should I start if I have never played?

Read how to play the lottery first, then jackpot odds so you know what one line buys. Then see how late you can buy lottery tickets. If a ticket goes missing, see what to do about a lost lottery ticket.

Do any of these guides show a way to win more often?

No. Every combination has the same chance in each draw, and past results do not change the next one. Buying more lines raises your chance in proportion to what you spend. The strategies guide explains why.

How do I check a lottery site before I buy?

Check the licence, who buys the ticket and how a jackpot is paid. Our lottery sites page compares the sites we review, and lottery scams lists the warning signs. See how we rank lottery sites for the checks we apply. For what each review records about a site, see how we review lottery sites.

Are lottery winnings taxed?

That depends on where you live and where the lottery is drawn. See tax on lottery winnings and check your own country's rules. After a win, read the smart ways to spend lottery winnings.