Lotto draws and lotteries in Australia

THERE are two distinct types of lotto or lotteries in Australia, with state-based draws taking place in all eight states and territories, while lotto betting has also become prevalent. In our guide to lotto in Australia, we will explain the differences between lotto betting and the state-sanctioned draws, plus run you through the various ways you can get involved in lotteries down under. The good news for lotto fans is that most providers have now moved their services, including ticket sales, online.

An overview of lotteries in Australia

Firstly we will take a look at what lotto draws are available in Australia, with it a diverse industry right across the country. To understand lotto in Australia, firstly you need to understand the various ‘players’ which include the two biggest — Tatts Group and Lotterywest.

State-backed Lotto draws in Australia are broken into two categories, those open to the entire country and those open to just punters in the state that the draw is taking place. National lotto draws in Australia include the Saturday Lotto, which is syndicated to every Aussie state via the Australian Lotto Bloc; Monday and Wednesday Lotto and the Oz Lotto, which was the first national draw in Australia.

Powerball is another massive lotto draw that takes place in Australia, with it happening every Thursday night. Powerball, modeled off the US Powerball game, has a minimum prize of $3 million. Other popular games that you will find in some states in Australia include Super 66, Keno, which is regarded as a lotto game in Australia and various state lotto draws, only open to citizens of the residing state.

In recent years lotteries have been shaken up in Australia by lotto betting, with global company Lottoland the biggest exponent of this. It essentially allows Australians to bet on the results of 100s of different lotto draws from around the globe, with the potential payout the same as the real draw. We go into more details about lotto betting further down this page.

Tatts Group

The Tatts Group is the single biggest lottery operator in Australia after merging with Tabcorp in 2017, with it headquartered in Queensland, Australia. The Tatts Group operates under these brands in Australia:

State-based lotto draws

On top of the massive Australian national lotto draws available to everyone in the country, there are various state-based lotto draws that are only open to those physically inside certain areas. For instance Lotto Strike is available in New South Wales and the ACT.

Cash3 is another unique game that is only available to residents of Western Australia, with it a daily draw telecast via Channel 7 and GWN in the state. Here is a list of Australian states with their lotto regulator beside them. if you are looking for more information about the lotto draws available in your state, this is a good place to start.

Lotto betting in Australia

Lotto betting is the other type of lotteries that are available to Australians in 2020, with it essentially a way to enter overseas draws. Some of the lotto betting sites in Australia include Lottoland and the Lottery Club, which are two that we endorse on this website.

Lotto betting works by the various companies insuring the bets that you place with them. Meaning if you wanted to “buy tickets” in say the US Powerball, the lotto company would not be liable for the full amount if you happen to win, instead the insurance company would pay out the winnings.

The model works because the reality is very few people win the lotto, and chances are major wins globally will be much fewer than the concentrated ticket buying where the draw is being held. Still this lotto betting model has been embraced in Australia (barring South Australia where it is banned)

Top Lotto betting sites in Australia

Lotto betting sites were about to explode in Australia until both state and federal governments decided they were eating too far into their state-based jackpots profits. This lead to a push to ban them, before LottoLand won a case in Australia, that allowed them to keep operating. While the top lotto betting sites are still allowed to operate in Australia, they now have plenty of red tape and legislation they must navigate. Our top Lotto betting sites for Australian in 2020 include:

Major Lottery draws Aussie can bet on

The best part about betting on lotto, instead of your traditional lotto draws, is that it gives us access to hundreds of massive lotteries from around the globe. Some of the biggest lotto draws that we can bet on include:

Questions about Lotteries in Australia

Like most forms of online gambling in Australia, lottery draws spring up a lot of questions, which we are happy to answer. If you have any queries about lotto draws or lotto betting in Australia, feel free to flick us an email at contact@worldgamblinglist.com or drop us a message in the box below.