Lottery is a regulated and legalized gaming activity in Nigeria and involves drawing of numbers for a prize. More than just a form of entertainment, it can be quite rewarding, offering players the hope of changing their lives. This form of gambling has over the years gained acceptance in the country, and the average Nigerian can luckily become an instant millionaire if the draw lands on those sets of numbers you picked.
Unlike gambling and betting which benefit only the players and operators, proceeds from lottery can help the developmental and growth purposes of the country. This guide is intended to help you get started in playing the lottery in Nigeria, as well as identify trustworthy and suitable lottery platforms.
The History of Lottery in Nigeria
Lottery as a form of gambling has existed for generations. In Nigeria, it all started with pools introduced by Ghanaians in the 19th century. During this time, a greater number of the lotteries were privately run.
Although laws existed during this era, there was no significant regulation of the laws. Also, the gaming industry of Nigeria was strictly coupon-based transactions. The result of this was a lack of accountability from the operators and an inability of generating revenue for the nation.
Towards the end of the 20th century, a wave of change set in and a few reforms were made in Nigeria’s lottery laws, following the examples of other countries that were running a well-regulated national lottery and reaping the socio-economic benefits. This reform led to the establishment of the Casino and Gaming Law of Lagos of 2004, and the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) in 2007.
Over time, the lottery and gaming industry has not just gained acceptance in Nigeria but opened up the lottery market for many private operators, investors and global lottery organizations
Types of Lottery
There are different types of lottery games in Nigeria. Let us take a brief look into these types of lottery games.
Standard Lotto
This is generally known as the traditional lottery type where you select 6 numbers within a pool. A pool is known as a specified given range of numbers. If your selected 6 numbers matches number from the pool, you are the jackpot winner.
Mini Lotto
The mini lotto is similar to the standard lotto. However, when compared to standard lotto, the sum of money to be won is on the lesser side. Also, this type of lottery is conducted more often than the standard lottery. As a result, there are more odds that if you play often enough, you will end up a winner.
Daily Lotto
This kind of lottery, as the name suggest is conducted on a daily basis. Playing this lottery is as simple as picking five numbers and being lucky enough to match at least two of these numbers to be the jackpot winner. This gives lottery enthusiasts an opportunity to regularly test their luck.
Federal Lotto
Multi-state, otherwise known as Federal lottery, is where multiple states join together to achieve a larger jackpot. This is to say that, the more number of states involved, the higher and larger the jackpots that will be won. The downside of this type of lottery is that with more states come low odds of winning.
The Impact of the Internet on Lottery in Nigeria
Just like other forms of entertainment, the emergence of the internet has revolutionized lottery. The early days of lottery in Nigeria required looking for a lottery agent or retailer. You only get to play games using lottery terminals at designated locations across the country.
In a situation where you reside far away from the location of a lottery agent, you may not be able to play the game. Thanks to the internet and other related technology, you can play lottery games from the comfort of your home through operator’s websites or mobile applications. Whatever you would have done in lottery agent location, you can do on their online platform, and even more.
Lottery Platforms in Nigeria and How to Choose
As at today, a lot of Lotto platforms have emerge that Nigerian players can enter. However, not all of these operators will necessarily have what you want. Generally, your choice of a lottery provider in Nigeria will vary depending on what exactly you want out of the lottery game.
Here are top lottery platforms in Nigeria:
- Lotto Nigeria
- TheLotter
- LottoGo
- Baba Ijebu
- Golden Chance Lotto
- LottoLand
- Loto247
- Jackpot.com
- Western Lotto
- Green Lotto
There a number of professional criteria you should base your choice of a lottery operator on, some of which are:
- Licensing: Make sure that your choice of lottery operators runs a legit business and complies with relevant regulations.
- Safety and Security: It is important that transactions be encrypted. Additionally, the best platforms should have various protective layers that secure player information.
- Mobile friendliness: In today’s lottery industry, the best lottery platform are mobile-friendly – either with their website or mobile apps. This allows player to participate in draws on-the-go.
- Availability of games: Each operator and platform have different lottery games to choose from. Most platforms offer at least ten games, while there those that offer as much as 50 and above lotteries on their websites or apps.
- Payment options: It is only natural that lottery platforms should support a large number of payment methods. Payment method range from credit or debit cards or bank transfers. There should also be provision for ewallets such as Neteller, Skrill and Paypal.
Bottomline
The excitement of playing and winning a lottery is second to none. Any and everyone can play the lottery in Nigeria. The only criteria to fulfill in order to be eligible for playing the lottery in Nigeria is to be at least 18 years old before participating in the game. There are no laws in Nigeria that prohibit non-citizens or nonresidents of Nigeria from playing. As long as you have access to any game, you are allowed to participate in any draw.
For international players, however, you may have to ensure that you are clear about how to claim prizes and transfer in the event that you win a jackpot. Also, there may be laws unique to your country, ensure you observe them and meet the necessary requirements therein.
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