Online lottery pools - what you need to know

The advantages of online lottery pools

Lottery pools (also called syndicates), are groups of people who chip in money to buy lottery tickets with the agreement that if they win, they will split the money. They have become popular with lottery players and, when managed properly, they offer many advantages.

Get more chances to win for your money

Not everyone can afford the lottery ticket prices to purchase 50 or 100 lottery tickets at a time. Online lottery pools are a way of increasing the opportunities of winning without having to spend a small fortune on tickets.

Yes, you would have to split the money between all the members of the pool when you win, but think of it this way: Isn't it better to have a small share of a big lump sum than to have a whole lotta nothing?

You shouldn't lose too much

Since your lottery pool would be buying a large number of tickets weekly, it’s more likely that, at some point, you will at least hit a few small wins and get some of your money back. This makes playing lotteries a lot less expensive, as chances are that you will get a little return on the investment you have put into the pot.

What to watch out for

With jackpot money on the line, there is always a risk of people trying to cheat fellow players. There have been a number of lawsuits connected to lottery pools, including conflicts over who participated, whether the right numbers were played, whether tickets were purchased privately or for the group, etc. There have even been cases where dishonest lottery pool managers collected money for lottery pools then just kept the cash without ever buying the tickets.

These potential risks can be avoided with a little vigilance.

Pick your lottery pool carefully

Aside from the option of starting your own lottery pool with your friends or family members, work colleagues or neighbours, you can also join an existing online lottery pool. If you do, you should still make sure that you know and trust the pool manager, but should still insist on some measures to protect yourself.

Things to know before you join a lottery pool

For peace of mind you need to establish the following:

What game(s) they play, on which lotteries

How often they play

How many tickets they buy

The number of players in the pool

The available payment options

Whether they pick the numbers, or whether you can choose

What is the best online lottery site?

The lottery pool manager

One of the most important aspects of an online lottery pool is its manager. Managing a lottery pool takes diligence, so you need to make sure the syndicate manager is the right kind of person for the job, that they are reliable and organised and that they know what they are doing.

The lottery pool agreement

If you decide to join somebody else’s lottery pool, it means they make the rules, which is why having a lottery pool agreement is so important. It will ensure all members understand what is expected of them, and what they can expect from the manager. When hitting a win, you don’t want any nasty surprises and misunderstandings about who is entitled to which portion of the win, etc.

Your syndicate contract should include the following basic points: 

Date of the agreement

Which game(s) you are playing

Who the lottery pool manager is

Who the players are

How much each player is contributing

(and, most importantly) 

How the winnings will be split

Following these guidelines will give you more confidence and peace of mind and could make your lottery experience very enjoyable and rewarding. Who knows… you may just scoop a substantial win or two, thanks to your participation in an online UK lottery pool.

If you play The Health Lottery in a syndicate, you'll be able to play The Big Win  and/or All or Nothing and since both cost just £1 to play, chances are that the syndicate will be playing numerous times in every draw. 

No matter what you play, you're contributing to good causes operating locally all over Britain.

It should also be noted that playing lotteries through a pre-arranged syndicate is a great way to help you to make sure you're playing within your limits.