How can I find out when lotteries close their ticket sales?
It is important to know when the particular lottery you are participating in closes. On our website, you can visit the information page of the lottery you are participating in and view the remaining time before the draw. The draw time provided on our website is based on your current location therefore, it will guide you if you still have enough time to buy the ticket or if you will have to wait for the next draw. Or else, you can visit the official website for the specific lottery and get information on when they will close the draws depending on the country you are in.
Why do lotteries have a specific time to close ticket sales?
One of the reasons lotteries suspend ticket sales at some specific time before the draw is it could be that retailers are required to close their shops at a certain time of the day, in accordance to local laws.. The hours for selling these tickets may vary depending on where the draws take place. It is also important to know your time zone, especially if you are participating online. For lotteries like Mega Millions or Powerball, since their original country is the USA, retailers may close at different hours depending on which state they are in. But really, there are no minimum hours for lottery sales to close; it’s just that some retailers might set their hours.
The main reason you can’t get a lottery ticket, say, five minutes before the draw, is security. The lotteries want to avoid a situation where a person can buy a ticket after the draw. That is why there is usually a cut-off time between one and three hours before the draw.
What is the most common cut-off time before the drawing?
The most common cut-off time for lottery tickets is between 1 and 3 hours before the draw. If by any chance you find out that the sales or the specific game have already closed, you will be able to purchase tickets for the next draw. Then you do not have to worry about not participating at all in the lottery because the draw has closed.
How does the closing time affect me if I buy my tickets online?
Well, you might get shut out from purchasing lottery tickets for the ongoing draws happening on that day. Also, if you are buying the ticket in a hurry because of the closing time, you might not be able to choose your number combination as thoroughly as you would have done if you had ample time. But you may find some of the lotteries have 2 to 3 draws in a week, so if you miss the sale of one, you can still purchase tickets for the next draw, and that is quite advantageous.
You can get a ticket for the next draw on our website, which will allow you to continue participating in the upcoming draw games. You may miss a ticket just because the sale is over, but you can still get a ticket but you have to wait for the next draw.
How can I find out when the draw is held?
To find more information about when the draws are held, you can click on the specific game, check the information page for that game, and then you will be able to see the specific days and times the draws for that game will be held. You can also visit the official website for the specific lottery you are interested in and see the scheduled time for their draws every week. This will help you plan when and how you can participate in these games.
Can I watch the draw live?
Yes, you possibly can. If you are participating in the respective country the lottery is held in, they usually have specific TV stations that broadcast the draw results. You can watch it live from there. If you are participating in the lotteries online or in a country where you cannot access the TV stations, some of these games have a YouTube channel where they offer live streams of the draw procedure. Also, sometimes they provide a link on their official website for international participants who want to get an update on the game draws or the number combination of the previous draw.
What happens if my online ticket wins?
Well, then you do not need to worry. For winnings below €2500, the amount will be credited to your Simbalotto user account immediately after your win. You can decide to keep your money in the account and buy more tickets, or you can withdraw it to your credit card, or via bank transfer or cryptocurrency, whichever works best for you. If your winnings are higher than €2500, you will receive your award directly from the lottery commission. Our customer service will get in touch with the relevant lottery commission on your behalf. The lottery commission will then deduct the local taxes and either deposit the money directly into your bank account or send you a check.
For more information, you can read our FAQs section to get your questions answered.