We've all heard the phrase, "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is." This is definitely a phrase you'll want to keep in the back of your head when you are thinking about playing a free lottery game. Among the few reputable and worthwhile free lottery games, there are thousands of scams. Being at least a little skeptical is definitely a good idea when playing any online lottery, and especially when playing free lotteries.

With a title like "free lotto," you should obviously be wary. To quote another cliche that is applicable to this case, "you never get anything for nothing." So, you should be on alert when thinking about playing games that offer "something for nothing."

While you should certainly beware of free games, there are legitimate free lotto games. In fact, many people have been playing free games for years. While the prizes are generally not as big as lottery games that are not free, that should not be a deterrent because you are not paying anything to play!

Sometimes these free lotteries take some getting used to. In fact, the websites can be nearly impossible to navigate at the beginning. However, the more you play the better you become at playing - and hopefully winning. Free lottery jackpots generally range from $25,000 to $50,000 and require that you be at least 18 (and sometimes even 21 and over).

Free lotteries, however, are not always as "free" as they sound. Sometimes the games are illegal for you to play based upon where you live. To avoid getting yourself into a legal predicament, be sure to check with local laws before playing. Sometimes, the odds of winning a free lottery are so tiny that it is not worth wasting your time to play. And, so many of the free lottery games are scams that it's almost impossible to know which games are reputable.

Even worse, free lottery websites are full of advertisements and pop-ups. (They have to pay for the payouts somehow.) This adds to the difficulty in navigating the websites and also adds a great annoyance. These "free" lotteries may also come with lots of annoying sales e-mails.

In conclusion: Play at your own risk. Do your homework and make sure the site is reputable and not a scam. Check out what kinds of "annoyances" are involved in playing the free lottery. If the pros outweigh the cons, go for it! At least you aren't losing any money! And if you find out free lottos aren't for you, you can always return to the tried and true Powerball or Mega Millions games.

If you want to buy any lottery tickets, simply log onto your official state website. These sites explain how to purchase tickets, and often times tickets can be purchased online so you can play most state lotteries from the comfort of your own home. You can also refer to official state websites for custom lottery news. Many sites offer lottery number generators to help make your lottery number picking easier for you. If you would like to purchase your tickets in person, you can also visit a local lottery terminal. No matter how you choose to purchase your tickets, or which tickets you choose to buy, you're bound to have some fun!