Anyone who’s played Virginia Lottery games online shouldn’t have much of a learning curve with the DC Lottery’s new web-based offerings.
The DC Lottery recently unveiled online play for some of its more popular games. The Washington DC-based lotto also debuted new “instant games.”
The DC Lottery teamed with Instant Win Games (IWG) for the launch. The Virginia Lottery also teamed with IWG for its 2020 debut of online lotto.
The games have actually been live in the District of Columbia for a few weeks. However, for now, the offerings are somewhat limited.
Playing Online Lotto with DC Lottery
To take part in the DC Lottery online lotto, players need to go through a simple registration process.
It can be completed at the DC Lottery’s official site, DCiLottery.com.
A few requirements to register an account:
- You must be 18 or older to play.
- Be sure to know the last four digits of our social security number so the DC Lotto can confirm your identity.
- Include an active email account so you can verify your account.
- Fund your account with at least $10 via a credit card, Skrill, or online banking.
Players can use a smartphone, tablet, or desktop computer to play.
The DC Lottery uses geolocation technology to confirm a player’s location. As a result, players must be physically in the District to play. However, a few areas within the DC borders are still prohibited.
Games Available with DC Lottery’s Online Lotto
So, which games are available online via the DC Lottery?
The menu is limited, but players will find some familiar favorites.
While the daily draw games are still available only at brick-and-mortar locations, Powerball and Mega Millions are available online. The multi-state draw games often offer massive jackpots. In fact, just last month, a winning Mega Millions ticket worth more than $1 billion was sold in Michigan.
However, in addition to those two interstate draws, the DC Lotto also offers a suite of “online scratchers.” The e-instant games use a mix of mechanics, themes, and styles.
Currently, online players can choose from 11 different e-Instants. The list includes DC Payout, which was custom-made for DC players.
Other titles include:
- 25 Hard Cash
- 500x The Cash
- Brr Bucks
- Cash Buster Extreme
- Cashword Bonus
- DC Payout
- Fast Buck Lucky
- Find the Treasure
- Jungle Tumble
- Lucky Clover
- Winter Cash Drop
Each gameplay costs from just 5 cents to $30. Additionally, before wagering real money, you can play each game in “demo mode” to try it out free.
The DC Lotto likely launched the online games to help sagging retail sales due to the pandemic. In Virginia, the strategy has worked wonders. Sales are up 37% year over year, largely due to online lotto
Subpar Month for DC Sports Betting and GambetDC
While the DC Lottery looks to boost lotto sales through its new online offerings, sports betting continues to sputter.
GambetDC, DC’s official sports betting platform, has gained little traction with the region’s sports bettors. As essentially the only online option in DC, the Intralot-backed GambetDC has received largely poor reviews.
In January, the total betting handle for GambetDC was $5.2 million, according to the DC Lottery. That’s up from $4.3 million in December and $3.9 million in November.
In January, $4.3 million was returned to players as winnings, so the DC Lotto’s cut was a little more than $900,000 (17.5% hold).
William Hill has been making progress in DC, including new limited online options for players. However, those bets must still be made within close proximity to William Hill’s physical location at Capital One Arena.
Additionally, the DC sports betting market faces increasing competition. Virginia online sports betting now has a handful of sportsbooks accepting wagers. And the Virginia Lottery will be issuing additional licenses in the coming weeks.
Maryland is moving forward on potential legal sports betting, as well.
