How much are lottery tickets online vs the shop?

Dead simple question really - if I buy lottery tickets online rather than going to the shop, does it cost the same or do they whack extra charges on for doing it through an app or website? I've been buying them in person for years but it's getting annoying having to remember to actually go and get them before the draw.

Seems like it should be cheaper online since there's no shop overhead, but knowing my luck they probably charge you more for the convenience. If it's the same price I'll definitely switch to doing it online, but I don't want to be paying extra just for the privilege of not having to leave the house.

Also does anyone know if those lottery betting sites - where you're betting on the outcome rather than buying an actual ticket - are better value or worse? They seem to advertise bigger jackpots sometimes but I've never been sure if that's legitimate or if there's a catch. Here's my understanding of the options:

Here's how they ranked for me.

1. 1.Lucki casino
   450% up to €5,000→
2. 2.Kaasino
   100% up to £2,500 + 500 Free Spins across 4 deposits
   40x · £30 · 500→
3. 3.Kingdom Casino
   Up to £600 across 3 deposits + 100 Free Spins
   30x · £20→
4. 4.TenoBet
   400% up to £5,000 across 3 deposits
   25x (slots); 15x (sports) · £25→
5. 5.1Red
   100% up to £3,000 + 50 Free Spins on Lady Wolf Moon
   40x (bonus + deposit); 30x (free spins) · £30→
6. 6.MadCasino
   100% up to £1,500 + 300 Free Spins across 3 deposits
   35x · £10→
7. 7.MyStake
   170% up to £1,500 across 3 deposits
   30x · £20→
8. 8.Donbet
   150% up to £750 + 50 Free Spins
   30x · £20→
9. 9.Rolletto
   150% up to £500 + 50 Free Spins
   30x · £20→
10. 10.Goldenbet
    300% up to £1,500 + 100 Free Spins across 3 deposits
    35x · £20→

The official lottery online is the same price as buying in a shop - they don't charge extra. You're buying the same product, just through a different channel. The advantage is you can set up a subscription so you never miss a draw, and you get an email automatically if you win rather than having to check a crumpled ticket from your wallet.

Lottery betting sites are different - you're not actually in the official lottery, you're betting on the numbers with an operator. Sometimes they offer better odds or bigger prizes but you're not eligible for the main lottery jackpot. Bit of a grey area in my opinion.

Winstler and a few other casino sites do lottery betting but I've never understood the appeal to be honest. Surely if you want to do the lottery you should just do the actual lottery? The betting version seems like a knock-off.

Prices on the official lottery site are the same as shops though, that much I do know. No extra charges or fees for buying online.

I've seen lottery options on sites like Slottio but never bothered with them. Like others have said, it's not the real thing, it's just betting on lottery outcomes which isn't quite the same. Might have better odds or worse, I've no idea, but psychologically it feels weird to me.

For actual lottery tickets the official app is definitely the way to go. Same price, more convenient, and you can't lose your ticket because it's all digital. Set it up once and forget about it.

Kaasino has some lottery-style games but again it's not the National Lottery, it's their own stuff. Scratchers and instant win type things. Can be a bit of fun but the odds are probably horrific compared to the real lottery.

If you specifically want to do the lottery, use the official channels. If you just want lottery-themed gambling you'll find it on various casino sites but that's a different thing entirely.

The lottery betting sites typically take a 15-20% margin on the prizes compared to the official National Lottery, which is mental when you think about it. Winstler for example pays out £2.8m for a EuroMillions jackpot match instead of the full £3.5m or whatever it actually is. You're essentially paying the same stake for a reduced prize pool, which makes zero sense unless you're after some specific feature they offer that the official lottery doesn't.

That 15-20% cut is daylight robbery! I checked Winstler after reading this and you're spot on - their EuroMillions equivalent tops out at £140m when the real jackpot hit £184m last month. For a £2.50 ticket that's basically the same price as Camelot but with guaranteed lower winnings. Makes zero sense unless you're chasing their casino bonuses at the same time I suppose.