LottoStar betting review

LottoStar is not a normal betting site

Most bookmaker reviews start with football. This one can’t. LottoStar doesn’t offer sports betting. It’s a licensed South African bookmaker built around one product: fixed-odds bets on the results of lotteries, the bet type South Africans know as Lucky Numbers. It also has a set of instant games.

If you searched for LottoStar because you want to bet on the PSL, the Springboks or the Durban July, you’re in the wrong place. Our best betting sites list will serve you better. If you want to bet on lottery draws from around the world in Rands, with small stakes, read on.

LottoStar is licensed by the Mpumalanga Economic Regulator. According to industry reports, Betfred bought a majority stake in LottoStar in 2022, so it now sits alongside Betfred in the same group.

How betting on lottery results works

Lottery operators around the world draw numbers several times a day: the UK 49s, US state lotteries, Irish, Greek, Polish, Australian draws and many others. LottoStar lets you bet on the outcome of those draws as a bookmaker would, at odds fixed when you place the bet.

You’re not buying a lottery ticket, and you’re not entering the official jackpot. You’re betting against LottoStar on what the draw will produce. Typical bets:

• Pick numbers: choose one to five numbers and win if they’re all drawn. The more numbers you pick, the higher the odds.
• Number of balls: bet on whether a particular number appears, or how many of your numbers come up.
• Bonus ball and colour bets: depending on the draw, bets on the bonus ball or the colour of balls drawn.

LottoStar also offers its own “jackpot-style” draws that mirror large international lotteries, with big payouts at long odds.

Which draws you can bet on

Lucky Numbers sites take their results from official lotteries in many countries, so there’s a draw to bet on almost every hour. The draws most South African punters follow include:

• the UK 49s Lunchtime and Teatime draws, the classic Lucky Numbers game
• US state lotteries and the big American jackpot draws
• European draws from Ireland, Greece, Poland, Germany and Italy
• draws from Australia and Asia, which fill the South African night

Each draw has its own number range and ball count, and that changes the odds you’re offered. A pick-three on a 49-ball draw pays differently from a pick-three on a 20-ball draw. Check the odds on the bet slip each time, rather than assuming they match the last draw you played.

The odds are the catch

Lucky Numbers are simple and quick. That’s the appeal and the danger. The house edge on these bets is far higher than on a football match between two evenly priced teams. Fixed odds on a three-number pick, for example, pay much less than the true chance of all three numbers coming up.

That means the more you play, the more you should expect to lose. Treat Lucky Numbers as entertainment with a small stake, not as a way to make money. Set a deposit limit before your first bet. Our Lucky Numbers guide explains the bet types and compares the other bookmakers that offer them.

Bonuses

Our data has no current LottoStar welcome bonus with checked terms. Our brand research found no specific bonus terms in the sources available. You may see sign-up deals advertised on the site or in LottoStar’s adverts.

If you’re offered one, check:

1. the rollover, and whether it applies to the bonus only or the deposit too
2. which draws count towards the rollover
3. the time limit
4. any cap on winnings from the bonus

The wagering calculator turns any rollover into the amount you’d need to bet. For bookmakers with confirmed sign-up offers, see our sign-up bonus and free bets pages.

How LottoStar compares for Lucky Numbers

Many sports bookmakers also offer Lucky Numbers. The difference is focus. At Hollywoodbets, Betway or Lucky Fish, Lucky Numbers sit next to football and racing. At LottoStar they’re the whole product, which usually means:

• more draws from more countries
• more bet types per draw
• results and draw schedules front and centre

If you only play Lucky Numbers, that focus helps. If you also bet on sport, one account at a full bookmaker that offers both is simpler.

Live betting, cash-out and markets

Because LottoStar has no sportsbook, there’s no in-play betting and no cash-out. A Lucky Numbers bet is settled the moment the draw happens. Our data lists one market for LottoStar: Lucky Numbers.

That also means none of the bet types sports bettors rely on: no multibets across matches, no bet builders, no live odds. If you want those, compare the bookmakers on our live betting list.

The LottoStar app

LottoStar has apps for Android and iOS, plus a mobile site. Lottery betting is mostly done on phones, and the app is built around quick bets: pick a draw, choose your numbers, set a stake and confirm. Draw results come through in the app.

Speed cuts both ways. A two-tap bet slip makes it easy to keep playing draw after draw. Use the app’s limits, and think about turning off promotional notifications.

Payments and withdrawals

LottoStar’s cashier is one of the widest among South African betting sites:

• Vouchers: OTT Voucher, 1Voucher and Kazang
• Instant EFT: Ozow, SID Instant EFT, Payfast and other Instant EFT (EasyEFT, BetterEFT, EFTsecure, Callpay, Swiffy) options
• QR payments: SnapScan
• Cards: Visa and Mastercard
• Bank transfer: EFT / bank transfer

The minimum deposit is R10, one of the lowest anywhere. That suits the small-stake nature of lottery betting.

Our data doesn’t list LottoStar’s withdrawal methods or payout times. Expect bank transfer as the main option, after FICA approval. Verify your ID and address soon after you register, so a win isn’t held up.

Licence and safety

LottoStar holds a bookmaker licence from the Mpumalanga Economic Regulator. That gives you a South African board to complain to if a bet is settled wrongly or a payout is delayed. The link to Betfred’s South African business adds an established group behind it.

Because you’re betting on foreign draws through a local bookmaker, LottoStar is legal for South Africans in a way that buying tickets from unlicensed overseas lottery sites isn’t.

A worked example

Say you put R20 on three numbers coming up in a draw. LottoStar quotes fixed odds for a three-number pick, set when you place the bet. If all three are drawn, you’re paid at those odds. If any one is missing, you lose the R20.

Now imagine playing that bet in ten draws a day, every day. That’s R200 a day, about R6,000 a month. Even with an occasional win, the house edge built into the odds means the total you get back will, over time, be less than the total you put in. That isn’t a flaw in LottoStar; it’s how every fixed-odds lottery bet works. It’s why staking small, and stopping at a set amount, matters more here than with most bets.

The bet calculator shows what any stake returns at given odds, which helps you see the size of a win against the cost of chasing one.

Who LottoStar suits

LottoStar fits punters who:

• enjoy lottery-style bets and want more draws than the National Lottery offers
• want to bet with very small amounts, from R10 deposits
• pay with vouchers, Kazang or SnapScan rather than a card

It doesn’t fit anyone looking for sports betting, horse racing or casino-style bonuses with clear terms. Sports punters should look at Hollywoodbets, which offers Lucky Numbers and a full sportsbook in one account.

Responsible play tools

Licensed bookmakers in South Africa must give you deposit limits, time-outs and self-exclusion. On a fast product like Lucky Numbers they’re worth setting on day one. You’ll find them in your LottoStar account settings, and our responsible gambling page explains how each works.

How to start

1. Register on lottostar.co.za with your SA ID, phone number and email.
2. Upload your ID and proof of address for FICA.
3. Deposit from R10, for example with an OTT voucher or Ozow.
4. Pick a draw, choose your numbers and stake, and confirm the bet.

Verdict

LottoStar is the specialist choice for Lucky Numbers. It’s licensed in Mpumalanga, linked to Betfred, has apps on both platforms and takes almost every South African payment method from R10.

Be clear about what it isn’t:

• there’s no sportsbook: no PSL, rugby, cricket or horse racing
• no live betting or cash-out
• no checked welcome bonus in our data
• payout methods and times aren’t published in our data

And be clear about the product. Lucky Numbers carry a high house edge, and fast draws make it easy to bet more than you meant to. Play small, set limits, and stop when it isn’t fun. The NRGP helpline is free and confidential on 0800 006 008.