Is it worth playing the Russian lottery online?

Honestly, it depends on your personal preferences and risk tolerance. If you're looking for a fun way to pass the time and maybe win some smaller prizes, it might be worth a try. However, if you're expecting to win big, you might be disappointed.

Can I track my tickets in my personal account?

Yes, you can track your tickets in your personal account, which is a nice feature. This way, you can keep an eye on your tickets and see if you've won anything.

What lotteries are available on the app?

The app offers a variety of lottery options, so you can choose the one that suits you best. From classic lotteries to newer ones, there's something for everyone.

How do I withdraw my winnings?

The app allows for smooth withdrawals, which is a must-have for any online lottery platform. Simply follow the instructions on the app, and your winnings will be transferred to your account.

What happens if I win?

If you win, congratulations! You'll receive a notification on the app, and you can follow the instructions to claim your prize. Make sure to check your account regularly to see if you've won anything.

Can I use the app on my phone?

Yes, you can download the app on your phone and play the lottery on the go. The app is designed to be user-friendly and easy to navigate, so you can enjoy playing the lottery from anywhere.

What if I have a problem with the app?

If you have a problem with the app, you can contact customer support for help. They'll do their best to resolve the issue and get you back to playing the lottery.

Can I cancel my subscription?

Yes, you can cancel your subscription at any time. Simply follow the instructions on the app, and your subscription will be cancelled.

How do I contact customer support?

You can contact customer support through the app or by email. They'll respond to your query as soon as possible.

Russian Lottery Review: Is it Worth Playing?

Hello everyone, thanks for checking out this review. Grab a seat, it's going to be a long one.

A little backstory: my family's always started the New Year with Russian lottery. My grandma would give us tickets, and we'd watch the broadcast together, crossing off those precious numbers. We never won anything substantial, mostly just small change. But it was more about the tradition than chasing millions.

That's about the extent of my lottery knowledge. I've seen those instant lottery booths a few times, but I've never been drawn to them. Then I saw an ad for the National Lottery, and I decided to give it a try. I bought tickets on the website, but I didn't win anything exciting. However, I liked the National Lottery website - it's clean and easy to navigate. I'm more of a phone person than a computer one, so I downloaded the app. I also subscribed to the National Lottery's Telegram channel. For three months, I was hooked on playing actively. Here's my take on it.

The App

The app has a nice, intuitive design. The main page shows upcoming draws, recent wins, and package options. Everything is straightforward, and you won't get lost in the navigation.

One thing that bothered me was the periodic crashes and freezes. Sometimes, tickets wouldn't get registered for the draw, and the app would freeze. You'd have to file a refund. Occasionally, the app itself would become unavailable. In three months, I'd seen this happen at least five times.

Another issue I encountered was missing bonuses. Bonuses are part of the loyalty program. You can earn them in a quest that runs on the website and app, or by buying tickets (essentially a cashback). However, my bonuses had disappeared multiple times. They'd just stop showing up in the app, while the website said I had none. The first time, I contacted support, and they resolved the issue within a few days. Yesterday, I reached out again, and I'm still waiting.

Chat

I stumbled upon a Telegram channel in the app's contacts, and before I knew it, I was chatting with some awesome people, hearing their stories and strategies, and even giving away tickets. But I left. Why? Well, let's just say it got out of hand.

Some downsides to the chat were that it was super motivating - you'd see everyone's winning screenshots and want the same, so you'd end up buying more tickets. It also ate up a lot of time - the chat was always buzzing with activity, and it was hard not to constantly check in. And then there were the admins - some were great, while others seemed like they were just going through the motions.

I've encountered some amazing and positive admins who kept the atmosphere light and fun. They responded with humor. But then there were those who seemed like they were just going through the motions, and it was clear they weren't enjoying their job. I left the chat on a bad note, wishing everyone the best and requesting a block. I'd been tracking my expenses and wins in the app, and I realized I was spending way too much on tickets.

But after a few months, I found myself missing the people. I'd grown accustomed to chatting with them, and I started to feel a void. Eventually, I decided to return and asked for my account to be unbanned. Unfortunately, they denied my request. I pointed out that I hadn't said anything derogatory towards the admins, users, or the lottery, but the admin from VKontakte just said that I'd broken the rules. Fair enough, I thought. But here's the thing: there were some pretty provocative individuals in the chat who seemed to be exempt from these rules. I could've just left and come back, or gotten a temporary ban for arguing with users. It seems the rules only apply to some people.

At first, I was pretty upset. But there's a silver lining. I've actually started playing less, and since I'm not giving away tickets to users, that's an extra saving for me.

Wins:

Mostly, it was just small change - a few hundred to a thousand rubles. But, as I mentioned earlier, I was playing pretty aggressively, so I did win some decent amounts. Of course, it was nowhere near the amount I was spending.

Claiming your winnings is pretty straightforward. If auto-deposit is enabled in the app, all winnings will be automatically credited to your account. Then, you can withdraw the funds to your card, but you'll need to pay the commission. If auto-deposit is disabled, you'll need to tap the 'Get' button, and the money will be credited to your account instantly.

Winnings over 15,000 are the most noticeable and pleasant. To get them, you'll need to fill out a survey. The lottery operator acts as a tax agent in this case and will pass on all the necessary information to the authorities. The tax is also deducted immediately. People often think you don't need to pay anything for smaller wins, but that's not true - check the legislation. You'll need to declare these winnings yourself. For many, this information comes as a surprise, and believe me, even if you don't bother to claim them and just use the money to buy more tickets, you can still win some decent amounts.

My winnings:

I won't bother talking about the smaller wins of 100, 50, or 30 rubles. I think most people play the lottery for bigger prizes. I did get a thousand or so occasionally, but these amounts were quickly spent on more tickets. Now that I've reduced my spending, I only win small amounts. When I was playing more actively, I managed to win some bigger prizes.

One such example is when I received a gift ticket for the Big 8 lottery. The winnings in the draw rounds are much bigger.

I also won another prize in this lottery, which was a gift, but 500 rubles less than the previous one. This ticket, however, was one I'd bought myself - it was the Five-0-Five lottery, and it was a decent win.

I've got a few more screenshots where the win is in the region of 3-4 thousand. Above that, no matter how hard I tried, I just wasn't getting anything.

One evening before the distribution day, I was playing 4x4 and gave out a few free tickets to the people I was chatting with in the game. One girl even threw one back at me, and when I checked it out the next night, it turned out to be a winner.

When we split the winnings, I was left with a decent chunk of change after tax and fees. It was the biggest win I'd ever had, and what's more, the ticket wasn't even mine. I'm not sure if I'm just unlucky or what, but the tickets I bought myself never seemed to bring me any real luck. But November had one more surprise in store for me - a win in the Big 8 lottery. I was literally one digit away from the top prize. I'd put the numbers together myself, using the archives as a guide.

I've seen plenty of stories about big wins in the chat, with real screenshots to back it up. But let's be realistic - it's not hundreds of people winning, it's more like dozens. Winning is definitely possible, but you've got to be realistic about the odds. I've done the math, and it's clear that the percentage of people who win big is tiny. I've also seen people share stories about how they've gotten into debt chasing after a big win. After analyzing my own spending and results, I've come to the conclusion that I enjoy the process of playing, but I need to stop before it gets out of hand. It's way easier to save up for a prize than to rely on luck.

The app is super user-friendly and easy to understand, and the prizes are paid out fairly. But there's always a risk that you'll get sucked in and end up spending way more than you intended. Don't forget, there's still a tax on winnings, and that's not factored into your spending. I'm not saying I'll never buy another ticket again - that's just not true. I love the suspense of waiting for the results and getting that notification about a win. But I'll definitely be keeping a closer eye on my spending from now on.

I wanted to add an update to my review. On January 1st, I got lucky in the Fortuna lottery. It's still a relatively new game, having launched in the middle of fall. I didn't manage to guess the combination, but I did win a decent sum. According to the rules, if the cube sum is 10, you win 36,000.

I have to say, I'm a bit miffed that I'm not in the official chat for the National Lottery - but I am in a few other themed chats where people are sharing their good fortune and celebrating their winnings. Meanwhile, I'm still waiting for my win to be credited. To be honest, the app's support has been a letdown - the chat just cuts off without any response from the operator. And don't even get me started on the email from the app - crickets. Even the Telegram bot is unresponsive. It's a shame, because this experience has really shaken my trust in the lottery operator. I mean, in the past, both of my wins over $15,000 were credited within an hour. I'm pretty disappointed in the way this has played out.