Buying lottery tickets is fun and can be a great way to get your fix, but it also comes with its share of risks. Buying lottery tickets online can open the door to scammers and illegal operators, which means you need to be careful.

First, check to see whether the state you live in allows you to buy lottery tickets online. Many states do, including Illinois, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, North Dakota and Virginia.

If your state does not offer online sales, find a local retailer that sells lottery tickets and make your purchase there.

Using credit cards to buy lottery tickets can be a bad idea, because these purchases are treated by most credit card issuers as cash advances. You won’t earn rewards on these transactions, and they start accruing interest immediately.

The best way to avoid this is by using cash. However, some retailers will accept debit cards as a cash equivalent.

A smart option is to play the lottery on a subscription basis, so you’re not charged every time you buy a ticket. You can do this by visiting the official lottery website for your state, finding a link to subscriptions and clicking it.

Another strategy is to focus on numbers that have high odds of winning. This can help you boost your chances of winning, especially if the odds are low for the prize level.

Lastly, if you do win the lottery, it’s important to set up a retirement fund that will protect your assets. If you haven’t already, work with a qualified financial professional to calculate how much you need to save and the best investment options for you.