Can I Play Online Lottery in
WEST BENGAL?
The West Bengal State Lottery is a legal government lottery in India conducted by the State Lottery Directorate.
However, it is only a paper lottery, which means you cannot play it or buy tickets online. So, if you want to play an online lottery in West Bengal, you need to depend on world lotteries, which are a better alternative. But, are they legal?
In this article, we will discuss the West Bengal Lottery in detail including its schemes, prize tiers, price of tickets, how to buy them, as well as the possibility and legality of playing international lotteries from the State.
Top 3 Sites to Play Online Lottery From West Bengal
An Overview of the West Bengal Lottery
The State Lottery Directorate of West Bengal conducts 13 schemes – 7 weekly and 6 annually. We have listed these below.
Weekly Draws
The following weekly draws run Monday through Sunday at 4 PM:
- Banga Lakshmi Teesta – Monday
- Banga Lakshmi Torsha – Tuesday
- Banga Lakshmi Raidak – Wednesday
- Bangabhumi Bhagirathi Super Draw – Thursday
- Bangabhumi Ajay Super Draw – Friday
- Bangasree Damodar Super Draw – Saturday
- Bangasree Ichamati Super Draw – Sunday
Of these 7 draws, 4 are Super draws. Ticket prices vary from one draw to the next. Tickets to Banga Lakshmi Teesta, Torsha, and Raidak cost ₹2 each. Those of Bangabhumi Bhagirathi and Ajay Super Draw have been priced at ₹5. Bangasree Damodar and Ichamati Super Draws have the costliest tickets priced at ₹10.
There are 8 prize tiers for the three Banga Lakshmi draws. The top prize is ₹5 Lakh and the lowest is ₹20. Bangabhumi Super draws come with 7 prize tiers where the top prize would fetch you ₹10 Lakh and the lowest ₹50. Bangashree draws, on the other hand, offer 5 prize tiers where the top prize is ₹40 Lakh and the lowest is ₹100.
Yearly Draws
The following lottery draws run every year in West Bengal on various occasions and during various festivals:
- New Year Bumper – January
- Nababarsha Bumper – March / April
- Holi Bumper – March
- Rathayatra Bumper – July
- Puja Bumper – September / October
- Diwali Bumper – October / November
All the draws are conducted at 4:00 PM with the exception of the Diwali Bumper draw, which is conducted at 5:00 PM. All the draws offer 6 prize tiers except the Nababarsha Bumper draw, which offers 8.
The highest you can win off a yearly Bumper draw in West Bengal is ₹1 Crore in addition to ₹5.6 Lakhs or a car. The lowest winning is ₹200. Tickets to West Bengal Bumper draws are priced at ₹20.
World Lotteries – the Online Alternatives
If you don’t want to play paper lotteries in West Bengal, you can try world lotteries that are way better. We have listed some of the most popular and best ones below
Min jackpot: ₹150 Crores
Record win: ₹16,500 Crores
Min jackpot: ₹139 Crores
Record win: ₹1847 Crores
Min jackpot: ₹9 Crores
Record win: ₹128 Crores
Min jackpot: ₹17 Crores
Record win: ₹255 Crores
How to Buy a Lottery Ticket in West Bengal?
There are two ways to buy a lottery ticket in West Bengal depending on how you want to play the lottery. We have discussed them in the sections below.
Offline
You can play the West Bengal State Lottery only offline by buying paper tickets. You must physically visit a ticket seller authorized by the Lottery Department and pay upfront to get your ticket.
Once you’ve made the purchase, write down your name and address at the back of the ticket to mark your proof of purchase. If you win, this signature along with other documents will validate your ownership of the ticket. Keep it in a safe place so you don’t lose or damage it.
Also, remember that the internet is full of websites that sell tickets to the government lottery in West Bengal. Never trust them because the sale of paper tickets online has been prohibited under the Lotteries (Regulation) Act 1998. You might be promised doorstep delivery of tickets in exchange for money online. Steer clear of any such site.
Online
If buying a paper lotto ticket seems inconvenient, you can buy a ticket online to world lotteries from West Bengal. Several international lottery sites let players enter official draws or bet on the outcome for the same prize money. Either way, the odds of winning remain the same.
To buy a ticket to a world lottery in West Bengal, follow these 6 steps:
- Register with a legit lottery site recommended here.
- Choose the online lottery you wish to play.
- Select the number of lines and your lucky numbers.
- Add the ticket(s) to your cart.
- Proceed to checkout and pay.
- Wait for an email confirming your purchase.
Easy, isn’t it?
Are International Lotteries Legal in West Bengal?
On 21 May 2013, West Bengal banned all lotteries, including those from other countries by exercising the powers conferred by the Lotteries (Regulation) Act 1998. This news should concern online lottery players in the State, right?
But here’s some good news: In 2020, Partho Mondal, a resident of Malda won ₹52.8 lakhs in Malamaal Daily, an exclusive lottery by Lottoland Asia. This particular lottery site (Lottoland) lets Indians bet on popular world lotteries and pays out prizes using third-party insurance companies.
There are two observations we've made:
- Although implemented, the law isn’t strict. You can bypass it and claim your international lottery winnings.
- The international lottery winner received his payment, which means such sites are legit and do what they say. They’re safe.
Therefore, international lotteries – legal or not – are safe to play in West Bengal.
Which Is Better: Government Lottery of West Bengal or International Lotteries?
International lotteries will always be a cut above the Government lottery of West Bengal. There are multiple reasons, which we will now discuss.
Firstly, you can play world lottos online. You can buy your tickets as well as choose your lucky numbers on the lottery websites. These two facilities are lacking in the government lotto.
In the West Bengal lottery, you can only buy paper tickets, which come pre-printed with potential winning numbers. In a way, when you play paper lotteries, you are robbed of the real fun of playing lotteries.
Secondly, when you don’t buy a paper ticket, you don’t run the risk of losing or damaging it. Remember, government lotteries pay winners only if they can produce the original ticket intact.
Online lotteries offer digital tickets, which are scanned copies of the original tickets or emails confirming your purchase of entries. There is no question of losing them.
Thirdly, claiming a prize won off a government lottery ticket in West Bengal is a headache. You would have to submit the original ticket along with a heap of signed documents that range from proof of identity to affidavits.
Getting them signed by notary officers is mandatory to get your winnings sanctioned. Now imagine yourself running from pillar to post in a government office in India to claim your winnings. Not so exciting, is it?
Online lotteries do not come with this hassle. You get paid right after a win if you have successfully verified the required details. The process of verification isn’t lengthy or tedious. All you need to do is submit proof of identity and correct banking details. Winnings would be paid out to your bank account almost immediately.
Fourthly and most importantly, when you try your luck in international lotteries online, you are betting for mega prizes – jackpots that are way bigger than those offered by the West Bengal lotteries.
What is ₹1 Crore won off a yearly draw in the State when compared to the minimum advertised $20 million (₹150 Crore) jackpot in the US Powerball that takes place thrice every week? If you know, you know.
The Lottery Law in West Bengal
The State of West Bengal conducts paper lotteries as per the Lotteries (Regulation) Act 1998 and the Lotteries (Regulation) Rules 2010. Accordingly, it must announce the following information before approving any lottery scheme:
- Name of the scheme
- MRP of the ticket
- Total tickets to be printed
- Gross value of the printed tickets
- Information about ticket sellers
- Prize structure
- Prize value of each tier
- Periodicity of the draws
- Location of the draws
- Process of payout of prizes
Please note that no ticket can be priced below ₹2 and no jackpot can go lower than ₹10K. Lottery draws must not be held on National holidays. Prizes should be paid out to the winners’ bank accounts only after thorough verification.
Although the rules sound strict, lotteries in West Bengal are poxed with unauthorized ticket sellers selling fake tickets. Numerous cases have come into the limelight, which is why players are inclining towards playing international online lotteries instead. Do you want to try your luck in a world lotto? Find the best lottery sites in India right here.
More states where lottery is legal
Assam (Bodoland), Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Sikkim, West Bengal
