LycaLotto Review
Do you like syndicates? We’ve been looking at a bunch of different online lottery syndicates lately and it’s made us rethink what makes a good one. LycaLotto.com is the latest. They offer six lottery syndicates. So, do they make the grade?
The Games at LycaLotto.com
There are six syndicates offered at LycaLotto. US Powerball has 25 lines at 80 shares for €4.26 per share. Mega Millions is 50 lines/80 shares for €4.26. EuroMillions has 25 lines/85 shares for €4.40. Irish Lotto is 13/65 at €2.82. UK Lotto (including the Millionaire Raffle) is 13/65 for €4.26. And lastly UK Thunderball has a 8 lines/75 shares radio at €2.28. The price per share is pretty good though the share ratio leaves a lot to be desired.
LycaLotto and Subscriptions
Players can opt for a subscription for periods of 2, 8 or 24 draws, though no discounts apply for buying in on multiple draws. There is no VIP club or other accumulative discount mechanism which I like. If you do opt for a subscription, it seems you can suspend your play by simply clicking on an “active/inactive” button.
Getting Your Winnings
LycaLotto.com says they will get you your money “as soon as reasonably possible”. There is a minimum and maximum amount for withdrawing your money, but they don’t say how much either is. They say there is also no commission, though there might be “third party fees”, which could include conversion fees, commission and/or other fees from the form of transfer. Hang on – they have their own company that transfers money. I wonder why they don’t insist on using that. More on that shortly.
Who Can Play at Lyca Lotto?
The only restriction for playing here is you must be 18 years or older. Unlike a lot of other online syndicate lottery sites, there doesn’t seem to be any other restrictions on nationality or location.
Who Are These Folks?
LycaLotto.com is owned by Pettigo Comercio International Lda, and run by Lotto Plus. Though they are registered and operated out of the UK, the parent company is actually registered in Portugal.
Talking to LycaLotto
There is a support pop up tab and live chat, though don’t expect a quick answer. LycaLotto.com works business hours 9:00 am to 5:00 pm GMT, Monday to Friday. There is a UK telephone number, email and snail mail address (UK though a post box). Any questions sent through the support pop up tab are acknowledged immediately with a receipt – which is good. How many times have you used one those online forms and wondered if the message was actually received?
Other LycaLotto Products
LycaLotto.com is only one of a variety of products that this company offers. They also have LycaMobile (low cost international mobile operator), LycaTV (television channel system) and Lycafly (online booking system for flights). Lycaremit is an international money transfer system. They advertise that any transfer over £300 gets a credit of £5 free. Plus, there is the Gnanam Foundation that promotes livelihood through an ethos of “teach a person to fish”.
The Bottom Line at LycaLotto.com
After looking at a bunch of options and doing the math (yes, I can do basic), the syndicate ratios simply do not make the grade. There is also a lot of information missing from the terms and conditions on getting your winnings, and no information on whether you get your money back if you opt out of a subscription.
Pros:
Straightforward Site
No Commission
Anyone 18 or over can play
Cons:
Poor Share/Lottery Ticket Ratio
What is the minimum amount for withdrawal?
When Can I Get My Winnings?
Though this site is pretty straightforward, it gets a thumb’s down on the syndicate share ratio. Definitely shop around if you want to get into lottery syndicates.