The latest Mega Millions draw saw another round of hopefuls fail to correctly predict the six numbers required for the jackpot which meant another rollover.

Of course, for fans of lotteries, the word “rollover” is one that means added value next time around and with no jackpot winners at the end of May 2016 the prize was pushed to an impressive $235 million.

However, as impressive as this jackpot is, a $235 million haul is still a long way away from the record Powerball $1.6 billion jackpot. Rolling over multiple times meant the jackpot swelled to record proportions in January 2016. Looking at the current state of the lottery industry it is highly probable that jackpots will rise above the $1 billion threshold again.

Although the ten-figure barrier is an extremely ambitious target for any lottery owner, the general consensus among gambling experts is that the average jackpot is going to increase in the coming years and it’s not simply because of natural economic factors such as inflation.

Around the world, online lotteries are now being hailed as the savior of lottery games and, importantly, the catalyst for larger jackpots. Giving players greater access to games and jackpots, the increase in online lottery activity has prompted an interest in the game as a whole and the net result is an overall increase in participation.

Indeed, according to Neil Carey, the Commercial Manager of the Isle of Man Post Office, “online lotteries are the key growth business in iGaming right now.” With lotteries as a whole accounting for 29% of gambling activity and around 10% of sales occurring online, the potential for growth in this sector is clear.

In fact, according to Anna Garland at Ignite Software Outsourcing, online lotteries are not only on the up around the world, but they make sense from a commercial point of view. Citing data from Research and Markets, Garland states that online lottery activity is set to increase by 8.85% by 2020.

One of the main reasons for the growth of online lotteries is their accessibility and variety. Today a player can power up their desktop or mobile, navigate to an online lottery provider like Lotto Booker and player everything from the Mega Millions lottery to the EuroMillions and Spain’s BonoLoto. Instead of making a trip to their local store to play a local lottery, online players can now access an international selection of jackpot games without leaving their couch.

Beyond the presence of more games, Garland suggests that online lottery software is also making the payment process more efficient and, therefore, more appealing. PCI DSS compliant payment options such as Apple Pay, PayPal, debit and credit cards mean that online lottery hubs like Lotto Booker can offer instant payments.

Moreover, it’s possible to set-up recurring payments online. Having the ability to subscribe to certain lotteries and ensure your favorite numbers and payments are collected well in advance ensures that players don’t have to worry about missing a draw. The convenience of this system fits well with modern gambler’s expectations and is one of the reasons the industry is growing rapidly.

The advent of online lotteries isn’t going to mean $1 billion jackpots will become the norm in the next few years. However, it has already started to pay dividends with regards to ticket sales and, if the trend continues, all players can expect bigger jackpots and better lottery provisions in the coming years.