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Lotto Winners 07 June 2022
The Odds Of Winning Your Lotto Bets
The Probability Of Winning The Lottery
Table of contents:
- WHAT IS THE PROBABILITY OF WINNING THE LOTTERY
- HOW TO CALCULATE THE PROBABILITY OF WINNING THE LOTTERY
- FINDING THE PROBABILITY
- THE PROBABILITY OF HITTING THE JACKPOT
- MALTESE LOTTERIES
- IRISH LOTTO
- EUROMILLIONS
- EUROJACKPOT
- POWERBALL
- MEGA MILLIONS
- MINI LOTTO
- IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING
What is the Probability of Winning the lottery?
The top three jackpot odds are Christmas El Gordo (Spain) at 1 to 100,000, MINI Lotto (Poland) at 1 to 850,668 and the Swedish Lotto at 1 to 6,724,520. Note that the Christmas El Gordo jackpot is split up into ten shares (décimos); each share is worth €400,000.
How to Calculate the Probability of Winning the Lottery
Finding out the probability depends on two factors; the total amount of balls in each draw and the range of numbers to choose from. To calculate lottery odds, use the formula:
where n = the total amount of possible numbers to choose from, r = the amount of numbers chosen and ! is the factorial.
FINDING THE PROBABILITY
Before we divulge the odds of the various lotteries we are going to look at, let’s look a bit closer into the formula which we used above and explain by using a few examples:
STEP 1: IDENTIFY THE BASICS
To work out the exact odds of any lottery requires two things: the total amount of balls that appear in each draw, and the range of numbers that players have to choose from.
STEP 2: CRUNCH THE NUMBERS
If you have a lottery with 6 balls ranging between 1 and 50, you would proceed as follows:
Equation 1: 6/50 = 0.12 (this is the likelihood that one of the first 6 picks will match with your first number)
Equation 2: 5/49 = ~0.10 (this is the likelihood that one of the 5 remaining balls will match with your second number)
Equation 3: 4/48 = 0.08 (the probability of ball 4 matching your third number)
Equation 4: 3/47 = ~0.06 (probability that the 3rd remaining ball will match your fourth number)
Equation 5: 2/46 = ~0.04 (probability of one of the last two picks matching your fifth number)
Equation 6: 1/45 = 0.02 (the likelihood of the final pick matching your last number)
Note: ~ means an approximation
Essentially, your first equation is the highest available number in the lottery's range divided by the total amount of balls that are drawn, then proceed down in descending order until you reach number 1.
To find your overall chance of winning, simply multiply the results of all the equations made in step 2 together, and this will give the probability of claiming the jackpot.
For our example, the answer would be ~0.0000000629.
STEP 3: PROBABILITY
To find your overall chance of winning, simply multiply the results of all the equations made in step 2 together, and this will give the probability of claiming the jackpot.
For our example, the answer would be ~0.0000000629.
STEP 4: TELL ME THE ODDS
The final step is to simply divide the number generated in step 3 by 1.
1 / 0.0000000629 = 15,890,700
Therefore the odds of you winning a 6-ball lottery with a number range of 1 to 50 is 1: 15,890,700
WHAT ABOUT BONUS BALLS?
So, most lotteries have one or two bonus balls to factor in when working out your odds. While it's a little more time consuming, it's not difficult once you know how.
Returning to our 6-ball lottery with a number range of 1-50, you would repeat step 2 again, just as before.
Then, you would need to work out the bonus ball equation based on how many there are per draw and what numbers are available to players.
For this example, if players make 2 picks between 1 and 10, this is how you would work it out:
Bonus Ball Equation 1: 2/12 = 0.2
Bonus Ball Equation 2: 1/10 = 0.1
Then, simply repeat steps 3 and 4 to give the final odds.
THE PROBABILITY OF HITTING THE JACKPOT
When it comes to odds, the main question on the minds of most lottery players is; what are the odds of winning the lottery?
Below is a list of the best jackpot odds on the world’s most popular lotteries, most of which can be bet on here at Lottoland. Notable exceptions include the UK Lotto and EuroMillions, which are included for comparison purposes. We have also listed the odds for winning any prize, it should be noted that there are some fantastic secondary prizes to be won amongst some of these great lotteries.
| Probability of winning the lottery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Lottery | Jackpot Odds | Any Prize Odds |
| Christmas El Gordo | 1 : 100,000* | 1 : 10 |
| Malta Lotto | 1 : 784,808 | |
| MINI Lotto (Poland) | 1 : 850,668 | 1 : 124 |
| Super 5 | 1 : 1,221,759 | |
| Austrian Lotto | 1 : 8,145,060 | 1 : 12 |
| Irish Lotto | 1 : 10,737,573 | 1 : 29 |
| Polish Lotto | 1 : 13,983,816 | 1 : 57 |
| Set for Life | 1 : 15,339,390 | 1 : 15 |
| French Lotto | 1 : 19,068,840 | 1 : 5.99 |
| Cash4Life | 1 : 21,846,048 | 1 : 13 |
| Quina (Brazil) | 1 : 24,040,016 | 1 : 36 |
| South African Lotto | 1 : 31,625,100 | 1 : 36 |
| UK Lotto | 1 : 45,057,474 | 1 : 98 |
| Mega-Sena (Brazil) | 1 : 50,063,860 | 1 : 2,298 |
| EuroJackpot | 1 : 139,838,160 | 1 : 32 |
| EuroMillions | 1 : 139,838,160 | 1 : 13 |
| Spanish Lotto | 1 : 139,838,160 | 1 : 10 |
| Swedish Lotto | 1 : 139,838,160 | 1 : 22 |
| German Lotto | 1 : 139,838,160 | 1 : 31 |
| Powerball (US) | 1 : 292,201,338 | 1 : 24.9 |
| Mega Millions (US) | 1 : 302,573,350 | 1 : 13 |
| SuperEnalotto (Italy) | 1 : 622,614,630 | 1 : 20 |
*The Christmas El Gordo jackpot is split up into ten shares (décimos), each share is worth €400,000 which is then subject to 20% tax, therefore the first prize would be €360,000.
As we can see from above, the Christmas El Gordo offers unbelievable odds at 1 to 100,000 for the jackpot and 1 to 10 for any prize. However, it should be noted that the jackpot is divided into ten shares, as explained above.
Poland’s MINI Lotto also offers amazing jackpot odds at 1 to 850,668 with a prize of zł 366,518 (approximately €79,847*). A standout lottery is definitely the Swedish Lotto, offering the best odds for a lottery with a substantial prize (i.e. running into the millions of pounds). Jackpot odds are only 1 to 850,668 with a massive jackpot of sek 237 million (approximately €22.6 million*).
Maltese lotteries
Maltese lotteries are not available at Lottoland, but since it’s the lottery most of our Maltese customers are familiar with, it serves as a useful yardstick for comparison with other lotteries.
Lotto
| Lotto | ||
|---|---|---|
| Prize Tier | Winning amount | Odds |
| Quaterno Plus | €250,000 (or more) | 1 : 784,808 |
| Terno | 3,500 times the stake | 1 : 11,748 |
| Ambo | 215 times the stake | 1 : 400 |
| Prima | 60 times the stake | 1 : 90 |
SUPER 5
| Super 5 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Prize Tier | Numbers | Odds |
| 1st category | 5 correct numbers | 1 : 1,221,759 |
| 2nd Category | 4 correct numbers | 6,108.80 |
| 3rd category | 3 correct numbers | 156.64 |
SUPERSTAR
| Superstar | ||
|---|---|---|
| Prize Tier | Numbers | Odds |
| 1st Category | 5 correct numbers + Superstar | 1: 2,272,424 |
| 2nd Category | 5 correct numbers | 1 : 378,737 |
| 3rd category | 4 correct numbers + Superstar | 1 : 15,149 |
| 4th category | 4 correct numbers | 1 : 2,525 |
| 5th Category | 3 correct numbers + Superstar | 1 : 522 |
| 6th category | 3 correct numbers | 1 : 87 |
| 7th category | 2 correct numbers + Superstar | 1 : 56 |
IRISH LOTTO
Positioned amongst the top lotteries with the best jackpot odds along with a substantial jackpot prize of €18.9 million (approximately £15.7 million*), the Irish Lotto is a great all-round lottery and one of the most popular with our UK customers here at Lottoland.
| Irish Lotto Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Prize Tier | Probability | Average Payout |
| 6 numbers (Jackpot) | 1 : 10,737,573 | €2 million (min) |
| 5 numbers + Bonus | 1 : 1,789,596 | €100,000 |
| 5 numbers | 1 : 44,740 | €1,500 |
| 4 numbers + Bonus | 1 : 17,896 | €150 |
| 4 numbers | 1 : 918 | €50 |
| 3 numbers + Bonus | 1 : 688 | €50 |
| 3 numbers | 1 : 54 | €9 |
| 2 numbers + Bonus | 1 : 72 | €3 |
| Any Prize | 1 : 29 | |
EUROMILLIONS
EuroMillions’ popularity is as high as ever, thanks, in no small part, to its consistently high jackpots. Of course, with high jackpots come high jackpot odds. But just how high are the odds of EuroMillions? This jackpot is capped at a maximum of €230 million (approximately £191.4 million*) and tends to generate a lot of excitement when it starts to rise above the €100 million mark. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer bets on EuroMillions at Lottoland, although we do offer exciting alternatives such as our exclusive Lotto Betting Game Millionaire.
| Euromillions Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Prize Tier | Probability | Average Payout |
| 5 numbers + 2 Stars (Jackpot) | 1 : 139,838,160 | €62.15 million |
| 5 numbers + 1 Star | 1 : 6,991,908 | €427,536,78 |
| 5 numbers | 1 : 3,107,515 | €56,324.43 |
| 4 numbers + 2 Stars | 1 : 621,503 | €2,916.50 |
| 4 numbers + 1 Star | 1 : 31,075 | €157.43 |
| 3 numbers + 2 Stars | 1 : 14,125 | €95.60 |
| 4 numbers | 1 : 13,811 | €54.22 |
| 2 numbers + 2 stars | 1 : 985 | €18.24 |
| 3 numbers + 1 star | 1 : 706 | €13.63 |
| 3 numbers | 1 : 314 | €11.36 |
| 1 number + 2 stars | 1 : 188 | €9.50 |
| 2 numbers + 1 star | 1 : 49 | €7.33 |
| 2 numbers | 1 : 22 | €4.25 |
| Any Prize | 1 : 13 | |
EUROJACKPOT
EuroMillions may still be Europe’s largest lottery, but EuroJackpot is certainly giving it a run for its money! This lottery is hugely popular in Germany and Scandinavia as it offers sizeable jackpots and better odds than EuroMillions. EuroJackpot is now capped at a beautiful top prize of €120 million (approximately £99.7 million*), and the maximum jackpot will be increased from €90 million to €120 million (approximately £99.7 million*)! This could result in a new record occuring for tbe biggest-ever win later on this year, so keep your eyes peeled!
Draws originally only happened once a week, however now you don't have to wait a full week to see if you have bagged yourself a prize as a new draw is also being held on Tuesday's as from now on!
Another new addition to the EuroJackpot rules is that you are now able to choose more numbers from a lovely range of 1 to 12 instead of the original 1 to 10. Giving you greater possibilities to win a prize.
| EuroJackpot Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Prize Tier | Probability | Payout |
| 5 numbers + 2 Stars (Jackpot) | 1 : 139,838,160 | €10 million (min) |
| 5 + 1 Euro Number | 1 : 6,991,908 | €986,175 |
| 5 numbers | 1 : 3,107,515 | €232,041.10 |
| 4 numbers + 2 Euro Numbers | 1 : 621,503 | €6,271.30 |
| 4 numbers + 1 Euro Number | 1 : 31,075 | €6,271.30 |
| 4 numbers | 1 : 13,811 | €124,50.00 |
| 3 + 2 Euro Numbers | 1 : 14,125 | €79,10.00 |
| 3 numbers + 1 Euro Numbers | 1 : 706 | €19,30.00 |
| 3 numbers | 1 : 314 | €16,90.00 |
| 2 numbers + 2 Euro Numbers | 1 : 985 | €26,10.00 |
| 2 numbers + 1 Euro Number | 1 : 49 | €8,10.00 |
| 1 number + 2 Euro Numbers | 1 : 188 | €12,60.00 |
| Any Prize | 1 : 32 | |
POWERBALL
With a record jackpot of a mind-boggling $1.586 billion (approximately £1.2 billion*), it’s no wonder that everyone wants a chance to bet on the world-famous U.S. Powerball. As a result of its popularity and the huge population of the USA, the probability of winning the Powerball is slim. However, with a minimum payout of $20 million (approximately £15.1 million*), it is no surprise that this lottery is firmly placed amongst the top lotteries in the world.
| Powerball Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Prize Tier | Probability | Payout |
| 5 numbers + Powerball (Jackpot) | 1 : 292,201,338 | $20 million (min) |
| 4 numbers + Powerball | 1 : 11,688,053 | $1 million |
| 4 numbers + Powerball | 1 : 913,129 | $50,000 |
| 4 numbers | 1 : 36,525 | $100 |
| 3 numbers | 1 : 580 | $7 |
| 2 numbers + Powerball | 1 : 701 | $7 |
| 1 main number + Powerball | 1 : 92 | $4 |
| Powerball | 1 : 38 | $4 |
| Any Prize | 1 : 25 | |
MEGA MILLIONS
Coca-Cola Vs. Pepsi, Mac Vs. PC, Marvel Vs. DC – some of the most epic brand rivalries in history. In the lottery world, however, the biggest rivalry is between the two American super-lotteries. Both brands have changed their formats in recent years in order to challenge each other with improved chances of winning any prize and increased jackpots. Whilst Powerball may still hold the edge, MegaMillions is closing in on the biggest jackpot record with an astonishing $1.537 billion (approximately £1.2 billion*). Testament to Megamillions’ popularity is the fact that it currently ranks at the bottom of the table for jackpot odds.
| Mega millions Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Prize Tier | Probability | Payout |
| 5 numbers + Mega Ball (Jackpot) | 1 : 302,575,350 | $20 million (minimum) |
| 5 numbers | 1 : 12,607,306 | $1 million |
| 4 numbers + Mega Ball | 1 : 931,001 | $10,000 |
| 4 numbers | 1 : 38,792 | $500 |
| 3 numbers + Mega Ball | 1 : 14,547 | $200 |
| 3 numbers | 1 : 606 | $10 |
| 2 numbers + Mega Ball | 1 : 693 | $10 |
| 1 number + Mega Ball | 1 : 89 | $4 |
| Mega Ball | 1 : 37 | $2 |
| Any Prize | 1 : 24 | |
MINI LOTTO
MINI Lotto is an increasingly popular lottery from Poland which offers superb jackpot odds of 1 to 850,668 on a very decent prize of £80,000. MINI Lotto is also Lottoland’s cheapest lottery bet available, costing just 35p!
| Mini Lotto Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Prize Tier | Probability | Payout |
| 5 numbers (Jackpot) | 1 : 850,668 | £80,000 |
| 4 numbers | 1 : 4,598 | £200 approx. |
| 3 numbers | 1 : 127 | £3.50 approx. |
Improve your chances of winning
Lotteries are the ultimate game of chance - the odds stacked against you are high, but the rewards are the sweetest of all. Of course, we publish all the odds and probabilities in the individual FAQs of all our lotteries. We have shown you the odds of winning some of our most popular lotteries and these should be taken into account when you consider which one to go for, as well as the jackpot, of course. The old saying, 'if you're not in, you can't win', is certainly true, as your odds of getting a win are improved by entering more draws. Syndicates are a great way to boost your chances of a win, too, and even if you don't have your own syndicate at home or work, you can simply join a syndicate at Lottoland to tilt the odds more in your favour.
*Amounts shown in EUR are according to the exchange rate of 27/07/2022
Last Updated: 27 July 2022
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What I Cover: I love diving into the exciting world of international lotteries and keeping you in the loop with the freshest updates, the juiciest jackpot wins, and any cool changes happening with the draws. I'm also your go-to person for honest reviews of all the latest casino games. I'll let you know which games are packing the biggest jackpots and the most fun, giving you the lowdown on the themes, special features, and what the gameplay is like.
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My Background: I have been deeply immersed in the realms of lotteries, casinos, and sports since 2021, capturing the ever-evolving landscape of these dynamic industries. With an astute focus on the pulse of the gaming world, I have closely monitored the shifts, trends, and innovations shaping the experiences of enthusiasts worldwide. Prior to my venture into the world of content creation, I pursued a degree in marketing, harnessing its insights to infuse creativity into my work and ensure my readers remain thoroughly engaged and informed.
Journalistic Ethics: My primary aim as a content writer is to ensure my readers are equipped with the most accurate and timely information concerning the gaming, sports and lottery landscape. I emphasize the significance of responsible betting, stressing the need for individuals to engage in these activities as a source of entertainment and only within their means. While acknowledging the role of chance in winning the lottery, I actively promote the importance of responsible gaming practices and readily provide information about the various support resources.