Irish Lotto: This Week's Odds and Jackpot
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The Irish Lotto jackpot changes twice a week, and that’s exactly why many players don’t know what their actual chances are of winning this amount. Are you one of them? You’ll find out today in this article! Just how good are your chances of winning, really? We’re not just looking at the jackpot amount we’ll explain step by step whether there’s any difference between playing online and buying a ticket directly from a retail location.
Snapshot
| Detail | Value at time of writing |
|---|---|
| Current jackpot | ~€3.8M estimated for the next draw |
| Next draw | Saturday, 7:57pm |
| Odds of winning jackpot | 1 in 10,737,573 |
Prize tiers and real odds
The first time you see these numbers, it might seem impossible that you’ll ever win. However, keep in mind that you don’t have to match all of them to win a prize! There are several prize tiers, and your chances increase the more numbers you match.
| Match | Odds | Match | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 numbers (jackpot) | 1 in 10,737,573 | 4 + bonus | 1 in 17,895 |
| 5 + bonus | 1 in 1,789,595 | 4 numbers | 1 in 917 |
| 5 numbers | 1 in 44,740 | 3 + bonus | 1 in 688 |
Obviously, the jackpot is the hardest to win. That’s to be expected. But there are players who match three or four numbers and still win money. You could be one of them!
The stable story: why the jackpot swings so much
It’s pretty simple stick with us and you’ll understand how the Irish Lotto jackpot works. It all starts with a prize pool of 2 million euros, right? The drawings take place, and no player matches all the numbers. Then the jackpot rolls over to the next drawing. This happens every week; the process repeats until a player wins.
Little by little, the jackpot grows and can reach up to 10 million euros.
The largest prize ever won in the Irish Lotto was €19,060,800 in January 2022. The lucky winner is from Casteblar, County Mayo.
Many lotteries have a maximum jackpot limit, but the Irish Lotto does not. If no one wins, the jackpot will continue to grow until someone matches all 6 numbers.
What the odds actually mean, in plain terms
When you see 1 in 10,737,573, you probably don’t really realize what your odds are. You just see a big number, and that’s it. Let’s compare it to EuroMillions, where the odds of winning are 13 times lower.
That means the Irish Lotto gives you a better chance of hitting the jackpot, right? But that’s only if you look at the Irish Lotto odds. There’s also a downside we need to consider. EuroMillions can offer much bigger prizes we can’t ignore that.
And that’s where your choice comes in. You’re the only one who can decide. What do you prefer? Better odds for a smaller jackpot or slimmer odds for a massive prize? Weigh the two options and decide for yourself!
Playing Online vs Buying a Ticket: What’s the Difference?
Most tickets are still purchased in person at retail locations. 84% of players do this, they choose to go to a retail location and buy a ticket directly. We have to admit that this percentage surprised us we didn’t expect it. The rest of the tickets are purchased online through the lottery’s website or directly through the mobile app.
The only difference has to do with how you handle your ticket. You can’t lose a ticket you bought online, and that’s a big advantage. There have been winners who lost their tickets before claiming their prizes.
Did you know that there are also platforms outside of Ireland that offer fixed-odds bets on Irish Lotto results? Don’t be fooled. Even if the numbers you see on the screen are almost identical, don’t think you’re betting on the Lotto. You’re placing a bet with a bookmaker.
Who Actually Regulates the National Lottery?
Unlike sports betting or online casinos, the National Lottery is regulated by a completely separate body. As you well know, online casinos are regulated by the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland. Well, the lottery is regulated by the National Lottery Regulator.
This means that the lottery has its own set of rules, which differ from those of online casinos. You need to be aware of these things, especially if you have an issue with a ticket or feel that something isn’t right you need to know who to contact.
The Bottom Line
In the Irish Lotto, you have better odds of winning than in EuroMillions. But the jackpot is also smaller we have to admit that.
So, there isn’t one lottery that’s better and another that’s worse. It depends on what you’re looking for. No matter which one you choose, you need to be realistic and understand that the Irish Lotto odds don’t change. They stay the same whether the prize gets bigger or not.
How We Verified This
All the figures you’ll find in this article were taken directly from the lottery’s website, but keep in mind that drawings take place twice a week, so these figures are subject to change. For the Irish Lotto odds you see on our website, we used Eurooppalotto’s published prize table. We didn’t stop there we also wanted to verify the prize structure, and we did so directly based on official information from the National Lottery.
If there ever comes a time when you feel that gambling is no longer right for you, it’s good to know that support is available. Even now, if you feel that casinos aren’t good for you, go directly to our page dedicated to responsible gaming. We’ve put together a complete list of available resources and services there. You’re not alone!
The article you just read is for informational purposes only, so please treat it as such. It does not constitute financial advice! Keep in mind that jackpot amounts and odds of winning are subject to change, so it’s best to check the latest information directly on the lottery’s website.
