EuroMillions, Lotto or Thunderball: Which Game is Right for You?
Last Updated: Thursday 24th September 2020, 14:28
Whether you want to win a mind-blowing jackpot or are interested in better odds of winning, there are several lotteries out there that offer something for everyone. Following changes to EuroMillions, it may be the perfect time to explore which UK lottery game suits you best.
EuroMillions
| Jackpot | Matrix | Odds of Winning Jackpot | Odds of Winning Any Prize | Draw Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum €17 million (approximately £14.5 million), Maximum €190 million (approximately £163 million) | 5/50 + 2/12 | 1 in 139,838,160 | 1 in 13 | Tuesday and Friday |
EuroMillions is the game of choice for UK players who are after massive jackpots. It has created big winners like Colin and Chris Weir, who won £161.6 million in July 2011, and upcoming changes to the game will see bigger jackpots on a more regular basis thanks to the addition of a 12th Lucky Star.
EuroMillions players also have the opportunity to win one of two £1 million prizes in every draw thanks to the Millionaire Maker and can stand to win fantastic luxury experiences in the new Mega Week promotion. A Monthly Bonus Draw will also be launched to give ticket holders an extra chance to play for an additional £1 million prize pot, and the introduction of the European Millionaire Maker will create even more millionaires across the continent.
Lotto
| Jackpot | Matrix | Odds of Winning Jackpot | Odds of Winning Any Prize | Draw Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum around £2 million, Maximum around £22 million (depending on rollovers and ticket sales) | 6/59 | 1 in 45,057,474 | 1 in 1 in 9.3 | Wednesday and Saturday |
The size of the average Lotto jackpot may not match up to EuroMillions, but the odds of winning the top prize are better, and changes to Lotto in October 2015 have seen eight-figure jackpots become very common. In January 2016, two players split a record jackpot of just over £66 million, while a ticket holder in April 2016 won £35.1 million - the largest Lotto prize won on a single ticket. The supplementary Lotto Millionaire Raffle guarantees that one lucky ticket holder will become £1 million richer in every draw, while there are also 20 further raffle prizes of £20,000 in each game.
Thunderball
| Jackpot | Matrix | Odds of Winning Jackpot | Odds of Winning Any Prize | Draw Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £500,000 guaranteed | 5/39 + 1/14 | 1 in 8,060,598 | 1 in 13 | Wednesday, Friday and Saturday |
Thunderball offers great prizes and holds three draws a week. The odds of winning the jackpot are considerably lower in comparison to Lotto or EuroMillions and all prize amounts are fixed. This means that if you match all five main numbers plus the Thunderball, it does not matter how many other ticket holders do the same - you will win £500,000. Matching just the Thunderball by itself guarantees that you’ll win £3, and the more numbers you match, the more you can win.
Which Game is Right for You?
There are a number of things to consider as you decide which lottery game to play, and it might be that you explore other games such as Lotto HotPicks or the Health Lottery, but it is very much an individual choice. It may be that you decide to mix up how you play and opt for certain games when the jackpots grow bigger, or consider joining a syndicate to boost your chances of winning by holding a share of more tickets.
Tickets can be bought online or from authorised retailers, and whichever game you play it is possible to win a life-changing amount of money. Good luck!