Online Guide to the Euromillions Lottery
Euromillions is a multistate lottery founded in February 2004. The participating states are France, Spain, UK, Austria, Belgium, Ireland, Portugal, Swiss and Luxembourg. In fact, Euro millions is a cooperation project of several lotteries in these countries. Because of the higher population, nearly 220,000,000 people, it is possible to offer higher jackpots. Tickets can be purchased in a retail store and online via an associated provider.
How to Play and Winning Classes
Euromillions lottery requires to choose five in 50 numbers and additional two in 11 so called lucky star numbers. Unlike other lotteries the probability of winning does not depend on the amount of players participating in the draw. There are 13 winning classes, the first one is reached with five matching numbers and two matching star numbers. The second one requires five matching numbers but only one star number. With only five matching numbers but no star numbers at all you will reach winning class III. With four matching numbers and two star numbers winning class IV is reached. This model is continued until winning class VIII. Class IX is reached with two matching numbers and two star numbers. The following winning class is reached with three matching numbers but no star numbers. If only one number but to star numbers match you are in winning class XI. The winning class XII is reached with two matching numbers and one star number. With only two matching numbers but no star numbers you are in the last winning class.
Considering the amount of money to win the chances are decent. The odds of winning a huge Euromillions Jackpot is 1 in 116,531,800. The overall odds of winning a prize is 1 in 13. For more details take a look at the following table.
| Winning Classes, Odds and Prize Breakdown | ||
| Prize Tier | Odds of Winning | Prize Fund |
| Match 5 + 2 Lucky Stars | 1 in 116,531,800 | 32% |
| Match 5 + 1 Lucky Star | 1 in 6,473,989 | 4.8% |
| Match 5 | 1 in 3,236,995 | 1.6% |
| Match 4 + 2 Lucky Stars | 1 in 517,920 | 0.8% |
| Match 4 + 1 Lucky Star | 1 in 28,774 | 0.7% |
| Match 4 | 1 in 14,487 | 0.7% |
| Match 3 + 2 Lucky Stars | 1 in 11,771 | 0.5% |
| Match 2 + 2 Lucky Stars | 1 in 822 | 2.3% |
| Match 3 + 1 Lucky Star | 1 in 654 | 2.2% |
| Match 3 | 1 in 327 | 3.7% |
| Match 1 + 2 Lucky Stars | 1 in 157 | 6.5% |
| Match 2 + 1 Lucky Star | 1 in 46 | 17.6% |
| Match 2 | 1 in 23 | 18% |
Only for UK: The Millionaire Raffle
All UK Euromillions player automatically get an entry into a side lottery called Millionaire Raffle. The chances of winning are 1 in 3,500,000 on Tuesday and 1 in 9,200,000 on Friday and the Jackpot is £1 million. Eventually, the odds of winning are lower when it comes to large jackpots for special events, because they depend on the amount of participating players. The price per line is a bit higher than in other countries to compensate the millionaire raffle. In UK Euromillions is organised and run by the Camelot Group.
The Draw and Ticket prices
The draw is being held in Paris on Friday and Tuesday at 8:45 pm under strict attendance and is transmitted live via TV e.g. on ORF 2 or TSR 2 but also at many other TV broadcasts. At around 11 PM the results are published on independent associated websites of Euromillions. The deadline for buying a ticket currently is 7:30 PM on Tuesdays and Fridays. At 9 PM the tickets for the next draw are already available. The Euromillions ticket usually costs 2 Pounds, 3 Swiss Francs or 2 euro per line. Playing Euro millions in Portugal or Ireland makes it possible to be part of an extra option which is called Plus, you would have to pay one Euro in addition to the price per line if you want to participate. In France there is an extra addition of €0.50 per line for a ticket.
The biggest Jackpots in Europe
| Record Jackpots Won: | ||
| Date | Amount | Country |
| 10.24.2014 | €190,000,000 | Portugal |
| 08.10,2012 | £148,656,000 | UK |
| 07.12.2011 | £161,653,000 | UK |
| 09.13.2011 | €169,837,010 | France |
| 06.13.2014 | €162,256,622 | France |
| 03.29.2013 | €137,313,501 | Spain |
Since February 17, 2012 the jackpot's upper limit is at £190 million while the lower limit is £15 million. This limit is transferred by adding every money exceeding the limit to the lower winning classes. If no one hits the jackpot the third time in a row, the jackpot is shrank to £50 million again while the jackpot money is distributed to the winners of the second winning class. This procedure is called "Rolldown".
Since 2007 there are super jackpots (100 to 130 million Pound) set about 2 times a year. The biggest jackpot ever won was roughly £190 million on August 10, 2012. The ticket was bought in Great Britain as well as the second biggest jackpot, £185 million on July 12, 2011. The newest top10 jackpot hit on 14 March 2014, the winner comes from Great Britain again. Position 3 to 5 of the top10 jackpots of Euromillions belong to France.
Advantages of Playing Online
If you were lucky and won a price you have to claim it in the country you bought the ticket. In most cases the operator of the Euromillions lottery will view the buyer of the ticket as the owner of the prize. This makes it possible that a person finding your maybe lost ticket could claim any price which is won by this ticket. If you play online, this is not possible because Euromillions tickets are bound to the account of the purchaser and cannot get lost. Additionally you have to check the results of Euromillions by yourself if you bought the ticket in a retail store. This makes it possible to forget claiming the price within the 180 days limit from the drawing. However, you would then become popular as a generous donator because the price is then transferred to a fund for good causes. By playing online, this circumstance is not given because your provider will compare the results with your ticket and will transfer your potential prize to your account automatically.
Playing and Winning Euromillions cant be easier than online from any device of your choice and any time that you prefer. Convenient from home, or in the last minute from your mobile in the crowded bus. It even safes you going to the shop to pickup your prizes and as you know these can be huge at euromillions.