The EuroMillions is one of the biggest, most popular, and most well known lotteries in the world. It was first drawn in 2004, and since that date it has helped to create dozens upon dozens of multi-millionaires and has changed the lives of countess people. There are 9 countries officially participating in the EuroMillions, but if you can buy a lottery ticket and are of legal age, then you can play EuroMillions outside of these countries.
That includes players in New Zealand, who can play EuroMillions using an unofficial online vendor or by purchasing a ticket the next time they are in Europe. There are no restrictions on nationality or country of residence, but there may be some tax implications depending on where the ticket is bought and where the purchaser resides.
The EuroMillions has a huge maximum jackpot of €190 million, which it has reached on several occasions in the past. It also has a sizeable minimum jackpot to ensure it never drops too low and that there is always a big amount to be won.
The EuroMillions also has regular SuperDraws, where the jackpot exceeds €100 million. In fact, it has paid out more €100+ million jackpots than any other European lottery and many other global lotteries, with only the likes of the US Powerball and Mega Millions surpassing it.
Whether you reside in Europe, America, or right here in New Zealand, the EuroMillions is definitely a lottery you will want a piece of.
How Much Does a EuroMillions Ticket Cost?
A EuroMillions ticket costs €3.50 in most participating countries. In the UK the bonus game is known as Millionaire Maker. It promises to make at least one additional millionaire each draw and it does this by means of a raffle, with each ticket-holder also getting their own unique raffle numbers.
Unlike lotteries, which require players to match an exact amount of numbers and can easily rollover, raffles will always be won, ensuring each ticket-holder gets an additional chance of scooping a life-changing sum of money.
Similar lottery games exist in other countries, but players from New Zealand will need to purchase physical tickets in these countries if they want to take advantage of them. If they purchase their ticket through Multilotto instead then they may not be able to play any additional bonus games.
Online vendors typically charge a little more money to cover both the cost of the ticket and their commission. Still, when you consider that the alternative would be to buy a physical ticket on holiday and then fly back when you want to cash it, it’s an additional amount that’s well worth paying.
What are the Odds of Winning the EuroMillions?
Originally the EuroMillions returned odds of 1 in 117 million for the jackpot. This increased to 1 in 139 million when the pool of possible Lucky Stars increased from 11 to 12. This slight change was enough to cause a considerable odds shift, but it also increased the chance of a rollover occurring, which increases the chance of the jackpot reaching its maximum.
For a full list of all EuroMillions prizes, see below. This includes the jackpot, which is paid out to players who get all numbers (including main numbers and bonus numbers) and the smallest prize, which is paid out to players who get just 2 main numbers.
- Jackpot = 1 in 139,838,160
- 1 in 6,991,908
- 1 in 3,107,515
- 1 in 621,503
- 1 in 31,076
- 1 in 14,126
- 1 in 13,812
- 1 in 986
- 1 in 707
- 1 in 314
- 1 in 188
- 1 in 50
- 1 in 22
The expected winnings for the EuroMillions begin at €4 and go all of the way up to €300,000 for the second highest prize, ahead of which is the jackpot. These odds are preferable to many other major lotteries, and every ticket-holder is more than twice as likely to win the EuroMillions jackpot than they are to win the US Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots.
They also have a considerably better chance of winning the EuroMillions jackpot than they do the SuperEnalotto jackpot, where the odds are more than 1 in 622 million. Of course, there are better odds on many smaller lotteries, including some regional games available here in New Zealand, but nothing comes close to the EuroMillions in terms of odds vs jackpot size and that’s why its popularity is on the rise.
One of the few lotteries that is able to match EuroMillions in this regard is the Eurojackpot, which is available in more than a dozen European countries and can also be played outside of Europe. The Eurojackpot has a maximum jackpot of €90 million, which is a good €100 million less, but it has odds of 1 in 95 million, and it was actually created with the goal of establishing a lottery that allows players to win more frequently than they do on the EuroMillions.
Where to Find the EuroMillions Results
The EuroMillions draw takes place in Paris, France, twice a week. You can catch the results online after 21:00 CET—just check this site after that time and you’ll be able to check your numbers.
If you play EuroMillions through an online vendor then you may also receive notifications after the draw has taken place, but most of these notifications are sent after a considerable delay, keeping players on the edge of their seat. This is true even of the official UK Lottery site, which typically doesn’t tell players they have won money until several hours after the draw.
It’s always good practice to check your numbers yourself, even if you do receive a notification when you win. Not only does it allow you to double-check and give you the peace of mind that this provides, but it also allows you to enjoy the thrill of playing the lottery.
After all, if you don’t get a kick out of checking your numbers and seeing them match, then what is the point of playing the lottery in the first place?
