Irish Lotto
Irish Lotto draws take place on Wednesday and Saturday evenings at around 8pm GMT and offers regular 7-figure jackpots in the main draw as well as various cash prizes in the Lotto Plus draws. The Irish Lotto jackpot starts at €2 million and has been known to reach highs of nearly €19 million. Find out everything you need to know about playing the Irish Lotto below.
How to Play
When playing the Irish Lotto from Australia you will need to play through an online service such as Jackpot.com. This service, which is heavily regulated, allows you to place bets on which numbers you think will be numbers drawn.
The payouts are exactly the same as if you had bought a ticket in Ireland. To get started, follow this easy guide of how to play online:
- Create an account – The first step to playing the Irish Lotto is creating an online account. Click on the play banner to be taken to the service provider.
- Choose Your Numbers - Choose six main numbers from 1 to 47. You can choose your own numbers or opt for a Quick Pick which randomly generates a set of six numbers.
- Which Draws? - As there are two draw days a week on Irish Lotto, you must decide which one you want to play. You can choose Advance play which enters you into the next two, four or eight draws in one go. This way you won’t miss out on any upcoming draws.
- Pay for your entries – Make sure you purchase any entries before the closing time at 7.45pm GMT on draw days. A single line costs €2, however you must purchase two lines to play Irish Lotto.
- Relax – Sit back and wait for the results to be available straight after the draws on Wednesday and Saturday evenings.
Prize Divisions and Odds of Winning
To win Irish Lotto jackpot your 6 numbers must match the winning numbers drawn. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 10,737,573. There are seven other prize divisions in which you can win a prize. To win Irish Lotto jackpot your 6 numbers must match the winning numbers drawn. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 10,737,573. There are seven other prize divisions in which you can win a prize.
The following table shows the prize amounts awarded along with the odds of winning each prize:
| Division | Numbers Matched | Average Prize Amount | Odds of Winning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 Main Numbers | Jackpot (Minimum €2 Million | 1 in 10,737,573 |
| 2 | 5 Main Numbers + Bonus Ball | €100,000 | 1 in 1,789,596 |
| 3 | 5 Main Numbers | €1,500 | 1 in 44,740 |
| 4 | 4 Main Numbers + Bonus Ball | €150 | 1 in 17,896 |
| 5 | 4 Main Numbers | €50 | 1 in 918 |
| 6 | 3 Main Numbers + Bonus Ball | €25 | 1 in 688 |
| 7 | 3 Main Numbers | €9 | 1 in 54 |
| 8 | Main Numbers + Bonus Ball | €3 Daily Million with Plus Entry (2 Lines) | 1 in 72 |
Additional Draws
On top of the main game, players can opt to enter the Lotto Plus 1, Lotto Plus 2 and Lotto Plus Raffle draws for an extra €1. These additional games are drawn at the same time as the main draw and create a range of extra prizes. It is not possible to play only one of the Lotto Plus games – when entering you receive two lines of 6 numbers and two raffle plus numbers.
Biggest Winners
A family from Castlebar in Co Mayo won the biggest Irish Lotto jackpot in history when they landed €19.06 million on 15th January 2022. The previous record had come in 2008 when a syndicate of 16 workers from a concrete plant in Co Carlow won €18.9 million (just over €1.1 million each) from a €32 Quick Pick.