Winning the Euromillions lottery jackpot is a dream for many people across Europe. With jackpots frequently in the hundreds of millions of euros, it’s no wonder so many people try their luck every week. But what does it actually take to win such a huge prize? Is there a strategy you can use or is it purely down to luck? Let’s take a look at some tips and advice for how you can maximize your chances of winning big on Euromillions.
Understand the Odds
The first thing to be aware of is just how unlikely it is to win the Euromillions jackpot. The odds of matching all 5 main numbers plus the 2 lucky star numbers are around 1 in 139,838,160. To put that in perspective, you’re about as likely to be struck by lightning in your lifetime as you are to win the Euromillions jackpot.
So while huge jackpots like €100 million or more might seem incredibly tempting, you need to be realistic about your chances. Matching just two main numbers gives odds of around 1 in 42, while matching three numbers gives odds of 1 in 13. Even matching four numbers only gives odds of around 1 in 3,100. The more numbers you match, the longer the odds become.
But just because the odds are stacked against you does not mean you can’t win. Somebody has to win the jackpot after all, and as long as you buy a ticket you stand as good a chance as anyone. The key is to use some smart strategies to slightly improve your odds without spending a fortune.
Buy Multiple Tickets
One of the easiest ways to improve your odds is simply to buy more tickets. For every extra line you play, you increase your chances of winning. Of course, this method can quickly become expensive, so you need to set a budget for how much you are willing to spend.
For example, playing an extra line every draw for a year costs around €260. Playing 10 extra lines costs around €2,600. While that might seem like a lot, it could be worthwhile if you do share the cost with a syndicate of friends or family. Even playing a couple of extra lines each draw improves your odds compared to just playing one.
The table below shows how the odds improve the more lines you play:
| Number of Lines Played | Odds of Winning Jackpot |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1 in 139,838,160 |
| 5 | 1 in 27,967,632 |
| 10 | 1 in 13,983,816 |
| 25 | 1 in 5,593,526 |
As you can see, playing 25 lines reduces the odds to around 1 in 5 million. While still unlikely, it’s a significant improvement over playing just one line.
Go For Quick Picks
When playing multiple lines, the easiest option is to get computer-generated ‘Quick Pick’ numbers rather than selecting numbers yourself. Why? Because random Quick Pick numbers have the same chance of winning as any others, but they reduce the risk of duplicate numbers across your lines.
If you picked your own numbers, you might unintentionally choose similar numbers across your different lines. For example, your favorite numbers could overlap several lines. This actually reduces your odds because if those numbers come up in the draw, you still only win once.
With Quick Pick lines, each line is guaranteed to have a unique set of numbers. This maximizes your coverage across the possible number combinations. Quick Picks also require no effort – the lottery terminal chooses random lines for you. So it’s the easiest option when playing multiple tickets.
Join a Syndicate
Another way of increasing your tickets for a lower cost is to join a lottery syndicate, either formally or informally. For example, you could start a EuroMillions syndicate with 10 colleagues from work and agree to split any prizes.
This allows the cost and risk to be shared across multiple people, and greatly improves your combined odds. Here is an example breakdown:
| Number of Syndicate Members | Number of Lines Played | Total Cost Per Draw | Combined Odds of Winning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 25 | €13 each | 1 in 5,593,526 |
| 10 | 50 | €13 each | 1 in 2,796,763 |
| 20 | 100 | €13 each | 1 in 1,398,832 |
As you can see, a 20-person syndicate spending €13 each can afford 100 lines and drastically improve their combined odds of winning the jackpot.
Stick to the Same Numbers
Once you’ve chosen your Euromillions numbers, stick with them. Some people like to change their numbers each draw, thinking it improves their chances if they spread numbers across the range. But this actually lowers your odds due to something called ‘number frequency’.
Essentially, in a random lottery draw, all numbers have the same probability of being drawn. But over many draws, some numbers get drawn slightly more often than others simply due to the laws of probability. These are known as ‘hot’ numbers.
By sticking to the same numbers every draw, you increase your chances of picking these hot numbers when they come up. Switching frequently means you could miss out. Random doesn’t mean every number is drawn equally in the short term. Sticking to your chosen numbers allows number frequency to work in your favor.
Check Number Frequencies
You can improve your odds even further by checking which numbers have been drawn most frequently in recent EuroMillions draws, and using these to choose your numbers. While past draws don’t affect future draws, they can identify number trends.
For example, you could look at the last 50 draws and see which main numbers and lucky stars have been drawn most often. Then use these more frequently drawn numbers to choose your lines for future draws. This can give you a slight edge over just picking completely random numbers.
There are various websites that provide EuroMillions number frequency statistics for free to help you choose numbers with a higher probability of being drawn. It’s worth taking the time to study the trends.
Buy For Consecutive Draws
When you buy EuroMillions tickets, you can choose to play the same numbers across multiple consecutive draws. For example, you could enter the same numbers for the next 5 or even 10 draws rather than just one.
This saves time and hassle, and also has the benefit of guaranteeing you won’t miss a draw if your numbers come up. If you only play one draw at a time, you have to remember to buy a new ticket each time. So playing for consecutive draws helps avoid missing out on a win.
The downside is the cost, as you have to pay upfront for every draw you enter. But if you can afford it, playing for say 10 weeks rather than just 1 week increases your overall odds of catching a jackpot win.
Use a Lucky Dip
As well as your main EuroMillions numbers, you also get entered into the separate EuroMillions raffle when you buy a ticket. For each line you play, you get a unique EuroMillions raffle code consisting of 4 letters and 5 numbers.
This code gets entered into the raffle draw, with one raffle code picked at random to win a prize of €1 million! To increase your chances of winning the raffle, simply buy more lines. But there is also another option called a ‘Lucky Dip’.
A Lucky Dip allows you to enter the raffle without having to play the main EuroMillions draw. You just pay €2.50 for a raffle code. This is a cost-effective way of getting extra raffle entries and increasing your odds of winning the €1 million prize.
Time Your Entries
Certain times and dates tend to be busier for buying Euromillions tickets. For example, more people tend to enter on Fridays and Saturdays. Certain dates like New Year’s Eve also attract higher volumes of players.
The advantage of entering draws on less busy days is that fewer people are likely playing. While the number of winners each draw stays the same regardless of entries, your relative odds improve if fewer people enter.
So try buying tickets midweek or a few days before very busy jackpot draws. Quieter buying periods mean less competition against other players.
Spread Your Budget
Set yourself a total EuroMillions budget, and then spread this across as many draws as possible rather than blowing it all at once. For example, rather than spending €20 on one draw, you could spend €5 on each of 4 consecutive draws.
This achieves a few things:
– Your money goes further and buys more lines & tickets.
– You have a stake in more draws for a chance to win.
– If you win smaller prizes along the way, you can use these to fund more entries.
– You avoid the ‘all or nothing’ approach of blowing your budget on one draw.
Playing consistently over time improves your overall odds versus an occasional big splurge. Slow and steady wins the race!
Check Your Tickets!
It sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how many prizes go unclaimed simply because people don’t check their tickets. Make sure to always check the winning numbers after each draw – online, in the newspaper, or using the EuroMillions app.
One way to ensure you don’t miss any draws you’ve entered is to use the EuroMillions Ticket Checker. This lets you scan the barcode on your ticket using your phone camera. It will then notify you automatically if the ticket wins a prize in any draw.
If you play online, your account will notify you of any wins too. But if you buy tickets in-store, monitor the results and check your tickets. Billions in prizes go unclaimed each year worldwide. Don’t let a fortune slip through your fingers by neglecting to check!
Reduce Your Outgoings
This might not seem directly related to improving your lottery odds, but bear with me. By cutting back your regular outgoings, you free up more funds that can be put towards buying more EuroMillions tickets.
For example, you could:
– Switch to cheaper utility providers. Energy and broadband deals are constantly being updated, so shop around.
– Cut back on any premium TV channel packages. Ask yourself what value you really get from them.
– Avoid convenience purchases like takeaway coffees that add up over time. Make your own!
– Review recurring subscriptions you might have forgotten about. Music or video streaming services for example.
– Pay off debts with higher interest rates to reduce what you pay each month.
Every bit of spare cash you can save on your regular outgoings is more money you can put towards lottery tickets. Over time, these savings really add up.
Claim Your Free Plays
When you purchase EuroMillions tickets in Ireland and the UK, you automatically earn a free Lucky Dip entry for every 7 lines you play. So if you buy tickets weekly, every 7 weeks you get an extra free go in both the main draw and the raffle.
Make sure to claim your free plays rather than letting them expire. Check your account regularly to see when you qualify, or the app will remind you. Free entries mean extra chances to win without spending more money. It’s one of the best ways to get something for nothing!
Play EuroMillions Plus
EuroMillions Plus is an additional game you can enter when buying EuroMillions tickets in Ireland. It costs just €1 extra per line, and gives you a second chance to win a prize.
There are two EuroMillions Plus draws each week, with a top prize of €500,000. Matching just two numbers can win you €2,500. Overall the odds of winning any EuroMillions Plus prize are around 1 in 10.
So for a small additional cost, you get a second shot at a bumper pay-day. EuroMillions Plus lets you maximize the value from your main entry. Playing this extra game is worthwhile – just look at it as buying more tickets for less money.
Set Up a Direct Debit
Rather than buying EuroMillions tickets each week manually, you can set up a Direct Debit to automatically purchase entries on your behalf. This saves time and hassle, and also ensures you never miss a draw.
First decide how many lines you want to play, and how many consecutive draws to enter. You can play different numbers each week or use the same selections if you wish. The numbers will be entered automatically for you.
The Direct Debit system removes human error so you don’t have to worry about forgetting to buy tickets. And you can amend or cancel the Debit instruction at any time. Automating your entries is a smart way to increase your long-term chances.
Follow Results and Jackpot Rollovers
When the Euromillions jackpot rolls over because no-one wins, it increases in size for the next draw. The jackpots can then quickly snowball into gigantic sums of €100 million plus.
But fewer people tend to buy tickets when the jackpot is low, say around €17 million. So your odds of sharing the top prize are lower for these smaller jackpots. It’s a matter of weighing up value versus long odds.
In general, your chances are better sticking with rollsver draws versus lower jackpots. But consider spreading your budget across both. For example, buy extra tickets for the huge jackpots, then a standard number of lines for the low rollovers.
Following the size of each jackpot and how often it rolls over can help inform your playing strategy. You want to maximize entries when the big money is on offer.
Buy for Special Draws
There are certain EuroMillions events each year that offer boosted jackpots and prizes:
– New Year’s Day Special: €130 million guaranteed jackpot plus millionaire raffle guarantees 50 winners of €1 million.
– Superdraws: Held a few times a year, jackpots are boosted to €130 million minimum.
– Ireland-only and UK-only draws: Created when the jackpot rolls over 7 times. The entire jackpot goes to winners in just Ireland or the UK.
– EuroMillions Mega Week: A week of boosted prizes, raffles and promotions.
Checking the calendar for these upcoming events allows you to identify the draws offering the most valuable prizes. You can then increase your entries to maximize your chances for those dates.
syndicate wins, get a lawyer!
If you do manage to win the jackpot as part of a syndicate, get professional legal advice before claiming the prize. Create a binding legal agreement determining who gets what share, and have every member provide proof of ID and sign the agreement.
Appoint an independent solicitor to claim the prize on behalf of the syndicate. This avoids any accusations of unfairness or underhand dealings. Make sure no single person controls the ticket – share responsibility between multiple members.
Sadly, huge lottery wins can cause major disputes and family fallouts if not handled properly from the start. But the vast majority of syndicate wins go smoothly if everything is formalized upfront in writing through proper legal channels. Don’t let a jackpot fortune tear you apart!
Conclusion
Winning EuroMillions is a life-changing dream for so many of us. While the odds are stacked against picking the magic 7 numbers, there are still ways you can tilt the odds slightly in your favor:
– Play more lines – but set a sensible budget you can afford
– Use Quick Pick to avoid duplicate numbers
– Join a syndicate to share costs and improve combined odds
– Stick to the same selections rather than changing each draw
– Check number frequency statistics and choose numbers that come up more often
– Enter consecutive draws rather than playing weekly
– Take advantage of promotions like raffles, free plays and special event draws
– Cut regular outgoings to free up funds for tickets
– Don’t just play huge jackpots, lower rollovers have better relative odds
Will following every tip here guarantee you become a multi-millionaire? Sadly, no. But using some or all of these strategies helps shift the odds ever so slightly in your favor. EuroMillions is a fun game for a tiny stake in a huge prize. And you’ve got to be in it, to win it!
