EuroMillions

How the Game Works

Players select 5 numbers from a pool of 1 to 50. They also pick 2 star numbers from 1 to 12. Both selections must match the draw to win the jackpot.

The draw happens twice per week: Tuesday and Friday evenings. Nine participating countries run coordinated draws simultaneously, which means the same winning numbers apply across all markets. This structure allows larger combined prize pools and bigger jackpots than single-nation lotteries.

The main pool uses a 5 from 50 format. Star numbers are a 2 from 12 supplementary mechanic. Matching fewer numbers than all seven still wins a prize, as the game uses a tiered structure.

Prize Tiers and Odds

EuroMillions has 13 prize tiers. Each tier requires a different combination of matched main numbers and stars.

The jackpot (tier 1) goes to any player who matches all 5 main numbers and both stars. The odds of this are 1 in 139 million.

Tier 2 requires 5 main numbers and 1 star. Tier 3 is 5 main numbers with no stars. From there, tiers drop to 4 main numbers with 2 stars, then 4 with 1 star, then 4 with no stars. Lower tiers include 3 main numbers with 2 stars, and so on down to 2 main numbers with 1 star (the smallest prize).

The overall probability of winning any prize is 1 in 13. This means roughly one in every thirteen tickets returns something, though most wins are fixed small amounts.

Actual prize amounts vary by draw because EuroMillions uses a pari-mutuel model for most tiers. Revenue from ticket sales gets split into prize pools, so the amount per winner depends on total sales and the number of winners in each tier. The jackpot can roll over if no one matches all seven numbers, allowing it to grow across multiple draws.

Draw Schedule and Timing

Draws occur every Tuesday and Friday. The official draw time is 20:00 GMT in most participating nations, though local broadcast times vary slightly by country.

Results become public within minutes of the draw. Tickets must be purchased before the cut-off time, which is typically one to two hours before the official draw.

The Mathematics of Probability

The odds of winning the EuroMillions jackpot are 1 in 139,838,160. This reflects the probability of matching 5 numbers from 50 (1 in 2,118,760) multiplied by the probability of matching 2 stars from 12 (1 in 66).

The 1 in 13 overall odds figure deserves context. Most of these wins are low-value tiers. A player buying one ticket per draw can expect to see a win roughly every 13 tickets, but the average payout will be small. Expected value (the mathematical return per pound or euro wagered) is negative, as with all lotteries. The operator and state retain a percentage of sales, and the remaining pool is divided among winners.

Syndicates shift probability in a practical way, not a mathematical one. A group of ten players buying ten tickets covers more number combinations than a single player. If one ticket wins, the prize is split. But the syndicate increases the total number of chances to win at the cost of sharing the jackpot if it hits. The break-even analysis of a syndicate depends on participation costs and group size.

History and Regulation

EuroMillions launched in 2004 and began draws in May of that year. The game started with seven participating countries and has since expanded to nine. The operators are the national lottery organisations of each participating nation, all regulated by their respective governments.

Regulatory oversight occurs at both national and transnational levels. Each country's gambling regulator monitors the game within its borders. The coordination between operators follows European standards, though no single EU-wide body oversees the game directly.