Which European Lottery has the Best Odds – 2024 Guide
Probably every person in the world has at least once thought how fantastic it would be to hit a lottery jackpot. The prize money varies, but anywhere to play the lottery, if you hit the jackpot, you will be richer by a few tens, and maybe a hundred million euros. It is money that is enough to provide a luxurious life as long as you live without having to do anything. So it’s no wonder it’s a dream come true for many people. What is also very tempting about the lottery is that it does not require skill or the need to invest a large sum of money.
However, most never manage to win the jackpot because the odds are against you. Odds must be against you, so that very few people can win the jackpot, otherwise the lottery organizer would go bankrupt very quickly. You should know that odds vary and that in some countries your chances are higher than in others. We have selected for you the European lotteries that have the best odds, and we will also explain the difference between jackpot odds and lottery odds, as well as which are the biggest lottery jackpots ever in Europe.
Difference between jackpot and lottery odds
If you have already searched which European lottery has the best odds, you have probably noticed how you found contradictory information. Somewhere it says that your odds are 1 in 10, for example, and those are great odds, and somewhere else that it is 1 in 10 million. And now you are wondering how it is possible that odds are so different.
In fact, odds do not differ than much, but it is the difference between jackpot odds and odds for winning some other prize. Your chances are 1 in a few million to win the grand prize. But almost all lotteries offer prizes even when you don’t guess all the numbers correct. The chances of winning one of the secondary prizes, where for example you have to hit 3 out of 7 numbers are very high.
Which European lottery has the best odds?
If we are looking for a lottery in Europe that offers the best odds to win one of the prizes, then it is the French Lotto. Odds for winning any prize when playing French Lotto is 1 in 6 which is superior in Europe by a big margin. French Lotto also has a very long tradition and is therefore very popular among the French.
However, the French Lotto does not offer the best odds to win the grand prize. Your odds are 1 in 19 million for the jackpot. There are other lotteries where the odds are much better if you aim for the jackpot. Odds that you will get the jackpot when you play the Polish Mini Lotto are 1 to 800 thousand which is by far the best, but the jackpot in the Polish Mini Lotto is about 100 thousand euros, which is incomparably less than other lotteries and is therefore called Mini Lotto. Of the major lotteries, the best jackpot odds are Swedish Lotto, 1 in 6 million.
When you click here you will find The Spanish Christmas Lottery, officially called Sorteo Extraordinario de Navidad and colloquially often named El Gordo, among top lotteries since it gives you a 1 in 100,000 chance of winning the jackpot. But we can’t classify it among other lotteries, for several reasons. The first reason is that it is held only once a year, a few days before Christmas. Another reason is that tickets for draw are used instead of lotto balls, so it is more like a raffle than a classic lottery. It also costs 200 euros, which makes it the most expensive lottery to participate in. It should also be mentioned that thousands of people share the prizes, and the main prize is El Gordo, which is worth a few million.
Other European lotteries with great odds
There are other lotteries in Europe that are worth mentioning. The Irish Lotto is at the very top when it comes to odds. When you play Irish Lotto the chance of winning a jackpot worth a minimum of 2 million is one in 10 million. On the other hand, Irish Lotto is one of the worst in terms of odds for other prizes 1 to 72.
EuroMillions is available in over 10 European countries and has been held since February 2004. Jackpots are always the biggest, which is logical, since it is also the largest number of people participating. It is tax-free in most countries, except in Switzerland, Spain and Portugal, which is another reason why EuroMillions is so popular and why people participate in both their national lotteries and EuroMillions. It is paid as a lump sum, not in installments. Be aware that if you do not have a passport from one of the countries participating in EuroMillions, the prize will not be paid out even if you win it. So if you are a tourist, do not participate in EuroMillions.
The UK National Lottery and the Austrian Lotto also provide great odds. The UK National Lottery is second behind the French Lotto where odds are best for any prize, just ahead of the Spanish Lotto. Austrian Lotto is top 5 for grand prize chances.
Biggest lottery jackpots ever won in Europe
Powerball and Mega Millions, USA lotteries hold the top 10 records. In Europe it is by far EuroMillions. As many as three times the jackpot over 200 million euros was paid out, and many times over 100 million euros. In addition to the EuroMillions, the United Kingdom’s National Lottery and the Spanish Christmas Lottery paid out the largest sums.
Conclusion:
The chances of winning a grand prize in any lottery are very small. But there is always a chance. Also, there are many other great prizes that do not come with such small odds. Anyway, if you don’t try, you will never succeed. And when you try, there is always a chance that you are the lucky one.
