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Irish Lotto
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Irish lotto
Latest Numbers and Results
R130,000,000 JACKPOT
499,231 Winners
How to play the Irish Lotto
Playing the Irish Lotto and picking possible winning numbers are easy and straight-forward. Simply buy a ticket from a Local Retailer to stand a chance to win big cash prizes.
Can you play online? Yes!
Check winning numbers
Estimated jackpot amounts
See draw results
Payout amounts
And more!
Easily check today’s Irish Lotto winning numbers, handy and useful tips.
What is the Irish Lotto?
The Irish Lottery had its start in 1987, and is available to anyone, even if they are not a resident of Ireland. The Irish Lottery can easily be played online. The Irish Lottery offers a guaranteed minimum jackpot of €2 million and the prize fund can roll over as many times as it takes until it is won.
The Irish Lottery offers short odds – the chances of winning any prize are one in 42, or one in 8,145,060 for the jackpot, which is 40 per cent better than with the National Lottery.
How to play the Irish Lotto?
Playing Irish Lotto is easy and straight forward – whether the players are a resident of Ireland or not. If a player is placing a bet from another country, it takes two minutes to get started.
Quick and easy steps to enter:
Pick six numbers from 1-47
Whether playing online or in-store, players will need to select six main numbers. Players can either pick these using the number grid available, or opt for a Quick Pick to generate the numbers on their behalf.
Did you know?
Going strictly by stats, more Quick Pickers than self-pickers win lottery jackpots. According to an article in the NY Times, about 70% of lottery winners used Quick Pick to choose their numbers.
Choose which draws to enter
The Irish Lotto Draw take place twice a week on both Wednesday and Saturday. Players will need to decide which draw they would like to enter or whether to play in both draws.
Optional: Choose the 'PLUS' option
If a player adds 'Plus' to their ticket an extra cost €1 per line will occur (minimum of two lines). Players will now get automatic entry to the Lotto Plus 1 and Lotto Plus 2 draws, along with the Plus Raffle. Three extra chances to win! If players have selected Plus, it will appear on their ticket as "PLUS: YES".
Decide how far in advance to play
Before a players play-slip is complete they will need to decide how many draws they would like their ticket for. The options include 1, 2, 4 or 8 draws. Some online betting websites such as Jackpot.com will allow players to purchase bets for up to a year in advance, or by subscription.
Pay to Play
Irish Lotto Prizes
The Irish Lotto jackpot start at €2 million and can grow quickly when it rolls over, regularly passing the €5 million mark. As well as the jackpot, there are seven other prize tiers on offer – the lowest prize is awarded for matching just two main numbers plus the Bonus Ball.
| Numbers Matched | Prize |
|---|---|
| Match 6 | Jackpot – minimum €2 million |
| Match 5 + Bonus Ball | Approximately €100,000 |
| Match 5 | Varies (3.22% of Prize Fund) |
| Match 4 + Bonus Ball | Varies (0.81% of Prize Fund) |
| Match 4 | Varies (5.24% of Prize Fund) |
| Match 3 + Bonus Ball | Varies (3.49% of Prize Fund) |
| Match 3 | Approximately €9 |
| Match 2 + Bonus Ball | €3* |
*Online players will receive their Match 2 + Bonus prize in cash. Individuals who bought tickets from retailers will be able to claim two Lucky Dip entries to a future Daily Million with Plus draw (worth €3).
How to claim your lotto cash prize
Players who hold a winning ticket must claim their prize within 90 days of the applicable draw date(s).
Remember – The ticket is the only valid proof of a game played and must be presented to claim a prize, always sign the back!
Prizes up to and including €100 can be claimed at any National Lottery Agent.
Agents may pay higher prizes (up to and including €2,500) at their discretion.
Prize claim centers guarantee payment of prizes of less than €15,000.
Prizes may also be claimed at the players own risk by posting it to The National Lottery, Abbey Street Lower, Dublin 1.
NB: Please note that Photo ID verification may be required to complete the claims process.
History of The Irish Lotto
Saturday, 16 April 1988:
The first Lotto drawing was held in its original 6/36 format, six numbered balls were drawn from a lottery machine containing 36 balls. Players could win a share of a guaranteed £250,000 jackpot by matching all six numbers, or win smaller prizes by matching four or five numbers. If no winning ticket was sold, the jackpot rolled over for the next draw.
Saturday night until 30 May 1990:
The National Lottery introduced a midweek Lotto draw on Wednesday nights and draws have been held twice weekly since that time.
24 September 1994:
Lotto became a 6/42 game on, which made the jackpot odds 1 in 5,245,786.
26 September 1998:
The National Lottery increased the cost of a line of Lotto from £0.50 to £0.75. At this time it also doubled the game's starting jackpot to £1 million and increased most of the game's smaller prizes by 50 percent.
1 January 2002:
The cost of a line of Lotto became €0.95, and the starting jackpot became €1.269 million (the euro equivalent of £1 million).
3 September 2015:
The cost of buying two lines increased from €3 to €4 and players must now choose from 47 instead of 45 numbers, lengthening the odds of winning the jackpot to almost 11 million (approximately 10.7 million) to one.
In 2000, the National Lottery introduced Lotto Plus as an add-on to the main Lotto game and based around the main Lotto draw, Lotto 5-4-3-2-1 was introduced in February 1997.
Comparison table for The Irish Lotto
Match, Prize and chances of winning:
| Match | Prize | Odds of Winning |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Numbers | Jackpot | 1 in 10,737,573 |
| 5 Numbers + Bonus Ball | Estimated €100,000 | 1 in 1,789,596 |
| 5 Numbers | Varies | 1 in 44,740 |
| 4 Numbers + Bonus Ball | Varies | 1 in 17,896 |
| 4 Numbers | Varies | 1 in 918 |
| 3 Numbers + Bonus Ball | Varies | 1 in 688 |
| 3 Numbers | Estimated €9 | 1 in 54 |
| 2 Numbers + Bonus Ball | €3 Daily Million entry with Plus (2 lines) | 1 in 72 |
Tips for playing The Irish Lotto
Remember – there’s no real way to predict the set of winning numbers as drawings are completely random, but there are tried and tested ways to increase your chance to win. The probability that you will win the next draw is monumental – but it can still be tons of fun to try!
Just a few thoughts before we get into it –
Previous results have no bearing on future ones.
The key to successful lotto number selection methods are playing the probabilities.
If you play a pattern that occurs only five percent of the time, you can expect that pattern to lose 95 percent of the time, giving you no chance to win 95 percent of the time. So, don't buck the probabilities.
Lottery numbers are randomly drawn. But randomly drawn numbers form patterns that can be tracked and used to your advantage.
Remember – there’s no real way to predict the set of winning numbers as drawings are completely random, but there are tried and tested ways to increase your chance to wina
But first of all – Four-leaf clovers! Are we right or are we right? Four-leaf clovers are an ancient Irish symbol of luck, faith, hope, and love. Another legend has them standing for fame, wealth, health and faithful love. Not a terrible idea having one in hand before we get started!
We will pop in some fun strategies, bonus tips and Lucky Charms for good measure!
. The probability that you will win the next draw is monumental – but it can still be tons of fun to try!
Play the Right Games
There is a selection of lottery games—and they each have different odds of winning.
Read the odds to ensure you're maximizing your chances of winning.
Pick up some scratch cards. Yes, they offer smaller prizes but higher chances of winning overall.
#Strategie 1:
Identifying Hot numbers, Cold numbers, Overdue Numbers
To use the hot, cold, overdue strategy, analyze the results of your chosen lottery – see which numbers have been drawn recently and which haven’t, at least 50 drawings is needed to get a decent sample size.
Hot numbers: Picked most frequently
Cold numbers: drawn less frequently overall.
Overdue numbers: are ones that have not shown up in recent weeks.
Some players claim that creating a set of winning numbers by mixing hot, cold, and overdue numbers gives players an edge.
Bonus Tip!
Look at a list of past winning numbers for IRISH LOTTO Lotto, and you’ll see, more often than not, one or more of the number groups are not represented. For example, in the combination 5-14-17-32-38-46, there are no 20’s. Tracking and studying Number Groups can help you make a informed choice.
Don't Miss a Lottery Win!
One MegaMillions lottery ticket worth nearly $300,000 was never claimed!
Keep your ticket somewhere that is safe and easy to find
Make a note of the drawing date and time in your calendar
Check and Double-check the numbers against your ticket
Use a lottery app to keep track
#Strategie 2:
Pick Traditional Lucky Numbers
According to a poll run by mathematician Alex Bellos, seven is not surprisingly the most popular lucky number in the world.
Seven days of the week, seven wonders of the world, seven continents, seven seas, and the list goes on.
Other traditional lucky numbers include three (as in “good things come in threes”) and four.
Play Second-Chance Games (Where Possible)
Many lotteries offer second-chance drawings on non-winning tickets giving players a bonus chance to be a winner.
#Strategie 3:
Pick Traditional Lucky Numbers
Pick numbers that have a personal meaning to you. For example, birthdays, a wedding anniversary, or the birthdays of kids and/or grandkids.
Apart from dates consider the number of kids you have or the house number of your childhood home – whatever feels lucky to you.
Just a little note on this play, when it comes to picking lottery numbers, dates are just as popular and many people will play them. On the other hand, dates often show up among the most popular lottery numbers!
Bonus Tip!
Play a balanced game
After you choose six numbers you want to play, add them together and make sure that the sum of the six numbers adds up to between 122 and 196. Sums that fall within that range will account for over 70 percent of all lottery jackpots won.
Take Steps to Secure Winning Lottery Tickets
Sign it! Your signature on the back of a lottery ticket can help you prove that it is indeed yours if it gets lost or stolen.
#Strategie 4:
Use Numerology to Pick Lucky Numbers
Horoscopes: Lucky Numbers for Today
If you’d like to find lucky numbers without having to play around with numbers yourself, your daily horoscope is a good place to turn.
Many horoscopes include predictions of which days will be lucky for you (and you can try playing the lottery on those days).
Choose Rarer Numbers
Picking certain numbers may offer you a slight advantage, not for your chances of winning, but for your payout.
If you win a lottery jackpot, there is a chance that you might have to split the payout with players who picked the same numbers, so you might as well try to select rarer numbers to improve your odds of keeping more of the payout for yourself.
#Strategie 5:
Lucky Number Generators
The simplest way to find lucky numbers to play is simply to use a generator. Lucky number generators use numerology, or perhaps simply randomness, to find numbers for you.
Bonus Tip!
In Lotto 6/52, on average, one lottery number will be a repeat hit from the last drawing 56 percent of the time.
Just a note About #LotteryStrategies
Finding and playing lucky numbers is based on fun more than facts. Mathematically, every number has an equal chance of being chosen as a winner.
Remember that there are disadvantages to using traditional lucky numbers as lottery numbers: a lot of other players will be using them, too. That means that if these numbers do win, players chances of having to split the jackpot are high.
Why the Irish Lotto is so popular?
Not only does the Irish Lotto offer players “top prize” payouts, but it has multiple ways and chances to win. As previous results and jackpot payouts will show, the Irish Lotto offers players of any income a chance to win and dream BIG!
Irish Lotto number generator
Odds of winning The Irish Lotto
| Match | Prize | Odds of Winning |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Numbers | Jackpot | 1 in 10,737,573 |
| 5 Numbers + Bonus Ball | Estimated €100,000 | 1 in 1,789,596 |
| 5 Numbers | Varies | 1 in 44,740 |
| 4 Numbers + Bonus Ball | Varies | 1 in 17,896 |
| 4 Numbers | Varies | 1 in 918 |
| 3 Numbers + Bonus Ball | Varies | 1 in 688 |
| 3 Numbers | Estimated €9 | 1 in 54 |
| 2 Numbers + Bonus Ball | €3 Daily Million entry with Plus (2 lines) | 1 in 72 |
The odds of winning any Irish Lotto prize are 1 in 29.
The base jackpot stands at €2 million, although it often rises far above that amount due to regular rollovers. The biggest prize in the game’s history was €18.9 million, which was won by one ticket belonging to a syndicate of 16 quarry workers from County Carlow in June 2008.
*Approximate Odds
Is the Irish Lotto a Scam?
Absolutely not! The Irish Lotto was launched in April 1988 and is still going strong over 32 years later. Unfortunately, fake wins with other institutions have become a regular occurrence – so here are a few tips to keep you and your money safe!
Did you receive a notification that you have won a prize in a lottery? Perhaps the Microsoft Lottery? If so, don’t get too enthusiastic as this is almost certainly a scam. Players need to find the winning numbers in a newspaper, the internet, or on TV and compare them to their ticket.
Win notices from foreign lotteries are even more suspicious. Not only do foreign lotteries have the same restriction as domestic lotteries, but it is also illegal to sell tickets for foreign lotteries across international borders.
Therefore, unless a player actually was in a foreign country and bought a lottery ticket, foreign lottery notifications are frauds.
Only buy tickets from authorized lottery retailers.
Offers to sell international lottery tickets by mail or online are usually illegal.
If you didn't buy a lottery ticket or participate in a second-chance lottery game, you didn't win no matter how convincing a text message may sound.
The lottery doesn't notify players when you win; players alone are responsible for checking your winning tickets.
Players are NEVER required to pay money up-front to receive a winning lottery prize.
A lottery scam is a type of advance-fee fraud which begins with an unexpected email notification, phone call, or mailing (sometimes including a large check) explaining that “You have won!” a large sum of money in a lottery.
What to do:
If you receive a letter or email claiming that you won a prize for the New Jersey Cash 5 but did not enter, it is strongly recommended that you:
Delete or destroy the letter or email immediately.
Do not open any link contained in a suspicious email.
Do not respond to, or contact, the sender.
Do not disclose any personal or financial information.
Do not send any money.
If you have already responded, break off contact with the fraudster immediately.
If you have provided personal or financial details, alert your bank immediately.
If you receive a suspicious email, or believe you have been the victim of internet fraud, report it to the police.
- If players feel that their computer or device has been hacked or infected with malware or ransomware, run a virus check immediately!
- If players suspect one of your online accounts (e.g. your bank account, email, online shopping account or social networking site) has been compromised, change passwords immediately. Most reputable websites provide step-by-step instructions for how players can recover a hacked account.
Clues to look for:
The email is sent from a free webmail address (e.g. @hotmail.com, @yahoo.com, @gmail etc.)
The letter or email starts with something vague like ‘Dear Winner’.
Scam letters are often on poor quality, photocopied letterhead (although some will include a genuine business address in an attempt to provide legitimacy).
Strict time limit to claim the ‘prize’. This is intended to put the potential victim under pressure and deter them from seeking advice or investigating the matter further.
Confidentiality is often demanded as a ‘condition of winning’. Again, this is to deter the recipient from seeking the advice of friends or family who may be more familiar with this type of scam.
Poor spelling, grammar and syntax are usually a good indication that the letter or email is a scam.
The biggest note to remember – It’s impossible to win a lottery without buying a ticket!
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Conclusion
Irish Lotto is popular with players all over the world due to its favorable odds of winning a multimillion-Euro prize by matching all six main numbers drawn and a second prize tier, with an average payout of €100,000 for matching five numbers and the Bonus Ball. The National Lottery (Irish: An Crannchur Náisiúnta) is the state lottery of Republic of Ireland. It was created when the Republic of Ireland government passed the National Lottery Act, 1986 to help raise funds for good causes.
The eligible causes are sport and recreation, health and welfare, national heritage and the arts, the Irish language, and the natural environment. National Lottery players have raised €5.5 billion for Good Causes across the country since it began selling products back in 1987.
By playing Irish Lotto games, players in Ireland have made a vital contribution to the many thousands of projects, clubs and organisations in communities all over the country since the National Lottery’s inception 32 years ago. Almost 30c from every €1 spent on National Lottery games going back to Good Causes in the areas of sport, youth, health, welfare, education, arts, heritage and the Irish Language.
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