EuroJackpot

About EuroJackpot

Though launched in 2012, EuroJackpot was actually proposed back in 2006. However, it wasn’t until 2011, when Denmark, Italy, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands and Slovenia met in Amsterdam after seeing the success of EuroMillions, that the foundations of EuroJackpot formally began to take shape.

Not long after, other countries took interest and decided to throw their hats in the ring. Estonia decided to join shortly after the initial negotiations in Amsterdam, while Spain joined in June 2012. On February 1, 2013, Croatia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden joined EuroJackpot, while Czech Republic and Hungary joined a year later. In October 9, 2015, Slovakia came into the fold as well. However, if you thought it would be the last country to join, think again—from September 2017, Poland will become the 18^th country to participate in EuroJackpot.

EuroJackpot Quick Facts

• Minimum Jackpot: EuroJackpot offers a guaranteed minimum jackpot of €10,000,000.
• Maximum Rollover: Jackpots can rollover up to a maximum of €90,000,000.
• Good Odds: Compared to other big lotteries, EuroJackpot offers better odds of winning.

How Does EuroJackpot Work?

The Basics

In EuroJackpot, you select five numbers from a selection pool of 1 to 50, plus two additional Euro numbers from a pool of 1 to 10. The goal, just like any other lottery, is to match as many of your numbers as possible—in this case, 7 numbers is the maximum. Unlike other lotteries, however, EuroJackpot features 12 prize tiers. Draws take place once a week, every Friday at 9:00pm in Helsinki.

Jackpots start at a minimum of €10 million, which can then rollover up to a whopping €90 million. EuroJackpot had an old rule wherein if jackpot hasn’t been won after 12 consecutive draws, the prize money is distributed to the lower prize tiers during the next draw. This was changed so that no more roll downs would occur.

The Odds of Winning

EuroJackpot was designed so that it would pay out more frequently compared to other lotteries. As such, you’ll find that the odds of winning here are pretty good compared to, say, the US Powerball or the notoriously hard-to-win SuperEnalotto.

That said, because of the better odds, the jackpot rolling over to record highs (as far as this lottery is concerned) is less likely. It’s more likely that the jackpot will be won before the rollover cap has been hit (but it can still happen). Check out the quick rundown of the odds below to see what I mean:

So What Happens if You Win?

If you win, you have the choice to receive your winnings as a lump sum or as an annuity payment. However, according to EuroJackpot’s official website, if you play it online and win, your prize will be paid as a lump sum. You also won’t have to pay taxes.

Speaking of taxes, EuroJackpot winnings are not taxed in 11 countries. Check out the quick breakdown below:

Beyond that, players usually have 180 days at most to redeem a winning ticket, but, of course, it may vary from country to country.

The Biggest Winners of EuroJackpot

Due to EuroJackpot’s fantastic odds, a lot of people have won big—and it’s a sure bet that many more will win in the near future. Here are the biggest winners so far:

EuroJackpot Fun Facts

• EuroJackpot has better odds of winning than their bigger and more popular competitor Euromillions.
• In May 2015, thousands of people on YouTube were left horrified when a video uploaded to the popular video streaming site showed a man setting a winning EuroJackpot ticket—worth €90 million—ablaze. Fortunately, it was just a prank or, as the trickster put it, a “social experiment.”
• The Foundation Lottery of the EuroJackpot in Holland has pumped at least €1.2 billion into sports.
• EuroJackpot balls are much, much softer—and lighter—than ping-pong balls. This is thanks to the synthetic polymers used to create the balls.

Bottom Line on EuroJackpot

Despite being the (relatively) new kid on the block, EuroJackpot has become one of the more popular lotteries around. The odds of winning, for starters, are fantastic—even when compared to their direct competitor, Euromillions. It’s no surprise; after all, EuroJackpot has been designed to produce as many winners as possible. Sure, the jackpots may not be as huge as Euromillions—or other mega lotteries, for that matter—but it’s still definitely a lottery worth playing. If you’re intimidated by the long odds of some of the more popular lotteries, EuroJackpot might be more up your alley.