Lottery odds compared
The odds of the top prize range from 1 in 169,911 (Mini Loto (JP)) to 1 in 56,035,316,700 (SuperStar). Every figure below is calculated from the game’s number pool, so you can compare lotteries on equal terms.
| Lottery | Format | Jackpot odds | Draw days | Line price | Current jackpot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mini Loto (JP)Japan | 5 of 31 | 1 : 169,911 | Tuesday | ¥200 | ¥10M |
| South Africa Daily LottoSouth Africa | 5 of 36 | 1 : 376,992 | Draws take place every day | ZAR 3.00 | ZAR 500,000 |
| California Fantasy 5United States | 5 of 39 | 1 : 575,757 | Draws take place every day | $1.00 | $75,000 |
| Mini Loto (PL)Poland | 5 of 42 | 1 : 850,668 | Draws take place every day | PLN 2.00 | PLN 500,000 |
| Daily MillionIreland | 6 of 39 | 1 : 3,262,623 | Draws take place every day | €1.00 | €1M |
| Melate RetroMexico | 6 of 39 | 1 : 3,262,623 | Tuesday and Saturday | MX$10.00 | $5.7M |
| Lotto (NO)Norway | 7 of 34 | 1 : 5,379,616 | Saturday | — | kr14M |
| Loto 6 (JP)Japan | 6 of 43 | 1 : 6,096,454 | Monday and Thursday | ¥200 | ¥200M |
| Thunderball UKUnited Kingdom | 5 of 39 + 1 of 14 | 1 : 8,060,598 | Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday | £1.00 | £500,000 |
| Lotto AustriaAustria | 6 of 45 | 1 : 8,145,060 | Sunday and Wednesday | €1.50 | €1.2M |
| Lotto IrelandIreland | 6 of 45 | 1 : 8,145,060 | Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday | €2.00 | €2.4M |
| Saturday LottoAustralia | 6 of 45 | 1 : 8,145,060 | Saturday | — | $6M |
| Weekday WindfallAustralia | 6 of 45 | 1 : 8,145,060 | Monday, Wednesday, and Friday | — | $1M |
| Loto 7 (JP)Japan | 7 of 37 | 1 : 10,295,472 | Friday | ¥300 | ¥700M |
| Lotto 6/49Canada | 6 of 49 | 1 : 13,983,816 | Wednesday and Saturday | CA$3.00 | $5M |
| BonoLotoSpain | 6 of 49 | 1 : 13,983,816 | Draws take place every day | — | €900,000 |
| Poland LottoPoland | 6 of 49 | 1 : 13,983,816 | Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday | PLN 5.00 | zł8M |
| Wisconsin MegabucksUnited States | 6 of 49 | 1 : 13,983,816 | Wednesday and Saturday | — | $2.9M |
| La PrimitivaSpain | 6 of 49 | 1 : 13,983,816 | Monday, Thursday, and Saturday | €1.00 | €36.5M |
| Mark Six (HK)Hong Kong SAR China | 6 of 49 | 1 : 13,983,816 | Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday | HK$10.00 | $20M |
| Set for Life (UK)United Kingdom | 5 of 47 + 1 of 10 | 1 : 15,339,390 | Monday and Thursday | £1.50 | £3.6M |
| France LotoFrance | 5 of 49 + 1 of 10 | 1 : 19,068,840 | Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday | €2.20 | €2M |
| EuroDreamsEurope | 6 of 40 + 1 of 5 | 1 : 19,191,900 | Monday and Thursday | €2.50 | €7.2M |
| South Africa Lotto 6/52South Africa | 6 of 52 | 1 : 20,358,520 | Wednesday and Saturday | ZAR 5.00 | R4.5M |
| QuinaBrazil | 5 of 80 | 1 : 24,040,016 | Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday | R$3.00 | R$32M |
| Lotto TexasUnited States | 6 of 54 | 1 : 25,827,165 | Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday | $1.00 | $9M |
| LottoStarUnited States | 5 of 52 + 1 of 10 | 1 : 25,989,600 | Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday | $1.00 | $2.2M |
| El Gordo de la PrimitivaSpain | 5 of 54 + 1 of 9 | 1 : 31,625,100 | Sunday | €1.50 | €19.3M |
| Mexico MelateMexico | 6 of 56 | 1 : 32,468,436 | Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday | MX$15.00 | $30M |
| South Africa PowerballSouth Africa | 5 of 50 + 1 of 16 | 1 : 33,900,160 | Tuesday and Friday | ZAR 10.00 | R112M |
| Set for Life (AU)Australia | 7 of 44 | 1 : 38,320,568 | Draws take place every day | — | — |
| SuperLotto PlusUnited States | 5 of 47 + 1 of 27 | 1 : 41,416,353 | Wednesday and Saturday | $1.00 | $63M |
| New York LottoUnited States | 6 of 59 | 1 : 45,057,474 | Wednesday and Saturday | — | $10.2M |
| UK LottoUnited Kingdom | 6 of 59 | 1 : 45,057,474 | Wednesday and Saturday | £2.00 | £12M |
| Mega SenaBrazil | 6 of 60 | 1 : 50,063,860 | Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday | R$6.00 | R$150M |
| VikinglottoNorway | 6 of 48 + 1 of 5 | 1 : 61,357,560 | Wednesday | — | kr32M |
| Oz LottoAustralia | 7 of 47 | 1 : 62,891,499 | Tuesday | — | — |
| Powerball AustraliaAustralia | 7 of 35 + 1 of 20 | 1 : 134,490,400 | Thursday | — | $100M |
| EuroMillionsEurope | 5 of 50 + 2 of 12 | 1 : 139,838,160 | Tuesday and Friday | €2.50 | €37M |
| EuroJackpotEurope | 5 of 50 + 2 of 12 | 1 : 139,838,160 | Tuesday and Friday | €2.00 | €120M |
| Lotto 6 aus 49Germany | 6 of 49 + 1 of 9 | 1 : 139,838,160 | Wednesday and Saturday | €1.20 | €10M |
| MEGA MillionsUnited States | 5 of 70 + 1 of 24 | 1 : 290,472,336 | Tuesday and Friday | $5.00 | $385M |
| PowerJackUnited States | 5 of 69 + 1 of 26 | 1 : 292,201,338 | Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday | $2.00 | $562M |
| SuperEnalottoItaly | 6 of 90 | 1 : 622,614,630 | Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday | €1.00 | €39.5M |
| SuperStarItaly | 6 of 90 + 1 of 90 | 1 : 56,035,316,700 | Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday | — | €41.5M |
How it is calculated: the number of possible main-number combinations is multiplied by the number of possible bonus-number combinations. Official odds published by an operator can differ when a game has extra features (for example a Superzahl or a Power Play).
Which lottery has the best odds?
Of the major English-language lotteries, South Africa's Daily LOTTO has the best jackpot odds at 1 in 376,992, followed by Ireland's Daily Million (1 in 3,262,623). US Powerball has the worst at 1 in 292,201,338. Every figure in the table above is calculated from the game's own number pools, so you can compare all 45 lotteries on equal terms. Better odds almost always come with a smaller top prize.
Best odds by country
UK: Thunderball vs Lotto vs EuroMillions
Thunderball has the best jackpot odds of the UK draw games: you pick 5 numbers from 1–39 and a Thunderball from 1–14, so C(39,5) × 14 = 575,757 × 14 = 8,060,598, or 1 in 8,060,598. EuroMillions is about 17 times harder at 1 in 139,838,160. The UK Lotto now plays each line in two rounds per draw night. One round has C(59,6) = 45,057,474 possible lines, but the official per-line odds for the two-round format have not been confirmed, so LottaGo doesn't rank it yet. UK lottery odds compared covers all three in detail.
Ireland: Daily Million vs Irish Lotto
Daily Million (6 from 39) gives 1 in 3,262,623. The Irish Lotto, at 6 from 45 since September 2026, gives 1 in 8,145,060, better than its old 1–47 pool. Ireland's National Lottery puts the chance of any Lotto prize at 1 in 25.4, or 1 in 8.5 with Lotto Plus.
Australia: Saturday Lotto vs Oz Lotto vs Powerball
Saturday Lotto, at 6 from 45, has the best division 1 odds: 1 in 8,145,060. Oz Lotto (7 from 47) is 1 in 62,891,499. Powerball Australia (7 from 35 plus a Powerball from 1–20) works out at C(35,7) × 20 = 6,724,520 × 20 = 134,490,400. The guide to Australian lottery odds compares the three games.
South Africa: Daily LOTTO vs LOTTO vs PowerBall
Daily LOTTO draws 5 numbers from 1–36, giving C(36,5) = 376,992 possible lines. LOTTO (6 from 52) is 1 in 20,358,520 and PowerBall (5 from 50 plus 1 from 16) is 1 in 33,900,160. These matrices are as reported after the 2026 operator change.
US and Canada: Powerball vs Mega Millions vs Lotto 6/49
Powerball (1 in 292,201,338) and Mega Millions (1 in 290,472,336) are almost level. Canada's Lotto 6/49 is 1 in 13,983,816 for the Classic jackpot, which is fixed at C$5 million.
How are lottery jackpot odds calculated?
Count the number of different lines the game allows. Only one of them matches the draw exactly, so the jackpot odds are 1 in that number. The count uses combinations: the number of ways to pick k numbers from n when order doesn't matter.
C(n, k) = n! ÷ (k! × (n − k)!)
For Powerball, 5 white balls from 1–69 and 1 red ball from 1–26:
- White balls: C(69, 5) = (69 × 68 × 67 × 66 × 65) ÷ (5 × 4 × 3 × 2 × 1) = 1,348,621,560 ÷ 120 = 11,238,513
- Red ball: C(26, 1) = 26
- Jackpot odds: 11,238,513 × 26 = 292,201,338
That matches the 1 in 292,201,338 on the official Powerball prize chart. Lottery odds explained step by step works through more games and the lower prize tiers.
Why bonus balls multiply the odds
A second pool multiplies the count rather than adding to it, because every set of main numbers can pair with every possible bonus number.
| Game | Main numbers | Extra pool | Calculation | Jackpot odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Irish Lotto | 6 from 45 | none to match | C(45,6) | 1 in 8,145,060 |
| SA PowerBall | 5 from 50 | 1 from 16 | 2,118,760 × 16 | 1 in 33,900,160 |
| EuroMillions | 5 from 50 | 2 from 12 | 2,118,760 × 66 | 1 in 139,838,160 |
| Mega Millions | 5 from 70 | 1 from 24 | 12,103,014 × 24 | 1 in 290,472,336 |
EuroMillions and SA PowerBall share the same main game, 5 from 50. The extra pool makes the difference: two Lucky Stars from 12 give 66 combinations, one PowerBall from 16 gives 16. Small changes count too. When Mega Millions cut its Mega Ball pool from 25 to 24 in April 2025, the odds improved from C(70,5) × 25 = 302,575,350 to 290,472,336.
Odds of winning any prize
The jackpot is only one tier. Operators also publish the chance of winning anything at all, which is much shorter: 1 in 24.87 for Powerball, 1 in 23.08 for Mega Millions, 1 in 13 for EuroMillions, 1 in 28 for Daily Million and 1 in 6.6 for Lotto 6/49 (Canada). Most of those wins are small ones from the lowest tier: in Powerball that is $4 for matching the red Powerball alone, at 1 in 38.32.
Expected value in plain words
Expected value is what a line pays back on average if the same draw could be played an enormous number of times. Take a $2 Powerball line and look at the jackpot alone. At 1 in 292,201,338, the jackpot would need to be worth about 2 × 292,201,338 = $584 million in your pocket for that part to return your $2.
Real tickets fall short. An advertised jackpot can be an annuity paid over years rather than one cash sum, prizes may be taxed where you live, and a large jackpot can be shared. Only part of the money staked goes back as prizes: in Germany's Lotto 6aus49 the prize fund is 50% of stakes. On average, players get back less than they spend, so treat a ticket as paying for entertainment.
How to read the odds table
- Format shows how many numbers you pick and from what pool, such as "5 of 69 + 1 of 26".
- Jackpot odds come from the formula above. Where an operator publishes its own figure, LottaGo uses it; official odds can differ when a game has extra features, such as Germany's Superzahl.
- Draw days and line price come from operator pages, in local currency, checked in October 2026.
- Sort by best odds to see the easiest jackpots, or by biggest jackpot to see where the money is. If you're still choosing a game, the guide to choosing a lottery weighs odds against jackpot size, price and draw frequency.
Lotteries are for adults (18+). Play for fun, within a budget.
Frequently asked questions
Do more tickets improve my odds?
Yes, but only in a straight line. Each different line covers one more combination, so 10 different Powerball lines give 10 chances in 292,201,338, about 1 in 29.2 million. A hundred lines give about 1 in 2.9 million, at a cost of $200 for one draw. Two identical lines don't add a chance; they only double the payout if that line wins. Playing several draws spreads your chances over time without improving the odds of any single draw.
Is the lottery pure probability?
Yes. A fair lottery draw is a random event, and the odds are fixed by the game's design. They don't change with past results, with the numbers you choose, or with how you choose them. A quick pick, a birthday line and an AI Agent line all have the same chance. LottaGo checks the draws for fairness with a χ² test on every statistics page, and checks the strategies behind its AI Agent lines against random picks in a backtest over up to 150 draws. Both point the same way: past results don't make any line more likely.
Which lottery has the best odds in the UK?
Thunderball. One £1 line has a 1 in 8,060,598 chance of the fixed £500,000 top prize, calculated as C(39,5) × 14. EuroMillions is about 17 times harder at 1 in 139,838,160. The new two-round UK Lotto isn't ranked yet, because the official per-line odds for that format haven't been confirmed.
Which lottery has the best odds in Canada?
Lotto 6/49, the only Canadian game on LottaGo: 6 numbers from 1–49 give 1 in 13,983,816 for the fixed C$5 million Classic jackpot. The odds of winning any prize are 1 in 6.6, according to OLG. Matching exactly 3 of the 6 numbers comes up about once in 57 plays: C(6,3) × C(43,3) = 20 × 12,341 = 246,820 lines out of 13,983,816.