Lotto is the favorite game offered by the National Lottery of the United Kingdom. Its jackpots can easily roll over to tens of millions, and it keeps attracting millions of players, from among which, many play almost every Wednesday and Saturday. And back in 2015, the National Lottery decided to change their Lotto game a little.
It’s nothing big, but it certainly adds to the thrill of the game. So, how many numbers are being drawn during each Lotto draw? What do you get for matching 2 numbers after the 2015 changes? And what can you win for matching more?
Whether you’re new to the lottery world or it has been some time since you have played, in this article, you will find some helpful information concerning matching specific 2 numbers.
What Is the Prize for Matching 2 Numbers on the Lotto?
During each draw, the machine randomly chooses 6 balls with different numbers. Your prize depends on how many of them you have guessed correctly. There used to be 49 balls used for every draw, but, back in 2015, the National Lottery decided to make some changes to their Lotto game.
First of all, they increased the number of balls from 49 to 59 for all draws, making it more difficult for the players to win a prize. However, there was also a positive alteration, as, for the first time, they also introduced a prize for matching only 2 numbers.
Since then, all players who match 2 numbers on the Lotto get a free Lucky Dip ticket for a future draw. So, it may not be prize money, but you automatically get a chance of winning something in the next draw. You don’t need to spend more money on a ticket or think about numbers. It’s all set! And since all lotteries are based on randomness and luck, you don’t increase or decrease your chances by using randomly generated numbers.
What Are the Prizes for Matching 3 Numbers on the Lotto?
You win nothing only if you match one number or none. You already know what you get for hitting 2, so what about the rest?
Guessing 3 numbers or more gets you the following prizes:
- For matching 3 numbers, you get £30.
- For matching 4 numbers, you get £140.
- For matching 5 numbers, you get £1,750.
- For matching 5 numbers plus a Bonus Ball, you get £1,000,000.
- For matching 6 numbers, you get a jackpot!
However, there’s one more rule. Every jackpot can be rolled over four more times. When it’s the fifth time, it’s called the Must Be Won Draw. If it happens that nobody hits 6 numbers in that draw, the jackpot is shared among other cash winners. It means that if you got 3 or more matches and no one hits all 6, you may win more than you normally would.
What about Other Lotteries? Do You Get Anything for 2 Numbers on the Irish Lottery?
Unfortunately, if you want to enter the Irish Lottery, you need to know that you won’t get anything for matching 2 numbers. The smallest prize is a €3 Daily Million Quick Pick with Plus (2 Lines), but you need to hit 2 numbers and a bonus to get it.
If you’re curious about other prizes:
- For matching 3 numbers, you get €9.
- For matching 3 numbers and a bonus, you get €20.
- For matching 4 numbers, you get €50.
- For matching 4 numbers and a bonus, you get €150.
- For matching 5 numbers, you get €1,500.
- For matching 5 numbers and a bonus, you get €100,000.
- For matching 6 numbers, you get a jackpot!
In the case of the Irish Lottery, the jackpot is always at least €2 million. However, prizes may vary, depending on the number of winners and the accumulated amount.
Do You Get Anything for 2 Numbers on EuroMillions?
EuroMillions is a little bit different from Lotto because you need to pick 5 numbers and 2 Lucky Stars for each draw.
For 2 numbers matched in the EuroMillions lottery, you win £2.50. If you hit one Lucky Star additionally, you get £3.60, and with two Lucky stars – £9.10.
What’s more, when it comes to EuroMillions, you can even win with only one main number, as long as you match two Lucky Stars as well. For that, you get £4.30.
The rest of the prizes:
- For 3 main numbers, you get £6.00.
- For 3 main numbers and one Lucky Star, you get £7.30.
- For 3 main numbers and two Lucky Stars, you get £37.30.
- For 4 main numbers, you get £25.60.
- For 4 main numbers and one Lucky Star, you get £77.80.
- For 4 main numbers and two Lucky Stars, you get £844.70.
- For 5 main numbers, you get £13,561.20.
- For 5 main numbers and one Lucky Star, you get £130,554.30
- For 5 main numbers and two Lucky Stars, you get a jackpot!
Final Thoughts
Lotteries can be fun especially as they all offer different odds of winning the lottery. There are no strategies involved, and they are straightforward enough for everybody to take part. Picking random numbers with even the slightest hope of winning is a great thrill that can boost your mood and allow you to dream big, even if for a moment. And since right now, you can win something even with only two numbers matched, it may be worth trying. Good luck!
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