EuroMillions is one of the most popular lottery games in Europe, played by millions across the continent. With its huge jackpots and exciting twice weekly draws, it’s no wonder that EuroMillions has become a firm favorite for those looking to change their lives with a big lottery win.
EuroMillions was launched in 2004 as a joint venture between the national lotteries of France, Spain and the UK. The game started with just these three countries participating, but quickly expanded over the next few years to include more European nations.
Nowadays, EuroMillions tickets can be purchased in nine different countries – the UK, France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Ireland, Austria, Switzerland and Luxembourg. These countries pool their entries together into massive EuroMillions super draws twice a week, on Tuesday and Friday evenings.
How does EuroMillions work?
EuroMillions offers huge multimillion dollar jackpots because the odds of winning are much greater than most other lottery games. Players must match 5 main numbers from 1-50, as well as 2 ‘Lucky Star’ numbers from 1-12. This means the total number of possible combinations is a staggering 139,838,160!
To put the odds into perspective, your chances of picking five main numbers and two Lucky Stars at random are around 1 in 139 million. That’s still a lot better than your odds of being struck by lightning in your lifetime, which are roughly 1 in 3000.
As well as the jackpot prize for matching all seven numbers, there are also 13 other prize tiers up for grabs. Lower prizes can be won for matching anything from two main numbers right up to five main numbers and one Lucky Star. The odds get longer for each additional number matched.
All EuroMillions prize levels and odds are as follows:
| Prize Tier | Match | Prize Odds (1 in) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 main + 2 stars | 139,838,160 |
| 2 | 5 main + 1 star | 6,991,908 |
| 3 | 5 main | 3,107,515 |
| 4 | 4 main + 2 stars | 423,752 |
| 5 | 4 main + 1 star | 26,485 |
| 6 | 3 main + 2 stars | 14,125 |
| 7 | 4 main | 13,811 |
| 8 | 2 main + 2 stars | 981 |
| 9 | 3 main + 1 star | 698 |
| 10 | 3 main | 314 |
| 11 | 1 main + 2 stars | 188 |
| 12 | 2 main + 1 star | 107 |
| 13 | 2 main | 57 |
With odds like these, it’s no wonder EuroMillions creates so many big winners. Jackpots routinely grow into the hundreds of millions before being won, and there have been several enormous EuroMillions lottery prizes over the years…
Record EuroMillions jackpots
The current record EuroMillions jackpot stands at a whopping €220 million. This enormous top prize has been won three times in EuroMillions history:
- On Friday 13th February 2020, a ticket in France matched all seven numbers to pocket €220 million.
- On Friday 24th September 2021, a Swiss player scooped the same huge €220 million jackpot.
- On Tuesday 15th October 2019, a UK ticket holder also banked this record €220 million top prize.
As well as sharing the record for the biggest ever EuroMillions jackpot, these three incredible winners also hold the record for the largest lottery prizes ever won in their respective countries. €220 million is the biggest EuroMillions payday possible under the current jackpot cap rules.
Other notable eight-figure EuroMillions jackpot wins down the years include:
- €210 million to Switzerland in February 2021
- €190 million to the UK in November 2019
- €190 million to Portugal in October 2014
- €190 million to the UK in August 2012
- €185 million to the UK in July 2011
- €183 million to the UK in June 2015
- €175 million to Spain in October 2014
- €170 million to France in November 2020
- €163 million to the UK in July 2011
- €160 million to the UK in July 2022
EuroMillions has minted billionaires across the continent. But has its success led organizers to alter the game’s format?
How has EuroMillions changed over time?
Despite creating multimillionaires every few weeks, the basic premise of EuroMillions has stayed largely the same since launch. Players still need to pick five main numbers and two Lucky Stars to scoop the jackpot.
However, EuroMillions has tweaked and changed a few small elements over the years to keep things fresh for players. These include:
- Number of participating countries – EuroMillions began in just three countries in February 2004. Several more European nations joined over the next few years, with the total reaching nine participating countries by October 2012.
- Bigger starting jackpots – When it first launched, EuroMillions jackpots started at just €15 million. This opening top prize was soon increased to €30 million in 2007 to make the game more attractive to players. The starting jackpot is now set at a massive €17 million after a rule change in January 2020.
- Jackpot cap – From when it began, EuroMillions jackpots were allowed to roll over indefinitely until won. This led to some enormous prizes, including a record €190 million jackpot in August 2012. Following this win, a cap of €190 million was introduced in February 2013 to keep the game sustainable. This cap has since been raised twice to reach the current record level of €220 million.
- Extra draws – Originally, EuroMillions draws only took place on Friday nights. An extra midweek draw on Tuesdays was added in May 2011 to give players more chances to win. EuroMillions now holds two super draws every week.
- Additional prizes – As well as the main jackpot, Millionaire Maker was introduced in September 2016 to ensure one player wins €1 million in every draw. This was followed by the addition of a special promotional prize called El Millón in Spain in June 2017.
- Bigger Lucky Stars pool – When EuroMillions launched, players had to pick Lucky Stars from a pool of just 9 numbers between 1-9. The Lucky Stars pool increased to 11 numbers in 2011, and then to its current size of 12 numbers (1-12) in September 2016. This change made the jackpot even harder to win.
- Higher number pool – Similarly, the main EuroMillions numbers were originally drawn from a pool of 1-49. This increased to 1-50 in July 2015, meaning players now have to pick from an even wider selection of possible numbers. Again, the odds were lengthened.
- Ireland joins – Ireland became the first new country to join EuroMillions in October 2004, just eight months after the initial launch. The most recent newcomer was Austria in October 2012.
- UK Millionaire Raffle – Exclusive to UK players, this additional game was added in November 2009 and guarantees at least one millionaire each week with a raffle format. It was recently revamped as UK Millionaire Maker to match the wider European game.
- 2nd prize improvment – Winning €100,000 for matching five numbers was a bit measly, so this second prize tier was boosted to a much better €500,000 in June 2019. Higher secondary prizes make playing more worthwhile.
Although EuroMillions has seen numerous small tweaks, the core game remains largely similar to when it launched. Its joint jackpot format, twice weekly draws and huge prizes are key to its ongoing popularity.
Will EuroMillions change more in future?
EuroMillions has been around for almost 20 years now, and has clearly found a winning formula. Massive jackpots, seriously slim odds and some of the biggest lottery prizes on the planet have cemented its status as Europe’s favorite multi-country game.
But could more changes be coming down the line? Here are some possible EuroMillions alterations we might see in future:
- Higher starting jackpot – EuroMillions may opt to raise the opening jackpot again from its current €17 million, to ensure it grabs attention. A starting point of €30 million or €50 million could be an option.
- Jackpot cap increase – Likewise, the maximum jackpot limit has gradually been raised over the years. It currently stands at €220 million but could potentially be taken higher at some point, perhaps to €250 million or €300 million.
- Extra draws – When the Tuesday draw was added it was a big change. EuroMillions may choose to add further draws as more countries join. Weekend or twice weekly draws are a possibility.
- New countries join – Expanding beyond its current nine members would generate larger pots and global interest. Obvious candidates include Germany or Italy.
- Lower entry price – EuroMillions tickets aren’t cheap, typically €2.50-€3. Costing less per line could attract extra players and larger jackpots. But lower revenue per entry could affect prize funds.
- Better digital options – More convenient ways to play, like online subscriptions or mobile apps, would appeal to digital-focused younger players.
- Secondary prize boosts – EuroMillions has already boosted its second prize twice. Further increases to third and fourth prizes could happen to make lower tiers more worthwhile.
- Anniversary specials – Big birthday milestones often see lotteries add short-term special prizes or guaranteed jackpots to mark the occasion. EuroMillions turns 20 in 2024.
- New draw formats – Novel options like raffles, special events or syndicate draws could potentially supplement the main jackpot.
There are certainly multiple options for EuroMillions to freshen things up. But any changes would likely be gradual tweaks rather than dramatic overhauls.
With the game still setting new records and attracting huge player interest, the core format that has proved so successful seems set to remain in place. The twice weekly jackpot rolls, enormous top prizes and near incomprehensible odds are all part of EuroMillions’ appeal.
Will EuroMillions ever end?
EuroMillions is still going strong after nearly 20 years, so there’s no reason to think the game won’t continue for the foreseeable future. The multi-country nature of EuroMillions gives it stability, as it doesn’t rely on the fortunes of any sole operator.
Each participating country has a vested interest in maintaining EuroMillions as their flagship draw game. It typically provides 50% or more of annual ticket sales revenue for members. This makes it highly important commercially.
The resources pooled between major European lottery players also gives EuroMillions unrivaled liquidity and prize budgets. Smaller national games simply can’t match its jackpot scale.
EuroMillions appears in great financial health. It regularly exceeds sales targets and generates over €1 billion in ticket income every year. This funds hefty prizes while delivering profits back to participating lotteries.
Player interest also remains high. EuroMillions frequently tops polls of Europe’s most popular lotteries. People love playing for its epic jackpots and dream lifestyle prizes.
Of course, nothing lasts forever. Should player appetite wane or jackpots fail to attract sales, EuroMillions may need to adapt or add revamps to rejuvenate interest.
But there are no signs of that happening anytime soon. With over 13 million prize winners across the continent so far, EuroMillions has enormous goodwill and brand recognition.
The lottery has endured major world events like the global financial crisis, Brexit and the Covid pandemic. While none are immune to such issues, EuroMillions’ multinational nature offers resilience.
In short, EuroMillions is set to continue rolling over big jackpots every Tuesday and Friday for the foreseeable future. Any player who matches all seven numbers will win huge life-changing prizes on offer across its nine participating countries.
Summary
Since launching in 2004, EuroMillions has become Europe’s favorite lottery due to its massive multimillion jackpots.
Although the game format has seen tweaks such as more draws and bigger prizes, the core elements remain unchanged. Players pick five main numbers and two Lucky Stars for a chance to win huge jackpots that can exceed €200 million.
Further gradual changes may come in future as EuroMillions looks to stay fresh. But most are likely to be minor expansions or prize enhancements rather than major overhauls.
With EuroMillions continuing to thrive after nearly 20 years, there seems little reason for organizers to move away from such a successful formula. Few games anywhere in the world can match the excitement and dream jackpots offered by EuroMillions twice every week.
That’s why this legendary European lottery looks sure to keep creating multimillionaires for many years to come.
