Best jackpot odds
- Cash Five · 1 : 324,632
- Daily Lotto · 1 : 376,992
- Texas Two Step · 1 : 1,832,600
Which lottery has the best odds?
30 lotteries side by side: how likely is the jackpot, how often do you win anything at all, and how much of your stake comes back as prizes on average? Odds are calculated exactly from the rules, the return from the official prize payouts of the stored draws, where available.
First things first: no lottery is a good bet. Every one pays back less than you stake. The ranking compares how much you lose on average and how likely a win is.
The leaders
Best odds of winning anything
- EuroDreams · 1 : 4.7
- Loto · 1 : 6.0
- Lotto 6 aus 45 · 1 : 6.4
Highest return (typical draw)
- SuperEnalotto · 53.6 %
- Korea Lotto 6/45 · 52.2 %
- TOTO · 51.5 %
All lotteries
Tap a column header to sort.
| Lottery | Format | Price per line | Jackpot odds | Any prize | Typical return | Jackpot won | Largest top prize | Draws with payouts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash Five | 5/35 | 1.00 $ | 1 : 324,632 | 1 : 7.2 | – | – | – | 0 |
| Daily Lotto | 5/36 | 3.00 R | 1 : 376,992 | 1 : 7.6 | 50.2 % | 85 % | 1.0 m R | 1,053 |
| Texas Two Step | 4/35 + 1/35 | 1.50 $ | 1 : 1,832,600 | 1 : 32.4 | – | – | – | 0 |
| MillionDAY | 5/55 | 1.00 € | 1 : 3,478,761 | 1 : 16.7 | – | – | – | 0 |
| Thunderball | 5/39 + 1/14 | 1.00 £ | 1 : 8,060,598 | 1 : 12.4 | – | – | – | 0 |
| Lotto Belgique | 6/45 | 1.50 € | 1 : 8,145,060 | 1 : 10.7 | 39.2 % | 33 % | 11.2 m € | 1,578 |
| Lotto 6 aus 45 | 6/45 | 1.50 € | 1 : 8,145,060 | 1 : 6.4 | 42.8 % | 37 % | 14.9 m € | 1,768 |
| Korea Lotto 6/45 | 6/45 | 1,000.00 ₩ | 1 : 8,145,060 | 1 : 42.0 | 52.2 % | 99 % | 40,723.0 m ₩ | 1,249 |
| Lotto 6/49 | 6/49 | 3.00 $ | 1 : 13,983,816 | 1 : 6.6 | – | – | – | 0 |
| Québec 49 | 6/49 | 1.00 $ | 1 : 13,983,816 | 1 : 32.3 | – | – | – | 0 |
| TOTO | 6/49 | 1.00 S$ | 1 : 13,983,816 | 1 : 53.7 | 51.5 % | 43 % | 13.1 m S$ | 1,239 |
| Set For Life | 5/47 + 1/10 | 1.50 £ | 1 : 15,339,390 | 1 : 12.4 | – | – | – | 0 |
| Loto | 5/49 + 1/10 | 2.20 € | 1 : 19,068,840 | 1 : 6.0 | 47.4 % | 18 % | 30.0 m € | 1,098 |
| EuroDreams | 6/40 + 1/5 | 2.50 € | 1 : 19,191,900 | 1 : 4.7 | 44.1 % | 11 % | 7.2 m € | 315 |
| SA Lotto | 6/52 | 5.00 R | 1 : 20,358,520 | 1 : 38.2 | 43.5 %* | 17 % | 23.6 m R | 42 |
| Lotto Plus 1 | 6/52 | 2.50 R | 1 : 20,358,520 | 1 : 38.2 | 44.5 %* | 12 % | 4.7 m R | 42 |
| Millionaire for Life | 5/58 + 1/5 | 5.00 $ | 1 : 22,910,580 | 1 : 8.5 | – | – | – | 0 |
| Lotto Texas | 6/54 | 1.00 $ | 1 : 25,827,165 | 1 : 71.1 | – | – | – | 0 |
| Swiss Lotto | 6/42 + 1/6 | 2.50 CHF | 1 : 31,474,716 | 1 : 34.4 | 44.8 % | 5 % | 64.6 m CHF | 1,444 |
| SA PowerBall | 5/50 + 1/16 | 10.00 R | 1 : 33,900,160 | 1 : 14.9 | 53.2 %* | 5 % | 112.0 m R | 42 |
| PowerBall XTRA | 5/50 + 1/16 | 5.00 R | 1 : 33,900,160 | 1 : 14.9 | 24.3 %* | 2 % | 2.3 m R | 42 |
| New York Lotto | 6/59 | 0.50 $ | 1 : 45,057,474 | 1 : 92.0 | – | – | – | 0 |
| UK Lotto | 6/59 | 2.00 £ | 1 : 45,057,474 | 1 : 9.2 | – | – | – | 0 |
| Lotto Max | 7/52 | 1.50 $ | 1 : 133,784,560 | 1 : 23.3 | – | – | – | 0 |
| Eurojackpot | 5/50 + 2/12 | 2.00 € | 1 : 139,838,160 | 1 : 31.8 | 47.6 %* | 16 % | 120.0 m € | 91 |
| LOTTO 6aus49 | 6/49 + 1/10 | 1.20 € | 1 : 139,838,160 | 1 : 31.4 | 44.6 % | 19 % | 50.0 m € | 1,411 |
| EuroMillions | 5/50 + 2/12 | 2.50 € | 1 : 139,838,160 | 1 : 13.0 | 38.3 % | 17 % | 250.0 m € | 1,057 |
| Mega Millions | 5/70 + 1/24 | 5.00 $ | 1 : 290,472,336 | 1 : 23.1 | – | – | – | 0 |
| Powerball | 5/69 + 1/26 | 2.00 $ | 1 : 292,201,338 | 1 : 24.9 | – | – | – | 0 |
| SuperEnalotto | 6/90 | 1.00 € | 1 : 622,614,630 | 1 : 20.1 | 53.6 % | 1 % | 371.1 m € | 1,699 |
– = no payout data for this game (odds only). * = fewer than 100 draws with payouts, value still uncertain.
How it's calculated
Jackpot odds and any prize. Exact, from the current rules (numbers drawn, bonus balls, prize tiers). "1 in 13.0" means that on average one line in 13 wins something.
Typical return. Sum over all prize tiers: probability of the tier times the median prize (median of the official payouts since the current tiers were introduced), divided by the price of a line. For the jackpot this is the median actually paid per winner, so after sharing. Record jackpots raise the average, not the median: in those weeks the return is higher.
Jackpot won. Share of draws with at least one top-tier winner. The rarer, the more often the jackpot keeps growing.
Currencies. Prices and prizes in each country's currency. The return is a percentage, so it compares directly.
Taxes and payout. Not included. In the US (Powerball, Mega Millions) the advertised jackpot is a 30-year annuity; the lump sum is much lower and taxed. In the UK, Germany and many other countries lottery prizes are tax-free.
No guarantee. Every combination is equally likely in every draw; no strategy improves the odds.
FAQ
Which lottery has the best odds?
For the jackpot: Cash Five at 1 in 324,632. For any prize: EuroDreams at 1 in 4.7.
Which lottery pays back the most?
In a typical draw SuperEnalotto: on average 53.6 % of the stake comes back as prizes. No lottery pays back more than 100 %.