Eurojackpot Secrets: A Guide to the European Lottery and Your Chances of Success

What is Eurojackpot and where is it played

Eurojackpot is an international number game launched in 2012, run jointly by lottery operators from more than a dozen European countries. In Poland, bets are accepted by Totalizator Sportowy — at points of sale and through the operator's online channels. The prize pool is shared across all participating countries, which is why jackpots reach values incomparable to national games.

Draws are held in Helsinki. The result is a single one, the same for a player from Poland, Germany, or Spain — only the payout currency and the tax rules in a given country differ.

Rules, ticket price and the draw schedule

On the ticket, you mark 5 numbers from a pool of 1 to 50 and 2 additional numbers from a pool of 1 to 12. Until 2022, the pool of additional numbers covered the range 1–10; the change extended it to twelve and affected all the probability values described below.

• Number selection: 5 numbers out of 50 and 2 additional numbers out of 12
• Price of a single bet: 12.50 PLN
• Draws: Tuesday and Friday, around 8:00 PM
• Number of prize tiers: 12
• Minimum jackpot: 10 million euros

For comparison — the Polish Lotto is drawn on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays around 10:00 PM, and a bet costs 3 PLN. Eurojackpot is therefore a more expensive game, with a less frequent schedule and a much lower probability of hitting the main prize, but with a jackpot many times higher.

Twelve prize tiers and their probability

A prize can be won in twelve different ways. The lowest tier requires hitting just two main numbers and one additional number. The values below apply to the current 5 out of 50 + 2 out of 12 format.

Tier	Main numbers	Additional numbers	Probability
1	5	2	1 in 139,838,160
2	5	1	1 in 6,991,908
3	5	0	1 in 3,172,089
4	4	2	1 in 621,503
5	4	1	1 in 31,075
6	3	2	1 in 14,125
7	4	0	1 in 14,100
8	2	2	1 in 985
9	3	1	1 in 706
10	3	0	1 in 320
11	1	2	1 in 188
12	2	1	1 in 49

The payout amount in lower tiers is not fixed. Prizes are divided from a percentage-based pool, so the amount depends on the number of winners in a given draw and the size of the jackpot. The same tier can pay out noticeably different amounts in two consecutive draws.

What statistics do not confirm

Lottery guides repeat several claims that have no basis in probability theory. It's worth knowing them so you don't make financial decisions based on them.

• „Overdue numbers must eventually come up.” Draws are independent — the ball does not remember previous results. A number that hasn't appeared in a hundred draws has exactly the same probability as the one drawn yesterday.
• „Avoiding patterns increases your chances.” The combination 1-2-3-4-5 is just as probable as any other. Choosing numbers rarely picked by other players doesn't change your odds of winning — it only affects how many people you'd share a potential prize with.
• „Wheeling systems guarantee a win.” They only guarantee a lower-tier prize if the winning numbers happen to be within the selected pool. They do not increase the probability of that happening.
• „Flaws in the drawing machines.” The devices and balls undergo regular metrological inspections, and the draws are conducted under supervision. Deviations detected in short series fall within the normal statistical spread.

The only relationship that works the other way is arithmetic: playing two bets doubles your chance compared to one, and doubles the cost along with it. The expected value of a bet remains negative regardless of the number of tickets.

Questions and answers

How much does a single Eurojackpot bet cost?

A single bet costs 12.50 PLN. The price covers the full pick, meaning 5 main numbers and 2 additional ones. A multiple bet simply means a multiple of this amount — a ticket with four bets costs 50 PLN.

When are Eurojackpot draws held?

On Tuesdays and Fridays, around 8:00 PM Polish time. Sales for a given draw close earlier the same day — the operator provides the exact closing time. For comparison, Lotto is drawn on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays around 10:00 PM.

What is the probability of hitting the main prize?

Around 1 in 140 million, precisely 1 in 139,838,160. This is a fixed value, resulting directly from the number of possible combinations of 5 numbers out of 50 multiplied by the number of combinations of 2 numbers out of 12. It does not depend on draw history or the method of number selection.

Can you increase your chances of winning?

Not in the sense usually meant. No selection method, frequency analysis, or „lucky numbers” change the probability of a single bet. The only thing that increases it is the number of bets played — proportionally to the amount spent, so it's not a strategy, just a bigger expense.

What happens when nobody hits the main prize?

The pool rolls over to the next draw, meaning a jackpot builds up. It grows to a cap set by the rules; once reached, the surplus is transferred to lower prize tiers. The minimum first-tier pool is 10 million euros.

Is a Eurojackpot win taxed in Poland?

The taxation rules for number-game winnings are set by Polish tax law and vary depending on the amount won. It's worth checking the current thresholds and rates directly with the operator or in the regulations — don't rely on values from articles published several years ago.

Before you play

Eurojackpot is entertainment, not a way to improve your financial situation. Set an amount you can spend on play without affecting your household budget, and don't exceed it. Trying to win back losses after a series of unsuccessful bets is a typical start of a problem.