When playing the lottery in the UK, it can be challenging to understand which draw offers the best chance of winning. With a variety of lotteries available, having a clear idea of the odds could help with making a more informed decision.
Some people may be drawn to the possibility of a large jackpot, while others prefer the likelihood of winning smaller prizes. This guide reviews the main UK lottery games and compares the chances of winning any prize or the top prize. Read on to learn more.
Which UK Lottery Has the Best Odds?
Knowing the odds can make selecting a lottery game somewhat more straightforward. Each UK lottery uses its own format, so your chances of winning vary. Below is a summary of the main draws and what your ticket represents in terms of odds.
Lotto Winning Odds
UK Lotto requires you to pick six numbers from 1 to 59. You must match all six to win the jackpot.
Odds of winning any prize: About 1 in 9.3
Odds of winning the jackpot: About 1 in 45,057,474
Lower-tier prizes are available for matching fewer numbers.
The Lotto jackpot is capped at £22 million. Typical starting jackpots are around £2 million on Wednesdays and £3.8 million on Saturdays, which can increase through rollovers until the cap is reached.
EuroMillions Odds
EuroMillions is one of the better-known lotteries in the UK for larger jackpots. You select five main numbers from 1 to 50, plus two Lucky Stars from 1 to 12.
Odds of winning any prize: About 1 in 13
Odds of winning the jackpot: About 1 in 139,838,160
There are 13 prize tiers, so matching a small number of numbers could still potentially result in a win.
The EuroMillions jackpot has a cap of £240 million. This figure allows for rollovers until the limit is reached.
Thunderball Odds
Thunderball asks you to choose five numbers from 1 to 39, plus a Thunderball from 1 to 14.
Odds of winning any prize: About 1 in 13
Odds of winning the jackpot: About 1 in 8,060,598
Prizes can be won through different combinations, not solely by matching all numbers.
The jackpot is fixed at £500,000 per ticket.
Set For Life Odds
Set For Life requires five numbers from 1 to 47, plus a Life Ball from 1 to 10.
Odds of winning any prize: About 1 in 12.4
Odds of winning the top prize: About 1 in 15,339,390
The top prize is paid as £10,000 every month for 30 years rather than as a lump sum.
Prize amounts vary depending on how many numbers you match.
Lotto HotPicks Odds
Lotto HotPicks is based on the same number pool as UK Lotto, but you select how many numbers to match—from one up to five. Matching all five offers the top prize.
Odds of winning a prize (5 numbers): About 1 in 834,398
Odds of winning the top prize (5 numbers): About 1 in 834,398
Choosing fewer numbers changes the odds and prize values.
EuroMillions HotPicks Odds
EuroMillions HotPicks follows similar rules to EuroMillions, with options to match between one and five numbers. Matching all five is the most difficult.
Odds of winning a prize (5 numbers): About 1 in 2,118,760
Odds of winning the top prize (5 numbers): About 1 in 2,118,760
Playing for fewer numbers gives better chances of smaller prizes.
Postcode Lottery Odds
The People’s Postcode Lottery operates differently from the National Lottery. Your chance of winning depends on your postcode being drawn. Tickets cover either daily or weekly periods.
Odds of winning any prize (per ticket, per draw): Approximately 1 in 1.3
Odds of winning the top monthly prize: Around 1 in 1,800,000 (this varies depending on the number of players and tickets sold)
The odds may change as a result of adjustments to the game or player participation.
All these games are based on random chance. There is no method to improve your chances of winning. For full details, official lottery websites provide comprehensive rules and information.
What’s the Best Lottery to Play in the UK?
The “best” lottery depends on what matters to you. Some players prefer more frequent smaller wins. Others focus on larger jackpots.
This section compares the games based on these perspectives.
Best Chance of Winning Any Prize
If your aim is to win any prize, the Postcode Lottery provides the highest likelihood.
With odds around 1 in 1.3 per ticket, this is higher than any other game discussed here.
Thunderball and EuroMillions both offer odds near 1 in 13 for any prize, with Set For Life close to 1 in 12.4. UK Lotto offers approximately 1 in 9.3 odds. Prize amounts in the Postcode Lottery vary depending on where your postcode appears.
Best Chance of Winning The Jackpot
For those focused on the jackpot, Thunderball presents the best odds among UK lotteries.
With odds of about 1 in 8,060,598, Thunderball offers better chances than Lotto (around 1 in 45 million) and EuroMillions (about 1 in 140 million). Set For Life’s top prize odds are near 1 in 15.3 million.
Lotto HotPicks and EuroMillions HotPicks offer odds that fall between these figures, with different prize amounts.
Biggest Lottery Jackpot
EuroMillions generally offers the largest jackpots available to UK players.
The highest EuroMillions jackpot won by a UK player is approximately £195 million. The game’s multi-country format and rollover mechanism enable larger jackpots, with a current cap of £240 million.
Lotto jackpots start around £2 million on Wednesdays and £3.8 million on Saturdays and can increase up to a £22 million cap.
Thunderball has a fixed jackpot of £500,000 per ticket.
Set For Life offers monthly payments over 30 years rather than a lump sum prize. This structure appeals to some players.
Is Playing the Lottery Worth It?
Whether to take part depends on your personal preferences.
The odds make it clear that winning is uncommon. For example, the UK Lotto offers about a 1 in 9.3 chance of winning any prize, and around 1 in 45 million for the jackpot. EuroMillions has roughly 1 in 13 odds of winning any prize, with jackpot odds close to 1 in 140 million.
Some UK lotteries also support charitable causes, which may be of interest to some players.
If you choose to participate, it is important to keep it enjoyable and avoid spending more than you can comfortably afford. Always remember to gamble responsibly.
**The information provided in this blog is intended for educational purposes and should not be construed as betting advice or a guarantee of success. Always gamble responsibly.
*All values (Bet Levels, Maximum Wins etc.) mentioned in relation to these games are subject to change at any time. Game features mentioned may not be available in some jurisdictions.