Irish Lotto: Official Guide, Rules, Odds & How to Play
Ireland's national lottery — jackpots from €2M+, drawn every Wednesday & Saturday
Draws every Wednesday & Saturday at approximately 8:00 PM IST — results via Irish National Lottery and SmartLotto
Irish Lotto (officially Lotto) is the flagship game of the Irish National Lottery, launched in 1988 and operated by Premier Lotteries Ireland. It is one of Europe's oldest continuously operating national lotteries and uses a 6/47 format — one of the smallest main ball pools among major European lotteries, giving players significantly better jackpot odds than EuroMillions or UK Lotto.
Players select 6 main numbers from 1–47. Six main balls plus one Bonus Ball are drawn. The Bonus Ball applies to the second prize division for players matching exactly 5 main numbers. A Must Be Won mechanism triggers after a set number of rollovers without a jackpot winner.
Choose Your 6 Numbers
Select 6 numbers from 1 to 47. Use your favourite numbers, ask for a Quick Pick for a random selection, or use SmartLotto's Cherry Pick Engine for a statistically informed choice.
Select Number of Lines
Play one or multiple lines per ticket. More lines mean more chances — each additional line adds one more set of 6 numbers for the same draw.
Choose Your Draws
Enter a single draw or multiple draws in advance. Irish Lotto draws take place every Wednesday and Saturday.
Purchase Your Ticket
Available from authorised Irish National Lottery retailers across Ireland, online at lottery.ie, or via authorised lottery concierge services for international players.
Watch the Draw — Wednesday & Saturday
Draws take place at approximately 8:00 PM IST every Wednesday and Saturday, broadcast on RTÉ One. Results are published online and via SmartLotto.
Claim Your Prize
Prizes up to €100 can be claimed at any lottery retailer. Larger prizes via the Irish National Lottery claims process. All prizes paid as a tax-free lump sum in Ireland.
The Irish Lotto Bonus Ball is drawn from the remaining 41 balls after the main 6 have been selected. It upgrades winning tickets in Division 2 — players who match exactly 5 main numbers and the Bonus Ball win a higher prize than those matching 5 main numbers alone.
Must Be Won: Irish Lotto triggers a Must Be Won draw after the jackpot reaches a certain rollover threshold. In this special draw, if no one matches all 6 main numbers, the jackpot money cascades to lower divisions — distributing the prize among players who matched 5, 4, or 3 numbers.
Irish Lotto has 8 prize divisions. The jackpot is pari-mutuel (shared among winners). Divisions 4–8 offer fixed cash prizes. The Bonus Ball upgrades Division 3 to Division 2.
| Division | Match | Prize | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🏆 Div 1 | 6 main numbers | Jackpot (pari-mutuel) | 1 in 10,737,573 |
| Div 2 | 5 + Bonus Ball | ~€50,000+ | 1 in 1,789,596 |
| Div 3 | 5 main numbers | ~€2,500 | 1 in 44,740 |
| Div 4 | 4 + Bonus Ball | ~€100 | 1 in 17,896 |
| Div 5 | 4 main numbers | ~€50 | 1 in 1,165 |
| Div 6 | 3 + Bonus Ball | ~€25 | 1 in 1,007 |
| Div 7 | 3 main numbers | €5 fixed | 1 in 65.5 |
| Div 8 | 2 + Bonus Ball | €3 fixed | 1 in 73.8 |
📊 Jackpot Scale
- Jackpot starts at a guaranteed minimum of €2 million per draw
- Rolls over to the next draw when not won — no fixed cap
- A Must Be Won draw is triggered after the jackpot rolls a specified number of times
- In Must Be Won draws, the jackpot cascades to lower divisions if nobody matches all 6
- All Irish Lotto prizes are paid as a tax-free lump sum in Ireland
- International players receive prizes via their authorised concierge operator
Lotto Plus 1 & Plus 2 — Two Extra Jackpots Every Draw
Every Irish Lotto ticket automatically includes entry into two additional draws: Lotto Plus 1 and Lotto Plus 2. Each Plus game uses the same 6 numbers as your main Lotto entry but draws separately — giving every ticket three separate chances to win a jackpot in one purchase.
- Lotto Plus 1 jackpot: €1 million guaranteed every draw
- Lotto Plus 2 jackpot: €250,000 guaranteed every draw
- Plus games use the same 6 numbers as your main Lotto ticket — no extra selection needed
- Plus tickets cost €0.50 extra per line — one of the best-value add-ons in any lottery
- All Plus prizes paid as a tax-free lump sum
- SmartLotto tracks Plus 1 and Plus 2 draws alongside the main draw for complete statistics
Random computer selection of 6 numbers from 1–47. As likely to win as any manually chosen combination.
Choose your own 6 numbers. SmartLotto's Cherry Pick Engine and skip analysis tools can help you identify statistically interesting selections.
Select 7 or more numbers for automatic coverage of all combinations. Each combination of 6 within your selection counts as a separate line.
Set up automatic play to enter the same numbers every draw. Available via the Irish National Lottery website and app.
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Play Irish Lotto Now View Latest ResultsIrish Lotto is operated by Premier Lotteries Ireland under licence from the Irish National Lottery. Australian participation is via authorised concierge operators. 18+ only. Please gamble responsibly. Gambling Help Online: 1800 858 858