The Irish National Lottery works much like any other lottery. Players simply pick six numbers ranging from 1-47, and any lucky player who matches all six takes home the jackpot. A bonus number is also drawn, and if it matches any of your six numbers then you may be in with a chance to win one of the seven additional prizes. You can either pick your lucky numbers yourself, or there’s the quick pick option for those who don’t have a preference.
The starting price for Irish Lotto tickets is €2, but this can vary at different sites. If you’re playing in Ireland, then you can play the Plus 1 and Plus 2 games for an extra €1. These are additional draws which give you an extra chance to win, though the prizes aren’t quite as big as those on offer with the main game. Playing the Lotto Plus games also enters you into the Raffle draw, where you can bag a tidy €500 if yours is the winning code.
When is the Irish Lotto draw?
Irish Lottery draws take place every Wednesday and Saturday at around 8pm, so you’ll never have to wait too long for another shot at landing that pot of gold. The cut off time for purchasing tickets varies from site to site, so make sure you check up on this to avoid missing out!
Irish Lotto prize money
The Irish lotto jackpot never goes lower than €2 million, so there’s always a pretty hefty prize fund waiting for that lucky winner. It hits the €6 million mark fairly regularly, while the largest ever jackpot was €18,963,441 and was won by a 16-player syndicate.
As the Irish Lotto isn’t as big as some other draws, the odds aren’t quite as astronomical. Overall, you have around a 1 in 29 shot of taking home a prize. Let’s take a look at what’s up for grabs:
| Prize tier | Average prize | Odds |
| Jackpot | Jackpot (€2 million minimum) | 1 in 10,737,573 |
| Fiver numbers + bonus | €100,000 | 1 in 1,789,596 |
| 5 numbers | €1,500 | 1 in 44,740 |
| 4 numbers + bonus | €150 | 1 in 17,896 |
| 4 numbers | €50 | 1 in 918 |
| 3 numbers + bonus | €25 | 1 in 688 |
| 3 numbers | €9 | 1 in 54 |
| 2 numbers + bonus | €3 scratchcard | 1 in 72 |
Irish Lotto payouts and taxes
Good news – Irish Lottery winnings are completely tax free! This means you’ll receive 100% of your winnings, which will be paid as a lump sum once the Irish Lottery results are announced.
For minor wins, the prize money will be credited to your account ready for withdrawal. However, as with all lotteries, bigger wins may require you to go through a collection process to cash in on your prize. Depending on the site you play at, this may involve collecting your physical ticket and completing a prize claim form. If you land the jackpot, you’ll have to travel to the Lotto headquarters in Ireland to receive your winnings.
Irish Lotto syndicates
They say there’s strength in numbers, and you can improve your chances of landing a win on the Irish Lottery by joining a syndicate. A syndicate is a group of players who buy tickets collectively, and you can join them at most top online lottery sites.
If any of the tickets in a syndicate prove to be a winning combination, then the prize will be split between all the members. This means that any potential prizes will be smaller than if you won on a single ticket, but you can buy more tickets or ‘shares’ in order to get a larger split of the pot.
Ready to play Irish Lotto?
Fancy taking a shot at the Irish Lotto? Check out the best places to get your tickets with our list of the best online lottery sites. Whether you want to enter a single draw, set up a subscription or join a syndicate, we’re sure you’ll find a site that suits you. Sign up to start playing!
