Irish Lotto

How to Play Irish Lotto

To play the Irish Lotto, simply choose six numbers between 1 and 47. If your numbers match those drawn, you could win a minimum jackpot of approximately AUD$3 million (€2 million)!

It is that simple!

Draws take place every Thursday and Sunday (AEST), and when you buy an entry in our Irish Lotto draw, we will purchase a matching ticket for the corresponding draw conducted in Ireland – the Irish National Lottery’s ‘Lotto’.

Simplicity and reasonable odds make Irish Lotto a great lotto! Plus, with the renowned luck of the Irish, you never know when fortune might smile upon you!

History of Irish Lotto

The Irish Lotto, launched in 1986 by An Post, was designed as a thrilling game with the power to bring some more excitement to lives while supporting charitable causes. In 2014, the baton was passed to Premier Lotteries Ireland, who secured a 20-year license from the Irish Government to operate the game.

Highlighting its life-altering potential, 2008 witnessed the largest jackpot in the history of the Irish Lotto. A syndicate of 16 quarry workers clinched an astounding €18.9 million (over $29.5 million AUD).

Just imagine the rollercoaster of emotions they experienced upon discovering their windfall!

More than just a game of chance, the Irish Lotto is a beacon of hope and generosity, contributing approximately €4.3 million (around $7.6 million AUD) weekly to various good causes. Renowned for its straightforward gameplay, favourable odds, and bi-weekly jackpots, the Irish Lotto continues to stand tall as a societal game-changer.

Is Irish Lotto Tax-Free?

Worried about how Tax might affect your winnings? Well, there’s great news for players of the Irish Lotto – all prizes are completely, totally tax-free within Ireland! Plus, when you choose to play with The Lottery Office, you can rest assured that you will receive the FULL amount of any prize you win!

That means we take NO commission and charge NO fees!

We operate with complete transparency. Every cent we collect from the official matched lottery ticket is paid out to you, ensuring you enjoy every bit of your Irish lotto winnings without any deductions.

Irish Lotto Draw Schedule and Results

Mark your calendars!

Our Irish Lotto draws take place every Thursday and Sunday (AEST).

The Irish National Lottery’s Lotto, which we match with ours with is the overseas lottery you buy matched tickets with us in, is drawn on each Wednesday and Saturday, at approximately 8pm Dublin time.

You can find all the latest results right here on this page, updated promptly after each draw.

Stay tuned and see if you are the next big winner!

How Irish Lotto Divisions Work

The Irish Lotto offers seven divisions of prizes, providing multiple ways to win.

To secure the Division 1 prize, you must match all six numbers drawn. For a division 2 prize, you need to match five numbers plus the bonus number. In Division 3, matching five numbers is required. To win in Division 4, you need to match four numbers plus the bonus number. Division 5 winners must match four numbers. For Division 6, matching three numbers plus the bonus number is necessary. Finally, matching three numbers will earn you a prize in Division 7.

What Happens When There is no Jackpot Winner

When playing the Irish Lotto, there are specific rules regarding the jackpot when there are no winners.

1. What happens if no one wins the jackpot?
   

   If there is no jackpot winner in a draw, the prize money rolls over to jackpot in the next draw. This means the jackpot gets bigger each time it is not won, which can make the next draw even more exciting.

2. Is there a limit to how big the jackpot can get?
   

   Yes, there's a limit called the 'jackpot prize cap', which is set at €19.06 million (over $30 million AUD). If the jackpot reaches this amount and is not won in a draw, the jackpot does not increase in the following draw; it stays at €19.06 million. Any money that would usually go towards increasing the jackpot in the next draw will instead go to the next division that has a winner. Usually this will mean the extra money will go to the division 2 prize, but that will not always be the case.

3. What’s a Will Be Won draw?
   

   When the jackpot cap is reached, it can only stay in place for a maximum of 5 draws. The fifth draw is called a “Will Be Won” draw, and it guarantees that the jackpot will be won.
   If the cap is in play in the fifth consecutive draw and the jackpot is not won, the next division with a winner gets to take the entire jackpot! This means that it’s possible to win the jackpot prize without having won the first division! This makes it far easier to win the major prize.

Interested in learning more about the Irish Lotto divisions, odds, or more information about its jackpots? For more details, be sure to check out a summary of the Lottery Operator’s rules.

The Biggest Irish Lotto Winners: 16 Quarry Workers, twice!

Wondering who won the largest ever Irish Lotto jackpot?

The title goes to a group of 16 quarry workers from County Carlow in Ireland, who struck it rich in June 2008. They claimed a staggering €18.9 million (over $29.5 million AUD).

Their story is an interesting one. These workers were employed at Dan Morrissey Irl Ltd, a company that specialises in quarrying and concrete production. The prize had accumulated through 16 consecutive rollovers starting from May 3, leading up to their big win. They secured this life-changing amount with a €32 (approximately $50 AUD) quick pick ticket! This win marked the largest prize won in the whole 20 years of Irish Lotto history.

Each worker took home over €1 million (over $1.6 million AUD)! When asked about their massive win, some of the winners noted that the money would not change them. Others humbly commented that they were simply excited to pay off the bills.

Strangely enough, this was not the one and only big win for workers at the plant.

Only 7 years prior, in 2001, another 16-player syndicate scored a massive €256,000 (over $415,000 AUD) win! Seems there is a bit extra Irish luck floating around that plant.

Irish Lotto is a fun game loved by many for its reasonable odds, simplicity, and bi-weekly jackpots. What's more, you can play it from right here, in Australia!

The Biggest Irish Lotto Winners: Dolores McNamara

While the mystery of the lucky quarry workers continues to thrive, there has been one individual winner who took home a massive win all by herself back in 2005.

Dolores McNamara, a 45-year-old woman from Limerick, Ireland, made headlines on August 4, 2005, when she collected her winning cheque. At the time, this was the largest lotto jackpot in European history.

But how did she find out she struck gold? She was sitting in her local pub, the Track Bar, with a bunch of friends. She asked her friend to check her ticket, and that’s when the tears started pouring.

Can you believe that her ticket to winning the ultimate jackpot of €115 million (approximately AUD$187 million) only cost a few dollars?

Irish Lotto: Lotto Systems

Keen to play multiple Standard Games?

Playing more games increases your chances of winning, and Lotto Systems offer a simple and efficient way to achieve that. Still wondering how it works and how it boosts your winning odds? Let’s take a look using our Irish Lotto as an example.

In a standard Irish Lotto game, you pick 6 main numbers.

With a Lotto System, you have the option to select 7, 8, 9, 10, or even 11 numbers. Here’s an example with a Lotto System 7, allowing you to pick 7 numbers:

This single game with 7 numbers is equivalent to playing these 7 standard games:

By entering a Lotto System 7 game, you're covering all possible combinations of those 7 numbers, effectively playing 7 standard games. This gives you 7 chances to win instead of just one. Remember, each combination of standard numbers has an equal chance of winning a prize!

Pick 1 Less Number for More Chances

Want to significantly increase your chances of winning the Irish Lotto? Try our 'Pick 1 Less' feature!

Instead of selecting the usual six numbers for the Irish Lotto, you only need to pick five. We’ll handle the sixth number by automatically covering all possible options.

Here’s how it works:

Typically, you’d select six numbers for the Irish Lotto. With 'Pick 1 Less', you choose just five, and we fill in the sixth with every possible number. This method provides you with the equivalent of 42 games in a single entry, greatly enhancing your winning odds.

This feature simplifies the game, making it easier and more thrilling to play. It’s perfect for both seasoned players who want to spread their bets and newcomers seeking an easy entry into lottery games.

However, for an Irish Lotto Pick 1 Less game, you only need to select 5 numbers:

For instance, in the Irish Lotto, you would normally select 6 numbers. However, with the Irish Lotto 'Pick 1 Less' game, you only pick 5 numbers. We then pair your selected numbers with every possible option for the sixth number. This approach equates to 42 standard games, giving you 42 chances in the draw.

So, why not give it a try? It’s an excellent way to mix things up and potentially win big.

Play local, win global - sign up with The Lottery Office to play today!

Irish Lotto FAQs

Here are the answers to the most frequently asked questions about playing the Irish Lotto with us.