Lotto Comparison
Compare Australia's National Lottery games to find out which one fits you best. Whether you like to target the biggest jackpots or prefer those games with the best odds, there are plenty of options to choose from throughout the week.
The following table shows the main points for each game, such as the draw day, cost of entry, starting jackpot and odds of winning.
| Lottery | Draw Day/Time | Ticket Price* | Jackpot Amount | Odds of Winning Jackpot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday & Wednesday Lotto | Monday and Wednesday at 8:30pm | $2.40 for four games | $1 million per winner | 1 in 8,145,060 |
| Saturday Lotto | Saturday at 8:30pm | $3.30 for four games | $5 million | 1 in 8,145,060 |
| Oz Lotto | Tuesday at 8:30pm | $1.40 for one game | Starts at $3 million | 1 in 62,891,499 |
| Powerball | Thursday at 8:30pm | $4.85 for four games | Starts at $4 million | 1 in 134,490,400 |
| Set for Life | Daily at 9:00pm | $9.30 for two games (entered into seven straight draws) | $20,000 a month for 20 years | 1 in 38,320,568 |
| Super 66 | Saturday at 8:30pm | $1.10 | Starts at $16,666 | 1 in 1,000,000 |
| Lucky Lotteries: Super Jackpot | Every few days when all entries are sold | From $2.20 per number | Starts at $500,000 | 1 in 18,385,877 |
| Lucky Lotteries: Mega Jackpot | Every few days when all entries are sold | From $5.50 per number | Starts at $1 million | 1 in 9,483,168 |
* The ticket price reflects the cost of entry in most states. It is different for some games in Western Australia.
Monday and Wednesday Lotto, Saturday Lotto, Oz Lotto, Powerball and Set for Life are all National Lotteries that are available everywhere in Australia. The Lucky Lotteries games, Super Jackpot and Mega Jackpot, are played in all states apart from Western Australia.
Super 66 is available everywhere except New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. Instead, NSW Lotteries offers Lotto Strike, a game where you have to predict the first four numbers to be drawn in Monday, Wednesday and Saturday Lotto. Western Australia has its own game, Cash 3, where you have to match three numbers from 0 to 9, while South Australia is currently the only state to run Keno.
Powerball holds the record for paying out the biggest jackpot ever seen in Australian lottery history. The Division 1 prize grows very quickly from its starting point when it is not won and has regularly topped $100 million. Oz Lotto has also given away nine-figure jackpots, while Mega Jackpot has a history of building up tens of millions of dollars.
Monday & Wednesday Lotto, and Saturday Lotto, have the best odds of winning the jackpot for all those games where the top prize is worth at least $1 million. These games all require you to pick six numbers from 1 to 45 so the odds are exactly the same, and you often see multiple Division 1 winners. Saturday Lotto also offers regular Superdraws, when the jackpot is increased to a guaranteed $20 million. Super 66 - and other state games such as Lotto Strike - have better odds of winning the jackpot but the top prize starts off lower.
There is a range of games to choose from so that you can decide what suits you best. As well as considering the best odds of winning the jackpot, you may also look at which game has the best overall odds. If this is in your mind, Lucky Lotteries Mega Jackpot gives you a 1 in 16 chance of winning a prize.
The cost of entry will be another factor for many players, as will the type of prize on offer. Set for Life, for example, works differently to the other games as it offers a guaranteed income for 20 years rather than a single payment.
International Lotteries
As well as mulling over the relative merits of Australian games, you can also enjoy international lotteries. The biggest jackpots in the world are found overseas, including Mega Millions and EuroMillions. USA Powerball once paid out a jackpot worth more than US$2.04 billion.
You can find a host of other international games online, such as UK Lotto, Irish Lotto, Italian SuperEnalotto and Eurojackpot. Just like with Australian lotteries, you can look at which one has the biggest jackpot on a particular day, consider the odds and then take your pick. There’s no issues with playing from Australia, as you can play through licensed and regulated online services which make it really easy. All you need to do is sign up, choose your numbers and purchase your entries, then sit back and wait for the draw.
