The lottery is one of the world’s oldest and most beloved games of chance. Each country has its own version, with millions of dedicated players who dutifully fill out tickets, hoping to win big. But we can’t deny that some jackpots are just so much better than others, and thanks to the Internet, you can now participate in some of the biggest lotteries around the globe.
But which is the best lottery to play? Maybe the one with the biggest cash prize? Or one that has several weekly drawings? What’s considered the best depends on the individual lotto player, but some hallmarks of a good game are ticket prices compared to the jackpot and even the secondary prizes. There are also the odds you’ll have to beat to win and the lottery’s availability to international players.
Let’s see what makes the ‘world best lottery’ and look at some of the most beloved ones among lotto enthusiasts around the globe.
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Best Lotteries for Jackpot Chasers
While testing your luck is fine and dandy, everyone knows the real draw of the lottery is the massive jackpots. Who hasn’t dreamt of being a multimillionaire? Winning these big-hitting lotteries even once can make that dream come true and change your life forever. Here are some of the best lotteries to play for big jackpots where you can participate in from anywhere around the world through trusted lotto agents.
US PowerBall
The PowerBall is the most popular lottery in the United States and across the world. It regularly produces some of the biggest jackpots in any other lottery and draws massive national and international crowds hoping to hit ‘the big one.’ The odds of winning are pretty slim, but ticket prices are only $2 per line, so it’s worth the risk for many.
To win, players need to match 5 digits from 1 to 69, plus a Power Ball from 1 to 26. The starting jackpot is a whopping $20 million, while the biggest jackpot amount to date was $2.04 billion. A single person won this incredible amount in November 2022. In addition to the big jackpot, players also have the chance to win several other smaller prizes.
- Starting Jackpot: $20 million
- Record Jackpot: $2.04 billion
- Odds of Winning the Jackpot: 1 in 292,201,338.00
- Ticket Price: $2
- Draw Frequency: Wednesday and Saturday
US Mega Millions
The Mega Millions is the second most popular US lotto. It’s open to all American citizens, and thanks to lotto ticket courier sites, it’s also available to international audiences. The price for one ticket is just $2, and if you want to add a Megaplier, it’s only a dollar more. The odds you’re facing to win are pretty big, but the main cash prize is worth it.
The starting jackpot is $20 million, while its highest winning amount was an astounding $1.602 billion. This billion-dollar sum was won by a single person back in August 2023. To win, you have to match 5 numbers from 1 to 70 and select the right Mega Ball number from 1 to 25. The Mega Millions lotto also offers multiple smaller prizes, starting from $2 and going up to $1,000,000.
- Starting Jackpot: $20 million
- Record Jackpot: $1.602 billion
- Odds of Winning the Jackpot: 1 in 302,575,350
- Ticket Price: $2
- Draw Frequency: Tuesday and Friday
EuroMillions
The EuroMillions is the biggest and best international lottery currently available. It regularly offers some of the biggest jackpots on the continent, frequently reaching the €100 million mark and beyond. It’s available in 9 European countries but attracts global participants who can purchase tickets through third-party websites.
The lowest jackpot amount is €17 million, attracting countless players despite the low odds of hitting the big prize. The highest jackpot to date is €240 million, which a lucky person won in 2023. A single ticket costs €2.50. To win, you need to pick 5 numbers from 1 to 50 and to get the main prize, you must match two Lucky Stars from 1 to 12.
- Starting Jackpot: €17 million
- Record Jackpot: €240 million
- Odds of Winning the Jackpot: 1 in 139,838,160
- Ticket Price: €2.50
- Draw Frequency: Tuesday and Friday
El Gordo De Navidad
Spain’s annual Christmas lottery, better known as El Gordo, is the biggest lotto event of the year. It happens just once a year during late December and is the biggest event of the holidays for lotto players. While it certainly attracts most of Spain’s residents, international players are clamouring to get their hands on a ticket.
Players are willing to pay €20 per tenth of a ticket for a chance to win a starting jackpot of €4 million. The joint pot can reach up to €2.4 billion, which gets equally distributed to the lucky holders of the winning tickets. The tickets have two grids; players must pick a 5-digit combination for the first grid and one single digit for the second.
- Starting Jackpot: €4 million
- Record Jackpot: €2.4 billion
- Odds of Winning the Jackpot: 1 in 31,625,100
- Ticket Price: €20 per decimo
- Draw Frequency: Annually on 22nd December
EuroJackpot
The EuroJackpot is another massive European lottery that spans 19 countries across the continent. It also has hundreds of thousands of international fans. The odds you must beat to win the big prize are pretty high, but the starting €10 million jackpot is worth the risk. It costs €2 per line.
The EuroJackpot can reach €120 million thanks to rollovers, but the biggest cash amount a participant has won is €110 million in 2022. The gameplay is simple: players select 5 numbers from 1 to 50 and an additional two Euro numbers from 1 to 12. If your selection comes up, you’re a winner.
- Starting Jackpot: €10 million
- Record Jackpot: €120 million
- Odds of Winning the Jackpot: 1 in 140,000,000
- Ticket Price: €2 per line
- Draw Frequency: Tuesday and Friday
Best Lotteries with the Best Odds of Winning
Hitting the lottery jackpot is hard regardless of which lottery you are playing, but are the odds at the most popular lotteries in the world worth it? Sometimes, it’s better to play for smaller prizes if you have a greater chance to win. In that case, which lottery is easy to win?
In reality, no lottery is easy to win, but there are several international lotto games that don’t have the biggest prize pools but make up for it with great odds and frequent wins.
Polish Mini Lotto
The Polish Mini Lotto is worth checking out if you’re looking for a lottery with good odds and decent prizes. The price for a single ticket is around €0.30, which is hard to beat. The highest jackpot is almost €70,000 and is subject to rollovers, so it can grow.
It has a three-tier prize structure; the smallest amount players can win is €5, which can be used to buy several more tickets. The other non-jackpot prizes go up to €25,000. It plays like any other lottery where players must select and match 5 numbers from 1 to 42.
- Starting Jackpot Size: €70,000
- Odds of Winning: 1 in 850,668
- Ticket Price: €0.30
- Draw Frequency: Daily
Japan Mini Loto
If there is one thing Japan loves, it is its games and lotteries. The Japanese figured out how to gamify and give out prizes for eating sushi at restaurants, so it’s no wonder that Japan offers all types of lotteries. One of those is the Japan Mini Lotto, in which you can win a max jackpot of ¥ 31,146,600.
The prize structure has three other prize tiers that start at ¥1,000 and go up to ¥211,000. The starting jackpot is around ¥10,000,000. Players must match 5 numbers from a range of 1 to 31 to win the biggest prize. They also have an extra shot at a higher win with the Bonus Ball.
- Starting Jackpot Size: ¥10,000,000
- Odds of Winning: 1 in 169,911
- Ticket Price: ¥200
- Draw Frequency: Tuesday
South Africa Daily Lotto
The SA Daily Lotto is another lottery with fairly good odds. The jackpot starts at a modest sum, but the frequency of draws and the relatively small number of participants make it easier to win a prize.
Prices for participation are R3,00 per board, while the starting jackpot is R100,000. The lottery has 4 prize divisions, where the lowest prize is R5,00 and the second largest ranges from R2,000 to R8,000. To win the main prize, players must match 5 numbers from a selection of 1 to 36.
- Starting Jackpot Size: R100,000
- Odds of Winning: 1 in 376,992
- Ticket Price: R3,00
- Draw Frequency: Daily
Odds of Winning Comparison:
| Lottery | Odds |
|---|---|
| Polish Mini Lotto | 1 in 850,668 |
| Japan Mini Loto | 1 in 169,911 |
| South Africa Daily Lotto | 1 in 376,992 |
| US PowerBall | 1 in 292,201,338.00 |
| EuroMillions | 1 in 139,838,160 |
| EuroJackpot | 1 in 140,000,000 |
Best Regional and International Lotteries
Thanks to online lotto platforms, lotto lovers are no longer limited to participating in their own regional lotteries. They can take part in the best lottery games across each continent, no matter where they live. For example, residents of India can buy tickets for many UK lotteries, or try their luck playing the Italian or Australian lotto. They can buy tickets or bet on numbers using a lotto concierge website and still be eligible to win. These are some of the best regional and international lotteries:
UK National Lottery
Close to 45 million people participate in this wildly popular lottery. The official ticket price is £2, which is more than worth it for a chance to win a starting jackpot of £2 million. With rollovers, this amount can go up to £50 million or more. Considering the cash amount players stand to win, the odds aren’t too terrible and stand at 1 in 45,057,474. Draws happen every Monday and Thursday.
Australian Powerball
While there are no official statistics, it’s estimated that more than half of the adult Australian population is buying tickets for the AUS Powerball. A standard ticket with 4 plays (lines) costs $6.20, and the starting jackpot is $4 million. However, this amount can reach up to $150 million or more, which easily explains why this is one of the most popular lotteries internationally. The odds of winning the Division 1 prize by matching all 7 numbers plus the Powerball are 1 in 134,490,400.
SuperEnalotto
Millions of Italians buy tickets for this widely played lottery. And, like most things to come out of Italy, the SuperEnalotto is extremely attractive to international players as well. A single ticket costs €1, but you can pay an extra €0.50 for a chance to win bigger prizes. The minimum jackpot is €2 million, but this amount frequently exceeds €100 million. If you’re aiming for the big win, just know that the odds for the SuperEnalotto jackpot are 1 in 622,614,630.
Best Lotteries According to Real Users
Each player has their own preferences when playing the lottery. What makes a good game for someone might be the complete opposite for others. Still, the consensus is that the bigger the jackpot, the better. That’s why lotteries like the US PowerBall and the EuroMillions are juggernauts in the lotto sphere and have almost cult-like followings from all over the globe.
However, certain Reddit discussions indicate that smaller lotteries with cheaper tickets are slowly taking center stage. Even if the prizes aren’t as big, the odds are better, making them more attractive to long-time players.
As for improving your winning odds, the consensus on Quora seems to be that the more tickets you buy, the better your chances. That and joining a syndicate. That way, more number combinations are in play, and you’re not getting stuck using predictable patterns.
Summary
While there isn’t one game that can earn the title of World Best Lottery, players have a full selection of exciting lotteries with high rewards to choose from. Thanks to online platforms, tickets are available to anyone in any corner of the world. Everyone is welcome to try their luck, from determined jackpot seekers to those looking for the optimal odds.
Your ideal draw is probably happening right now, so get online and find a lottery that suits your taste. Use one of the many trusted lotto platforms you can find on our website and buy a ticket that has the potential to change your life.