Unveiling the Distinction: EuroMillions vs EuroJackpot
EuroMillions vs. Eurojackpot | What's the difference?
The EuroMillions and the EuroJackpot are both huge lottery games that are played across Europe. They both have quite a history and have changed the lives of many European players across the continent.
EuroMillions
EuroMillions first launched in February 2004 as a joint lottery across France, Spain and the United Kingdom. The founders wanted to give players even more chances to win big jackpots. Since then, it’s opened up to more countries and people play the game around the world, even online.
Eurojackpot
EuroJackpot was created in March 2012. The idea was to give countries who weren’t taking part in the EuroMillions the chance to participate in a multinational lottery game. The EuroJackpot is open to 18 countries in total, and it’s fast catching up to its rival.
Which lottery has the bigger jackpots?
Both lotteries offer huge jackpots that will change your life if you win it. The minimum jackpots will take your breath away.
Eurojackpot starts at â¬10m, while EuroMillions guarantees at least â¬17m.
Both lotteries are extremely popular and their jackpots increase quickly. Sometimes it will jump by more than â¬10m between drawings. However, they do have a jackpot cap that reduces the maximum jackpot value.
The maximum possible jackpot in the EuroJackpot lottery is â¬90m, while the EuroMillions is able to roll over to up to â¬250m, after the changes that were made in February 2020.
Which game has the best odds of winning?
Both games have lots of ways to win. The Eurojackpot has 12 prize tiers while the EuroMillions has 13. To win the actual jackpot prize, the odds in the EuroMillions are slightly longer at 1 in 139,838,160, while to win the Eurojackpot the odds are 1 in 95,344,200.
However, the overall odds of winning any prize are better for EuroMillions players, at 1 in 13, while for EuroJackpot players itâs 1 in 26. EuroJackpot draws take place once a week, while EuroMillions draws are held on Tuesdays and Fridays, giving even more chances of winning.
| Odds of winning the jackpot | |
|---|---|
| EuroMillions | Eurojackpot |
| 1 in 139,838,160 | 1 in 95,344,200 |
Which lottery has the most winners?
Despite the EuroMillions having twice as many draws as the Eurojackpot, in a typical year, it only has a handful more winners. This is due to the jackpot odds being much better for Eurojackpot
In 2017, for example, the EuroMillions jackpot was won on 22 occasions from 104 draws, while the Eurojackpot was won in 17 of 52 draws.
The size of the jackpots can be hugely different, though. The largest EuroMillions jackpot won is €190m as of July 2020, which has been won four times until now.
The first was by Adrian and Gillian Bayford from the UK, who won it in August 2012.
A Portuguese player then won the record prize in October 2014, and a Spanish player scooped it again in October 2017. Finally, in October 2019, a single holder in the UK stepped forward to claim another €190 million jackpot.
As far as EuroJackpot is concerned, the €90 million jackpot cap has been reached 11 times from May 2015 until May 2020.
The first was in May 2015 when a ticket purchased in the Czech Republic won the huge top prize. The last was on the 1st May 2020, when a ticket sold in Germany matched the numbers to take home the €90m.
EuroMillions or Eurojackpot – Which should you play?
Both lotteries have positives. Playing the Eurojackpot gives you better odds of winning the top prize, however, the EuroMillions gives you better odds of winning a prize at all.
The Eurojackpot has twice as many participating countries, but the EuroMillions is played twice a week. Both lotteries have huge jackpots, and whichever you play, there are lots of different prizes available.
However, if you’re really stuck between the two, keep your eye on the lottery jackpots page on Lottery24 or just play both!