Big Changes Coming to EuroMillions In February 2020
Updated: Wednesday 11th December 2019
Several big changes have been announced for EuroMillions, including an increase to the jackpot cap and the number of Superdraws that take place each year. The changes will come into effect from 1st February, meaning the first draw under the new rules will be Tuesday 4th February.
Summary of February EuroMillions Changes
These are the biggest changes to be implemented to EuroMillions since 2016 and will mean that it will potentially offer some of the biggest jackpots ever seen in Europe. Here’s a summary of what’s changing:
- The jackpot cap will increase by €10 million to €200 million from 1st February
- A further €10 million will be added to the cap every time it is reached, up to a maximum of €250 million
- The split of money allocated to each prize tier will increase, with 50 percent going to the jackpot for the first five draws in a series and 42 percent thereafter
- Money allocated to other prize tiers will decrease to allow for the jackpot increase
- The amount of money going into the Reserve Fund will change
- Ticket prizes will stay the same but the amount of money used for the main draw and the UK Millionaire Maker raffle will change
- The odds of winning the UK Millionaire Maker raffle are expected to change
More Money to Go to the Jackpot
Bigger jackpots more often was the expected theme of these changes when they were first rumoured, and that’s exactly what EuroMillions players can expect. More money will be allocated to the jackpot in every draw to help it grow faster.
The jackpot currently reaches £100 million after an average of 11 rollovers, but after the changes it is estimated that it will reach this amount after eight draws. That’s because exactly half of the Common Prize Fund will be allocated to the jackpot for the first five draws in a run of rollovers. From draw six, 42 percent will be allocated to the jackpot.
That money has to come from somewhere and to compensate for the change to the jackpot, prizes in the lower prize tiers will decrease. The table below shows how much of the Common Prize Fund is currently allocated to each of the EuroMillions prize categories, how much will be allocated under the new rules, and the change that works out as:
| Prize Category | Current Prize Fund % | New Prize Fund % | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Match 5 + 2 Lucky Stars | 43.2% for draws 1 to 6 in a rollover series; 27% for draw 7 onwards | 50% for draws 1 to 5 in a rollover series; 42% for draw 6 onwards | +6.8% draws 1 to 5; -1.2% draw 6; +15% draw 7 onwards |
| Match 5 + 1 Lucky Star | 3.95% | 2.61% | -1.34% |
| Match 5 | 0.92% | 0.61% | -0.31% |
| Match 4 + 2 Lucky Stars | 0.45% | 0.19% | -0.26% |
| Match 4 + 1 Lucky Star | 0.48% | 0.35% | -0.13% |
| Match 3 + 2 Lucky Stars | 0.67% | 0.37% | -0.30% |
| Match 4 | 0.38% | 0.26% | -0.12% |
| Match 2 + 2 Lucky Stars | 1.75% | 1.30% | -0.45% |
| Match 3 + 1 Lucky Star | 1.85% | 1.45% | -0.40% |
| Match 1 + 2 Lucky Stars | 4.95% | 3.27% | -1.68% |
| Match 2 + 1 Lucky Star | 14.85% | 10.30% | -4.55% |
| Match 2 | 18.25% | 16.59% | -1.66% |
Finally, the amount of money going into the EuroMillions Reserve Fund will be updated. The Reserve Fund is used to ensure the minimum jackpot of €17 million can be met and for special draws such as Superdraws. Under the new rules, 10 percent of the Common Prize Fund will be added to the Reserve Fund in draws one to five, with 18 percent going in from draw six onwards.
EuroMillions Jackpot Cap Increase
With the jackpot set to increase much quicker than it does now, it makes sense to increase the maximum that it can reach, and that’s exactly what’s going to happen.
The EuroMillions jackpot cap currently sits at €190 million but from 1st February it will be €200 million. The rules around Must Be Won draws and rolldowns will stay the same, so the jackpot will stay at the cap for a maximum of four draws before a Must Be Won draw is held in the fifth. If no one matches five numbers plus both Lucky Stars in that draw, the entire amount will roll down to the next winning tier.
Even more exciting is the news that the jackpot cap could increase even further in future. Once the cap hits €200 million and after the jackpot has rolled down or been won, a further €10 million will be added to the cap for the next run of rollovers. That means that the cap will be €210 million. Once that has been hit and the jackpot has been won or rolled down, it will increase again to €220 million. That will continue happening until the jackpot reaches a maximum of €250 million.
UK Millionaire Maker Changes
Some smaller, but still significant, changes will happen in the UK Millionaire Maker raffle too. The price of a EuroMillions ticket will not change but the amount of money from that entry used for the main draw and the Millionaire Maker raffle will change.
Currently, £1.65 of every £2.50 EuroMillions ticket funds the main draw and the remaining £0.85 goes to the raffle. From 1st February, that will change to £1.74 for the main draw and £0.76 to the Millionaire Maker raffle.
The National Lottery expects sales of EuroMillions tickets to receive a slight boost on the back of these changes, so some new estimated odds of winning the UK Millionaire Maker raffle have also been revealed:
| Draw | Current Odds | New Odds | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday - Base Draw | 1 in 3,570,000 | 1 in 3,570,000 | (no change) |
| Friday - Base Draw | 1 in 5,080,000 | 1 in 5,080,000 | (no change) |
| Tuesday - 4th EuroMillions Rollover | 1 in 4,680,000 | 1 in 4,770,000 | +90,000 |
| Friday - 4th EuroMillions Rollover | 1 in 6,420,000 | 1 in 6,600,000 | +180,000 |
Note that the actual odds will vary from draw to draw depending on how many entries are bought. Because it’s a raffle, winners are selected from all valid entries.
Published: Friday 6th December 2019Lottery News News Archive