EuroMillions Hits New Jackpot Cap: What Happens Next?
Updated: Monday 11th October 2021
EuroMillions has reached its jackpot cap of €220 million (approximately £184 million) following a run of rollovers since the Superdraw on 24th September. With the top prize unable to rise any higher, new rules now come into effect until the money is paid out.
Record Jackpot
The EuroMillions cap increases by €10 million after each time the jackpot is won. The maximum prize had previously been €210 million until a player from Switzerland pocketed that amount back in February. It was subsequently raised to €220 million.
It was a rollover on Friday 8th October that set up the new record jackpot, as no tickets matched the full set of numbers - 1, 10, 23, 42 and 46, with Lucky Stars 3 and 5. The top prize was worth £174 million (€204 million), and it has now hit its limit ahead of Tuesday’s draw.
Jackpot Capped for Maximum of Five Draws
The rules of the jackpot cap allow for it to stay at its cap for a maximum of five draws. Any funds that would normally boost the value of the top prize will instead be allocated to the highest category in which there are winners, which is most likely to be the Match 5 plus 1 Lucky Star tier.
As a result of this change, the prize fund for the second category can be expected to be far larger than usual. The value of prizes also depends on how many winners are in each level, but there’s a great chance that you could win a multimillion-pound payout in the second category.
The jackpot will stay at €220 million until someone wins, or until the fifth draw at the cap, which would be Tuesday 26th October if it goes that long. This would be a Must Be Won draw, in which the entire jackpot prize would roll down if nobody matches all the numbers.
Pound Value May Fluctuate
For UK players, you may still notice the value of the jackpot fluctuate slightly from draw to draw. This is because the euro is the main currency of the game - as it is used in seven of the nine participating countries.
If a UK player wins the jackpot, they win the equivalent sterling amount based on the exchange rate of the day. The exchange rate changes all the time, so the pound value of €220 million will not be exactly the same in every draw.
The prize will eventually be paid out, whether it goes to a single lucky ticket holder, a couple of winners or even multiple players who benefit from a rolldown and don’t even match all the numbers. Once it is won, the jackpot will reset to its minimum value of £14 million for the following draw and the cap will be adjusted to €230 million.
With a gigantic pay day on the cards for at least one player, plus loads of other ways to win prizes, you don't want to miss out on the biggest EuroMillions draw in history. Pick your numbers online now or head down to an authorised National Lottery retailer.
Published: Monday 11th October 2021Lottery News News Archive
