Which lottery has the best odds? Of the big national draws, Thunderball does: 1 in 8,060,598 for the top prize, with the Irish Lotto right behind at 1 in 8,145,060. At the other end, US Powerball and Mega Millions are both around 1 in 290 million, so a Thunderball line is about 36 times easier to win than a Powerball one. The free calculator above compares any two lotteries line for line and works out how long it would take you to reach even a 50% chance at your rate of play.
Which lottery has the best odds: the list
| Lottery | Format | Jackpot odds per line |
|---|---|---|
| Thunderball | 5/39 + 1/14 | 1 in 8,060,598 |
| Irish Lotto | 6/45 | 1 in 8,145,060 |
| Daily Grand | 5/49 + 1/7 | 1 in 13,348,188 |
| Lotto 6/49 | 6/49 | 1 in 13,983,816 |
| Set For Life | 5/47 + 1/10 | 1 in 15,339,390 |
| UK Lotto | 6/59, two rounds per line | 1 in 22,528,737 |
| South African PowerBall | 5/50 + 1/16 | 1 in 33,900,160 |
| Oz Lotto | 7/47 | 1 in 62,891,499 |
| Lotto Max | 7/52 (per line) | 1 in 133,784,560 |
| Australian Powerball | 7/35 + 1/20 | 1 in 134,490,400 |
| EuroMillions | 5/50 + 2/12 | 1 in 139,838,160 |
| Mega Millions | 5/70 + 1/24 | 1 in 290,472,336 |
| US Powerball | 5/69 + 1/26 | 1 in 292,201,338 |
Odds aren’t the whole story
Better odds come with smaller top prizes. Thunderball’s top prize is a fixed £500,000; EuroMillions regularly rolls into the tens of millions. Set For Life pays £10,000 a month for 30 years rather than a lump sum. So “best odds” and “best value” aren’t the same question. If you play for the chance of a life-changing amount, the smaller games might suit you better than the giant ones; if you play for the dream, nothing short of a huge jackpot will do.
The line count matters too. Since June 2026 a UK Lotto line plays two rounds of 6 from 59 for its £2, which is why its odds per line are half the 1 in 45,057,474 of a single round. A Lotto Max play is four lines, and the calculator compares one line with one line. And whichever game you pick, the “years for a 50% chance” figure usually runs into the tens of thousands. Lotteries are entertainment, priced accordingly.
For every prize tier in one game, use the lottery odds calculator. For a reality check on spending, the lottery reality check shows what a ticket habit adds up to.
For every prize tier in one game, see the odds pages for Thunderball, Set For Life, Irish Lotto, Lotto 6/49, Daily Grand, Oz Lotto, Powerball Australia and NZ Lotto.
Two more games with their own pages: Super 66 in Australia and BC/49 in British Columbia.
Play for fun with money you won’t miss. If you’re spending more than you planned, BeGambleAware.org is free and confidential.