This is an editorial guide provided for information only. Irish Lotto rules and prizes are set by the operator, Premier Lotteries Ireland, and were correct at the time of writing — check lottery.ie for current details. fortunegames.com is not affiliated with Premier Lotteries Ireland, the UK National Lottery or Allwyn, and does not offer lottery betting.
Irish Lotto From the UK: How It Works
The Irish Lotto is Ireland’s national draw: six numbers from 1 to 47 plus a Bonus Ball, drawn every Wednesday and Saturday around 8pm — the same clock as the UK. Official tickets are sold in Ireland; what many UK punters use instead is bookmaker betting on the results, which is a different product with different rules, and worth understanding before a penny moves.
How the game works
Lines cost €2 with a two-line minimum (€4), and prizes run across eight tiers, starting at two numbers plus the Bonus Ball. The jackpot begins at a guaranteed €2 million, rolls over when unwon, and is capped at €19.06 million — after five capped draws it becomes a “Will Be Won” event, rolling the money down to the next winning tier. Jackpot odds are 1 in 10,737,573 — about four times shorter than the UK Lotto’s — and the overall chance of any prize is around 1 in 29.
The Plus option
For an extra €1 per line, the Plus option enters your same numbers into two further draws — Lotto Plus 1 (€1 million top prize) and Lotto Plus 2 (€250,000) — and gives you a four-digit raffle code worth €500 if matched exactly. It’s all-or-nothing: Plus means all three extras, not a pick-and-choose.
Playing from the UK: ticket or bet?
Physical tickets require an Irish retailer, and the official online game is for players in Ireland. What UK high-street and online bookmakers offer is fixed-odds betting on the Irish Lotto results — you’re backing numbers to appear at odds the bookmaker sets, not buying a lottery entry. That means different prizes, no entry into Plus draws or the raffle, no contribution to Irish good causes, and the bookmaker’s terms rather than lottery rules. Neither is “wrong” — they’re simply different products, and knowing which one you’re holding matters.
Claims and quirks
Irish prizes expire after just 90 days — half the UK’s window — with expired money going to a fund for future draws. The biggest jackpot ever was €19 million, landed by a Co. Mayo family syndicate in January 2022, at the very top of the cap.
Frequently asked questions
Can you buy Irish Lotto tickets in the UK?
Not from UK shops — official tickets are sold in Ireland. UK bookmakers offer betting on the results instead, which is a different product.
What days is the Irish Lotto drawn?
Wednesdays and Saturdays, around 8pm — Ireland shares the UK’s time zone, so no conversion is needed.
What are the Irish Lotto jackpot odds?
1 in 10,737,573 per line — considerably shorter than the UK Lotto’s 1 in 45 million per round.
Why is the jackpot capped?
At €19.06 million further rollover money boosts lower tiers instead, and after five capped draws a Will Be Won draw guarantees the money is paid out.
Related guides: Plus 1 and Plus 2 explained, where to find Irish Lotto results and the UK Lotto prize breakdown.