Big Changes Coming to Lotto: 2026 Update Overview
As of September 2026, the Irish Lottery's 'Lotto' and its associated games will be undergoing some big changes. On this page, we'll explain what's changing, and the differences it'll make to your play.
When will the changes take effect?
First of all, these changes will be taking place in early September, 2026. Tickets for the new-style games will go on sale on Thursday 3rd, while the first draw of the new rules will be on Saturday 5th.
Although the planned changes are substantial, they won’t significantly change the face of the game (unlike the UK's recent changes to their Lotto game, which received a mixed response). With that said, let's take a look at the details…
Fewer Numbers – Better Odds
The draw pool for Lotto will be decreasing from 47 to 45. With two fewer number balls, your odds of winning are improved for every prize tier; the all-important jackpot odds are changing from 1 in 10.7 million to 1 in 8.1 million. That's about a 1/5 improvement! Ticket costs will not be changing, despite the improvement in prize odds, which is a relief.
You can check a full old/new odds and prizes comparison using the table below. One thing to bear in mind is that, since it'll be easier to win under the new rules, the average prizes will be lower than before. This is because most of the Lotto prizes are pari-mutuel, meaning they depend on the value of the prize pool divided by the number of winners. More winners means more prizes to pay, resulting in lower individual prizes. We've included the old and new 'expected prizes' in the table below.
| Prize Category | Current Odds | New Odds | Current Expected Prize | New Expected Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match 6 | 1 in 10,737,573 | 1 in 8,145,060 | Jackpot (From €2 million to €19.06 million) | Jackpot (From €2 million to €16 million) |
| Match 5 + Bonus Ball | 1 in 1,789,596 | 1 in 1,357,510 | €100,000 | €75,000 |
| Match 5 | 1 in 44,740 | 1 in 35,724 | €1,500 | €1,200 |
| Match 4 + Bonus Ball | 1 in 17,896 | 1 in 14,290 | €150 | €120 |
| Match 4 | 1 in 918 | 1 in 772 | €50 | €40 |
| Match 3 + Bonus Ball | 1 in 688 | 1 in 579 | €25 | €20 |
| Match 3 | 1 in 54 | 1 in 48 | €9 | *€4 |
| Match 2 + Bonus Ball | 1 in 72 | 1 in 64 | €3 Daily Million Quick Pick with Plus (2 Lines) | *€4 |
*The prizes for Match 3 and Match 2 + Bonus are fixed at €4, while all other non-jackpot prizes are variable depending on the number of winners and the value of the prize fund for each draw.
Lotto Plus: Sweeping Prize Changes
The prizes for Lotto Plus 1 and 2 are being shuffled around, resulting in both games having the same prizes available. The highlight is that a €1,000,000 jackpot is now available in both games, giving you an extra chance to become a millionaire with every draw. Remember, due to the removal of numbers 46 and 47, this jackpot will also be easier to win!
The drawback is that, presumably to fund the improved odds and jackpot, many of the new Lotto Plus prizes will be smaller than the old Plus 1 prizes, and some of them are even smaller than the old Plus 2 prizes. You can use the table below to compare the old odds and prizes with the new:
| Prize Category | Old Lotto Plus Odds | New Lotto Plus Odds | Old Plus 1 Prizes | Old Plus 2 Prizes | New Lotto Plus Prizes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match 6 | 1 in 10,737,573 | 1 in 8,145,060 | €1,000,000 | €250,000 | €1,000,000 |
| Match 5 + Bonus Ball | 1 in 1,789,596 | 1 in 1,357,510 | €5,000 | €2,500 | €1,000 |
| Match 5 | 1 in 44,740 | 1 in 35,724 | €500 | €250 | €100 |
| Match 4 + Bonus Ball | 1 in 17,896 | 1 in 14,290 | €50 | €25 | €25 |
| Match 4 | 1 in 918 | 1 in 772 | €20 | €10 | €10 |
| Match 3 + Bonus Ball | 1 in 688 | 1 in 579 | €10 | €5 | €6 |
| Match 3 | 1 in 54 | 1 in 48 | €3 | €3 | €2 |
| Match 2 + Bonus Ball | 1 in 72 | 1 in 64 | €2 Daily Million Quick Pick (2 lines) | €2 Daily Million Quick Pick (2 lines) | €3 |
Lotto Pick & Play: New Odds, Prizes, and Name for Lotto 54321
Due to the reduced ball pool, it'll be easier to win prizes for each play type in Lotto 54321 – only, it's not going to be called that for much longer; the game is being renamed to Lotto Pick & Play! Lotto 54321 was a bit of a mouthful, after all.
The fixed prizes available are being reduced slightly to compensate for the improved chances of winning them. You can use the tables below to compare the old and new odds and prizes for both six-number and seven-number games on a €1 play:
Six-Number Game
| Numbers Matched | Current Odds | New Odds | Current Prize (€1 Play) | New Prize (€1 Play) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Numbers | 1 in 255,657 | 1 in 203,627 | €125,000 | €100,000 |
| 4 Numbers | 1 in 11,891 | 1 in 9,933 | €6,000 | €5,000 |
| 3 Numbers | 1 in 811 | 1 in 710 | €550 | €500 |
| 2 Numbers | 1 in 72 | 1 in 66 | €45 | €40 |
| 1 Number | 1 in 8 | 1 in 8 | €6 | €6 |
Seven-Number Game
| Numbers Matched | Current Odds | New Odds | Current Prize (€1 Play) | New Prize (€1 Play) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Numbers | 1 in 73,045 | 1 in 58,179 | €40,000 | €25,000 |
| 4 Numbers | 1 in 5,096 | 1 in 4,257 | €3,000 | €2,500 |
| 3 Numbers | 1 in 463 | 1 in 405 | €275 | €250 |
| 2 Numbers | 1 in 51 | 1 in 47 | €32 | €30 |
| 1 Number | 1 in 7 | 1 in 6 | €5 | €5 |
Three Draws Per Week – Mondays on the Way!
Lotto is introducing a third weekly draw on Monday, in addition to the existing Wednesday and Saturday draws. More frequent draws will result in the jackpot growing somewhat faster and will be won more frequently. Should be exciting!
Speaking of the jackpot growing faster, it will also be capped at a lower value: The current jackpot cap of €19.06 million is being reduced to €16 million.
If you use Advance Play, the number of future draws available to play will be gradually reduced up to the final draw on Wednesday 2nd of September, to ensure the new draw date doesn't conflict with anything. Once the new rules arrive, you'll still be able to play up to four weeks in advance, but this will cover 12 draws instead of 8.
Rationale for the Changes
Recently, players in Ireland and the UK have been expressing a desire for lotteries to award more players with life-changing prizes, as opposed to awarding fewer players with colossal jackpots. In early June, the UK's National Lottery responded by launching their New Lotto, doubling the odds of winning the jackpot as well as the £1 million second-tier prize. It looks like these changes are the Irish National Lottery's response! Combined, the three big changes will result in more frequent Lotto and Lotto Plus jackpot wins, and more million-euro prizes.
National Lottery CEO Cian Murphy explained: "These changes mark an exciting new chapter for our flagship game - Lotto. We’ve been listening to our players, and these enhancements have been designed with our players front of mind and with the goal of creating the best possible game experience."
"Together, these changes are all about delivering more winners and more millionaires, reinforcing Lotto’s position as Ireland’s Millionaire Maker."
