Big Changes to Lotto: 2026 Update Overview
As of September 2026, the Irish Lottery's 'Lotto' and its associated games have undergone some big changes. On this page, we'll explain what's been updated, and the differences you'll notice when you play.
When did the changes take effect?
The update happened in early September, 2026. Tickets for the new-style games went on sale on Thursday 3rd, with the first draw under the new rules on Saturday 5th.
Although the changes are substantial, they haven't significantly changed the face of the game. Let's take a look at the details…
Fewer Numbers – Better Odds
The draw pool for Lotto decreased from 47 to 45. With two fewer number balls, your odds of winning are improved for every prize tier; the all-important jackpot odds have gone from 1 in 10.7 million to 1 in 8.1 million. That's about a 1/5 improvement! Ticket costs have not changed, despite the improvement in prize odds, which is a relief.
You can check a full comparison of the old/new odds and prizes using the table below. One thing to bear in mind is that, since it's easier to win under the new rules, the estimated prizes are 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, although the exact values vary from draw to draw.
| Prize Category | Old Odds (Before September 2026) | New Odds | Expected Prize Before September 2026 | 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 have been 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 is also easier to win!
The drawback is that, presumably to fund the improved odds and jackpot, many of the new Lotto Plus prizes are 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 |
As part of the changes, the Lotto Plus Raffle has been retired. The raffle had given you three chances to win when you added the ‘Plus’ option, with a four-digit code generated alongside every ticket. One winning code would be drawn at random and everyone with a matching raffle number would receive €500. However, lottery bosses decided to bring this feature to an end after 11 years.
A ‘Lotto Plus Dispersal Raffle’ was scheduled for Saturday 5th September 2026, using the money left in the Raffle’s reserve fund to award one prize of €1 million at random to a Lotto Plus player, with other prizes guaranteed to be paid out too.
Lotto Pick & Play: New Odds, Prizes, and Name for Lotto 54321
Due to the reduced ball pool, it's now easier to win prizes for each play type in Lotto Pick & Play. If you’d never heard of Lotto Pick & Play before September, that’s because it’s the new name for the game that had been called Lotto 54321.
The fixed prizes available have been 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 | Old Odds (Before September 2026) | New Odds | Old 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 | Old Odds (Before September 2026) | 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 Added To Schedule
Lotto has introduced a third weekly draw on a Monday, in addition to the long-running Wednesday and Saturday draws. More frequent draws result in the jackpot growing somewhat faster and being won more frequently. Exciting!
Speaking of the jackpot growing faster, it is also now capped at a lower value: The previous jackpot cap of €19.06 million has been reduced to €16 million.
If you use Advance Play, you can still play up to four weeks in advance as before, but this now covers 12 draws instead of 8.
Rationale for the Changes
Irish Lottery bosses say the changes are a result of player feedback. Fans had expressed a desire for lotteries to award more players with life-changing prizes, as opposed to awarding fewer players with colossal jackpots. 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."
