Irish Lotto Odds Explained
Every lottery ticket buys you one shot at every combination. Here's the full mathematical breakdown of your chances for every Irish Lotto prize tier — and honest context on what those numbers actually mean.
Jackpot odds
1 in 10,737,573
Total combinations
About 10.7 million
10,737,573
Overall win odds
1 in 54
any prize, any tier
All Prize Tiers & Odds
Every official prize tier for Irish Lotto, with context on what those odds actually look like.
| Tier | Numbers to match | Odds | Typical prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| JackpotJackpot | 6 numbers | 1 in 10,737,5732× more likely than the chance of dying from a wasp or bee sting | Minimum €2 million jackpot (can rollover) |
| 2nd Prize | 5 + Bonus Ball | 1 in 1,789,596about as likely as being struck by lightning this year | Varies by draw |
| 3rd Prize | 5 | 1 in 44,7404× more likely than the chance of finding a four-leaf clover on your first try | Varies by draw |
| 4th Prize | 4 + Bonus Ball | 1 in 17,8962× more likely than the chance of finding a four-leaf clover on your first try | Varies by draw |
| 5th Prize | 4 | 1 in 9184× more likely than the chance of having identical twins | Varies by draw |
| 6th Prize | 3 + Bonus Ball | 1 in 6883× more likely than the chance of having identical twins | Varies by draw |
| 7th Prize | 3 | 1 in 542× more likely than the chance of flipping heads 5 times in a row | Varies by draw |
How the maths works
Lottery odds come from combinatorics — counting how many ways you can choose a subset of numbers from a pool. The formula is:
C(n, r) = n! / (r! × (n − r)!)
where n = pool size, r = numbers to choose
For Irish Lotto, you pick 6 numbers from 1–47 (a pool of 47 numbers):
Each ticket covers exactly one combination, so your jackpot odds are 1 in 10,737,573 — which matches the official published odds of 1 in 10,737,573.
Does buying more tickets help?
Yes — but the improvement is smaller than you might think. Each ticket adds one independent combination to your entry. With n tickets, your jackpot odds become n in 10,737,573:
| Tickets | Jackpot odds | Approximate cost |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 in 10,737,573 | ~$2 USD |
| 5 | 1 in 2,147,515 | ~$10 USD |
| 10 | 1 in 1,073,757 | ~$20 USD |
| 50 | 1 in 214,751 | ~$100 USD |
| 100 | 1 in 107,376 | ~$200 USD |
Frequently asked questions
- What are the odds of winning the Irish Lotto jackpot?
- The odds of winning the Irish Lotto jackpot are 1 in 10,737,573. That means for every ticket you buy, you have a 1 in 10,737,573 chance of matching all numbers correctly.
- How are Irish Lotto odds calculated?
- Irish Lotto odds are calculated using combinatorics — specifically the combination formula C(n,r) = n! / (r! × (n-r)!). You pick 6 numbers from 1–47, giving C(47,6) = 10,737,573 combinations. The total is 10,737,573 possible outcomes.
- Does buying more Irish Lotto tickets improve my odds?
- Yes — each additional ticket gives you one extra combination. If the jackpot odds are 1 in 10,737,573 and you buy 10 tickets, your odds become roughly 10 in 10,737,573, or 1 in 1,073,757. That said, even 10 tickets still leaves you with an astronomically small chance of winning the jackpot.
- What are the best numbers to pick for Irish Lotto?
- There are no "best" numbers. Every combination has an identical probability of being drawn. Quick picks (random numbers) are statistically equivalent to any hand-picked combination. This generator uses cryptographically strong randomness so your picks are as random as possible.
- What is the overall chance of winning any prize in Irish Lotto?
- The overall odds of winning any prize in Irish Lotto are approximately 1 in 54, which accounts for the lowest prize tier. Most prizes are small fixed amounts rather than the jackpot.
Ready to generate your Irish Lotto quick picks?
Cryptographically strong randomness — every combination equally likely.
Generate Irish Lotto numbers →