How to Play Lotto
Lotto offers multimillion-rand jackpots twice a week and eight prize divisions in every draw. Draws take place at 20:56 on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Learn all about the game and see the latest winning numbers.
You must purchase your Lotto tickets before 20:30 on draw days. Follow the steps below to take part online or at a retailer:
Online
- Register for an account online or sign in if you already have one.
- Pick six numbers from 1 to 52 or select a Quick Pick for a random set.
- Choose whether to enter Lotto Plus 1 and Lotto Plus 2. You must play Lotto Plus 1 if you want to play Lotto Plus 2.
- Select how many draws you want to enter or whether to pay for an ongoing subscription
- Pay for your entries
You will receive an email confirming your entry and your numbers will be saved in your online account.
In-Store
- Pick up a betslip from any lottery store.
- Mark the Lotto Plus 1 box at the top of the betslip if you want to play that additional game.
- Mark the Lotto Plus 2 box at the top of the betslip if you also want to enter that game.
- Choose six numbers between 1 and 52. Do this on as many boards as you want to play. Alternatively, you can mark the Quick Pick option to receive a random selection of numbers.
- Select how many draws you want to enter by marking a number at the top of the betslip. You do not need to do this if you just want to enter a single draw.
- Pay the cashier for your entries and keep your ticket safe.
Each board costs R5.00, and Lotto Plus 1 and Plus 2 each cost an extra R2.50. One full entry for Lotto and both Lotto Plus draws costs R10.00.
If you cannot get to a store to fill in a betslip, there are various other ways to enter Lotto, including through the websites and apps of South Africa’s major banks. Go to the How to Play page to learn more about all the different ways you can enter.
Prizes and Odds of Winning
To win a prize in Lotto, you just have to match the numbers on your ticket with the winning ones drawn. The more you match, the more you win. There are eight divisions of prizes, the lowest two of which are fixed amounts of R20 and R50. The other divisions receive a set percentage of the prize fund; the table below shows how this is split, as well as the odds of winning each prize:
| Prize Division | Numbers Matched | Odds of Winning* | Percentage of Prize Pool | Average Prize for the past 365 days' draws |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | 1 in 20,358,520 | 73.0% | R22,297,988.00 |
| 2 | 5 + Bonus Ball | 1 in 3,393,087 | 2.3% | R73,920.59 |
| 3 | 5 | 1 in 75,402 | 4.0% | R5,765.54 |
| 4 | 4 + Bonus Ball | 1 in 30,161 | 5.0% | R2,160.27 |
| 5 | 4 | 1 in 1,371 | 8.4% | R160.43 |
| 6 | 3 + Bonus Ball | 1 in 1,028 | 7.3% | R103.59 |
| 7 | 3 | 1 in 72 | R50 | R50.00 |
| 8 | 2 + Bonus Ball | 1 in 96 | R20 | R20.00 |
To win the jackpot, you must match all six main numbers. If there are no jackpot winners, the prize money will roll over to the next draw and keep on growing until someone wins. The prize fund receives 45 percent of the money from every ticket sold.
If you’ve won a prize on Lotto, visit the How to Claim Prizes page to find out what you need to do next.
FAQ
Below are the answers to some of the most common questions about Lotto. Visit the FAQs page if you need any further information about playing the lottery in South Africa.
The winning Lotto numbers are drawn at approximately 20:56 every Wednesday and Saturday. Lotto draws are closely followed by those for Lotto Plus 1 and Plus 2
No. To win a prize, you can match the numbers on your board with the winning numbers in any order.
The jackpot is not limited and will roll over until someone wins it. It has managed to reach nine figures in this way before.
Lotto was the first National Lottery game launched in South Africa, with the first draw taking place on 11 March 2000. The game was initially only played on Saturdays, until a second weekly draw was introduced on Wednesdays in October 2001. You originally had to choose your numbers from a choice of 49.
The biggest Lotto jackpot of all time was the R110 million split between four winning tickets on Saturday, 27 January 2018. Find out more about South Africa’s biggest lottery winners.