Changes To Lottery

This weekend, the number of balls in Lotto will increase to 59, decreasing the chances of winning to one in 45 million.

16:13 09 October 2015

Changes to Lottery will take effect this week, decreasing the chances of winning the jackpot to one in 45 million as the number of balls will increase to 59. The first new-look draw is set this Saturday and Camelot is confident that players will “stay with the game.”

 

Players did not welcome the changes when it was announced earlier this year that the number of balls will increase from just 49 to 59. 

 

A new Millionaire Raffle will guarantee at least one millionaire per draw while the average winning jackpot is expected to increase by at least three times. Players who match two numbers will win a Lucky Dip ticket for the next draw, increasing the overall chance of winning any prize from one in 54 to one in 9.3.

 

Professor Ian Walker, a statistician from Lancaster University Management School , said: “There are 14 million ways of picking six out of 49.

 

"But there are 45 million ways of picking six out of 59. So it’s about three times harder to hit the jackpot.

“There will be fewer big jackpot winners, and so there will be more rollovers, which will generate more big jackpots.

 

“And more balls means that the chances of matching three of the six winnings balls goes from one in 57 to one in 97. So it’s harder to win and a lot harder to win big.”