Jackpot-only draws are exactly what the term suggests – lottery draws that offer a jackpot prize and nothing more. These draws are generally considered to be secondary games, and are intended to be played in addition to – rather than instead of – the main lottery game. Some jackpot-only draws are entirely separate from the main draw and have their own game rules and branding. Others are simply jackpot-only bonus draws that are held after the drawing of a main lottery – usually to celebrate a special occasion, such as a lottery anniversary.

In our view, there are both advantages and disadvantages to jackpot-only draws, and the main ones can be identified as follows:

Advantages

• Jackpot-only draws tend to have higher jackpots than other types of lottery draws in overall percentage terms. This is simply because none of the money raised from ticket sales is needed to fund any consolation prize levels which normally demand a surprisingly high percentage of the overall prize fund.

• Jackpot-only draws make it simple to check if you have won or not. If you have matched all of the numbers as required, you win. If you haven’t you lose. With just one jackpot prize up for grabs, there is just one way to win, so players should never get confused.

Disadvantages

• Jackpot-only draws can be tough on those who just miss out. Players who match all but one of the required numbers are no better off than those who fail to match any, and this can be extremely frustrating if you ever find yourself in that position. Of course, this is something that players know at the outset, but it still doesn’t make the “close but no cigar” scenario any easier to live with.

• The odds of players coming away from a jackpot-only draw with a profit are far less than they are in regular lottery draws that have several prize tiers. Whereas a regular lottery might give players a 1 in 50 chance of making a profit, however small, with jackpot-only draws the odds of a player making a profit are exactly the same as the odds of them winning the jackpot.

Whilst jackpot-only draws have their place, they will never replace regular lottery games because they are rarely as popular. The majority of lottery players like the idea of winning millions, but they also like the idea of receiving consolation prizes too, and this is something that jackpot-only draws will never be able to offer.