Lotto Prizes Explained After 4,082 Players Match Five Main Numbers
Last Updated: Wednesday 23rd September 2020, 13:57
The Lotto draw on Wednesday 23rd March produced an intriguing set of results as an unusually large number of players matched five main numbers. There were also six ticket holders who matched five main numbers plus the Bonus Ball, but the jackpot went unclaimed, and some fans of the game were left to wonder about what had happened and how the prize amounts were calculated.
Whereas the previous draw had featured 55 participants matching five main numbers to each win £1,896, there were 4,082 players who did the same last night - which worked out as an increase of over 7,000 percent. The likely explanation can be found in the winning numbers - 7, 14, 21, 35, 41 and 42, with Bonus Ball 43. Five of the main numbers are multiples of seven, so it probably the case that many of the winners had used this pattern to pick their line.
If the number 28 had come up instead of 41 it would have made the whole of the winning line fit in with this sequence. In this case, the jackpot of £24.8 million may have been split between roughly the same number of players and would have amounted to about £6,000 each.
Everyone matching five numbers instead received £15 each, and this is because the prize value for this tier depends on both the amount of money in the pot and the number of winners. There is a fixed prize of £25 for matching three main numbers, and the rewards for matching four, five, or five plus the Bonus then vary based on how many participants slot into each category.
It is extremely rare that the prize pool for matching five main numbers will have to be split between so many ticket holders. The number 7 is considered lucky by many people and in the latest draw it so nearly was very fortunate for a lot of players, but there are certain tricks that you could try to give yourself the best possible chance of getting a fantastic payout if your numbers do come out.
Wednesday’s results show that it may be better to avoid a pattern and go for something more random. This could be based on numbers which are more personal to you, such as birthdays or important dates or addresses, or by using a Lotto Number Generator to provide you with a random line in a second.
Whichever way you decide to choose your numbers, there is still time to enter Saturday’s Lotto draw for the chance to win an extraordinary jackpot of £28.2 million. It is one of the largest Lotto prizes ever and you can get involved by either playing online or visiting an authorised retailer. Good luck!
