THE ESSENTIALS
Understanding lottery odds
A plain-English introduction to chance and prize categories.
Odds describe the chance of an outcome. They do not tell you what will happen to your next ticket.
1. What “one in” means
A one-in-100 chance means an outcome has a probability of 1% on an individual attempt. It does not mean you are guaranteed a success after 100 attempts.
2. Different prizes, different chances
The chance of matching a few numbers differs from the chance of matching every number needed for a jackpot. Check the official game information for the odds attached to each prize category.
3. Past results are not a prediction
In independent random draws, previous results do not make a number due to appear. A number that has appeared often in the past is not a promise of a future win. Treat lottery play as entertainment, not a way to earn money.
Official information
For current results and game-specific instructions, visit The National Lottery.