How Does The Jackpot Cap Work In Eurojackpot?
The top prize in Eurojackpot will remain locked at €90 million for the next draw after nobody succeeded in matching all five main numbers and both Euro numbers on Friday. But how exactly does the jackpot cap work?
What is the jackpot cap?
The jackpot cap is €90 million. Once this amount is reached, no more money can go into the jackpot prize fund.
Where do the funds go?
The funds which would normally go to the jackpot instead go into the second prize tier, which rewards players who match five main numbers plus one Euro number.
Does the second tier also have a cap?
Yes. The second prize also has a limit of €90 million. If nobody matches five main numbers plus one Euro number the prize fund can grow up to this amount, and any excess money beyond €90 million will then be diverted to the third tier (Match 5).
How long can the jackpot stay at €90 million?
The jackpot will remain at €90 million until it is won. In theory, this means that the top prize could stay at this amount forever, although the level of participation increases when the jackpot is large and as such it becomes more likely that somebody will match all five main numbers and both Euro numbers.
Eurojackpot has reached its jackpot cap on three previous occasions, and each time so far it has stayed at €90 million just once and then been won in the next draw.
What is the advantage of the jackpot cap?
The main benefit of the jackpot cap is that it creates an opportunity for players to win far bigger prizes than normal for matching fewer numbers. For example, in the draw on Friday 2nd February, seven players won €2.9 million each after matching five main numbers plus one Euro number.
The jackpot funds had gone into the second prize tier after the €90 million limit had been reached. This effectively created a ‘second jackpot’, worth £20.4 million in this instance, but the odds of winning are significantly improved at 1 in 5,959,013 rather than the jackpot odds of 95,344,200.
The prize fund for the second tier in the next draw is expected to be even higher at €27 million, and you can give yourself a chance of winning by going to any authorised retailer in one of the participating countries or choosing numbers online. Good luck!
Article Last Updated: Monday 5th February 2018 at 11:26 AM