Jackpot Cap
The top prize in Eurojackpot starts at a minimum value of €10 million and rolls over every time it is not won, increasing the value of the jackpot available in the following draw. However, there is a jackpot cap of €120 million – this page explains how it works.
What Happens When Eurojackpot Reaches €120 Million?
When the jackpot reaches its maximum value of €120 million, any additional funds generated from ticket sales that would have been added to the jackpot are diverted into the second prize tier. The prize for matching five main numbers and two Euro numbers will then remain fixed at €120 million until it is won, while excess jackpot funds continue to be diverted into the second prize tier (Match 5 + 1 Euro number). The second prize tier also has a cap of €120 million; if it reaches this amount, any excess funds are then diverted to the next prize tier (Match 5).
History of the Jackpot Cap
When Eurojackpot started, there was a consecutive rollover limit of 12. This meant that there could only be 12 draws in a row where the jackpot was not won, and if no one matched all five main numbers and both Euro numbers in the following draw, then the prize would roll down into the next prize tier containing winners.
However, this was found to be too restrictive, as the jackpot only increased to €27.5 million after reaching its consecutive rollover limit in August 2012, and so the limit was withdrawn in February 2013 and replaced with a jackpot cap of €90 million.
The jackpot cap increased to €120 million from 25th March 2022 as part of several changes made to Eurojackpot. The changes were introduced to coincide with the 10th anniversary of Eurojackpot’s launch and to keep the game as appealing as possible to players, with other international lotteries already offering jackpots that could be worth more than €100 million.
The jackpot cap is rarely reached, but when it does happen the lure of a huge prize can lead to some remarkable results. In January 2017, a jackpot of €90 million was split five ways, as three players from Germany, one from Denmark and one from the Netherlands all won €18 million.
When Did Eurojackpot First Reach the €120 Million Jackpot Cap?
The maximum jackpot of €120 million was reached for the first time on Tuesday 19th July 2022. Nobody won in that draw, but a player from Denmark did win in the following draw on Friday 22nd July. The jackpot was still at €120 million, so the excess funds that would have gone to the top prize were instead allocated to the players who matched five main numbers and one Euro number. There were eight winners in this category, who each received €2.9 million.
