The EuroMillions jackpot is the prize for matching all 5 main numbers and both Lucky Stars. It's set in euros, starts at €17 million and, every time nobody wins it, rolls over to the next draw until it reaches the cap of €250 million. UK winners are paid in pounds, at the exchange rate on the day of the draw.
Why the jackpot is in euros
EuroMillions is played in nine countries with one shared jackpot, and the shared currency is the euro. When a UK ticket wins, the prize is converted into pounds at the exchange rate confirmed by Allwyn's bankers on the day of the draw, so the sterling amount moves with the currency markets. The €230 million jackpot of 19 July 2022, for example, paid £195,707,000 to its UK winner.
That's also why the jackpot you see in pounds is always an estimate until the draw has taken place. On our home page you'll find the estimated jackpot for the next draw in pounds.
Where the jackpot money comes from
For every entry sold, the nine operators put €1.10 into a Common Prize Fund. In the first five draws of a rollover series, 50% of that fund goes to the jackpot; from the sixth draw onwards the share drops to 42%, and more goes into the reserve fund instead. On top of that comes any money rolled over from previous draws and, when needed, extra money from the reserve.
It's the reserve that guarantees the starting jackpot of €17 million: the minimum a new series begins with, whatever that first draw's sales.
How rollovers work
If nobody matches 5 numbers and 2 Lucky Stars, the jackpot fund rolls over and is added to the next draw's. With odds of 1 in 139,838,160 per line, long runs of rollovers are normal, and that's how the jackpot climbs from €17 million to nine figures.
When someone does win, the jackpot is shared equally between all jackpot winners in all nine countries. The next draw then starts a new series from €17 million.
The €250 million cap
The jackpot isn't allowed to go above €250 million. Once it hits the cap it stays at that amount, and any money that would have pushed it higher rolls down to the next tier with at least one winner, so those players win more.
At the cap, the jackpot can roll four more times. If nobody wins it in the fifth successive draw at €250 million, the whole jackpot fund rolls down to the next tier with a winner, usually Match 5 + 1 Lucky Star. The cap has been won three times, all in 2025; the full list of records is in the biggest EuroMillions wins.
The cap hasn't always been there: when EuroMillions began in 2004 the jackpot could roll over without limit. The first cap in euros, €185 million, came in November 2009; in February 2020 it was reset at €200 million, rising by €10 million each time it was reached, up to today's €250 million. Every change is in EuroMillions history.
Superdraws and Event draws
A few times a year the operators turn a normal draw into a Superdraw with a guaranteed minimum jackpot, often far above the usual €17 million, and they announce it in advance. There are two kinds:
- Superdraw with a guaranteed minimum jackpot: if nobody wins, the jackpot rolls over to the next draw as usual.
- Event draw: if nobody wins, the jackpot rolls down to the next tier with a winner in that same draw, so it's always paid out that night.
Superdraws don't change your odds, only the size of the prize. The same nights can also bring extra prizes, such as a European Millionaire Maker or more UK Millionaire Maker winners, explained in UK Millionaire Maker.
The jackpot rules at a glance
| Rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| Starting jackpot | €17 million at the start of every series |
| Share of the prize fund | 50% in draws 1 to 5 of a series, 42% from draw 6 |
| No winner | The jackpot rolls over to the next draw |
| Cap | €250 million; any excess rolls down to the next tier |
| At the cap | Four more rollovers; in the fifth draw at the cap it must be won or it rolls down |
| Several winners | Shared equally between all jackpot winners in all countries |
| Currency | Set in euros, paid to UK winners in pounds at that day's rate |
If you win the jackpot
A UK jackpot is paid as one lump sum and it's tax-free. You call The National Lottery to register your win, and it arranges a date and time for you to claim in person, within 180 days of the draw. Whether you go public is your decision. What happens next is covered in how to claim a EuroMillions prize.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum EuroMillions jackpot?
€17 million. Every new jackpot series starts from that amount, guaranteed by the EuroMillions reserve fund.
What is the biggest the EuroMillions jackpot can be?
€250 million, the current cap. It can stay there for four more draws; in the fifth draw at the cap it has to be won or it rolls down to the next tier.
Is the EuroMillions jackpot paid in pounds?
Yes, for UK winners. The jackpot is set in euros and converted into pounds at the exchange rate on the day of the draw, then paid as a lump sum, tax-free.
What happens if more than one person wins the jackpot?
It's shared equally between all the jackpot winners, wherever in the nine countries their tickets were bought.
Why does the jackpot in pounds change before the draw?
Because it's an estimate: the final figure depends on ticket sales across nine countries and on the exchange rate on the day of the draw.
Do Superdraws have better odds?
No. The odds are the same as in any other draw: 1 in 139,838,160 per line. Only the size of the jackpot changes.
Last reviewed: . Independent information: official results are published by the lottery that runs the game.