Austria Lotto, sometimes called Lotto 6/45, 6aus45 or Osterreichische Lotterien, is one of the most popular lotto games in Europe.
With a familiar format that any lotto player will be able to follow, it’s a fun and exciting game.
In this guide, we’ll tell you all the details of this game and explain how you buy Austria Lotto tickets online.
About Austria Lotto
Launched in September 1986, Austria Lotto is arguable the most popular lottery in Austria.
It is operated by Österreichische Lotterien Gesellschaft m.b.H, or Austrian Lotteries, the operator of many of the biggest lotteries in the country.
Austrian Lotteries also runs casinos, sports betting and other gambling games.
Austria Lotto was the first game launched by Austrian Lotteries and still remains one of the most popular to this day.
Proceeds from the draws fund the Austrian Federal Sports Organization and other charities in the country.
Austria Lotto Draws
Austria Lotto is a bi-weekly game with draws taking place every Sunday at 7:17 pm CET and Wednesdays at 6:47 pm CET.
A total of seven numbers are randomly selected during the draws.
Players have until 17 minutes before the draw time to buy tickets. In other words, the Sunday ticket deadline is 7 pm CET and the Wednesday deadline is 6:30 pm CET.
How to Play Austria Lotto
Austria Lotto follows a familiar 6/45 format, which means players choose six main numbers out of a ball pool of numbers 1 through 45.
Players must match all six numbers to win the jackpot.
A bonus ball, called the Zusatzzahl, is also selected from the same ball pool. The bonus ball does not affect the top tier, but impacts the second, fourth, sixth and eighth tiers.
One entry costs €1.20 when purchased within Austria. Individuals who buy lottery tickets online through a third-party operator may have to pay an additional fee.
Austria Lotto Prizes and Odds
Austria Lotto jackpot prizes start at a minimum of €1.5 million.
Jackpots roll over each time there is no winner, which means that prizes can quickly grow.
However, prizes will not grow as big as some other European lotto games, such as Eurojackpot, because of the favourable odds of winning. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 8,415,060, compared to Eurojackpot’s 1 in 95,344,200.
Austria Lotto’s odds are also decent compared to other national lotteries. For example, Canada Lotto 649 has jackpot odds of 1 in 13,983,816.
While there are no prizes for 1 main number match, 1 + Zusatzzahl, 2, or 2 + Zusatzzahl, the lowest tier only requires a Zusatzzahl match.
In total there are eight prize tiers, with overall odds of winning any prize of 1 in 12.
The odds of winning each prize tier and the estimated winnings per tier are as follows:
Numbers Matched | Odds of Winning | Estimated Winnings |
6 | 1 in 8,415,060 | Jackpot |
5 + Zusatzzahl | 1 in 1,357,510 | €50,000 |
5 | 1 in 34,808 | €2,000 |
4 + Zusatzzahl | 1 in 14,290 | €200 |
4 | 1 in 733 | €50 |
3 + Zusatzzahl | 1 in 579 | €15 |
3 | 1 in 45 | €5 |
0 + Zusatzzahl | 1 in 16 | €2 |
Claiming Austria Lotto Prizes
Lucky jackpot winners have up to three years from the draw date to claim their prize.
There are different protocols for claiming different prize amounts.
Prizes of €1,000 or less must be claimed within six months from any official Austria Lotto retailer.
Prizes between €1,000.01 and €80,000 require filling out a claim form and waiting approximately four weeks to receive the prize.
Prizes over €80,000 require making a claim to the Austrian Lotteries Customer Service Center, which is located in Vienna.
All prizes in Austria are tax free, though players who purchase tickets from an independent retailer may have to pay tax in accordance with the laws of their country of residence.
Notable Austria Lotto Winners
Despite Austria Lotto’s decent jackpot odds, there have been some great jackpot prizes.
The biggest jackpot in the lottery’s history was won in November 2018 when a single player won €14,926,157.
The second and third highest jackpot prizes were €12.2 million in 2017 and €11 million in 2011, respectively.
Austria Lotto-Should You Play?
With decent odds, simple gameplay and a rollover jackpot that produces some large prizes, there are many reasons to play Austria Lotto.
The eight prize tiers also mean there are many chances of winning per entry.
In sum, if you’re looking for something new to try, then give Austria Lotto a chance.
Angie