Oz Lotto, Australia’s first fully national lottery, is an easy game to play.
With decent odds and jackpot prizes that regularly reach big numbers, it has become very popular both in Australia and across the world.
In this guide, we’ll explain how the game works and how you buy Oz Lotto tickets online from wherever you are.
About Oz Lotto
Oz Lotto was launched in February 1994 and was the first national lotto game to include New South Wales.
It is owned by Tattis Group and run by the brand The Lott in all states except Western Australia, where it is run by Lotterywest.
The game has undergone a few branding and name changes throughout its history. It was once called Super 7’s Oz Lotto in Tatts region and Oz 7 Lotto in Queensland.
As of 2012, it has been known as Oz Lotto in all regions.
Oz Lotto Draws
Oz Lotto is a weekly draw that takes place every Tuesday at 9:30 pm AEDT.
Players can purchase tickets up until 8:30 pm AEDT on the night of the draws.
The draw is broadcast on TV station 7TWO at approximately 9:30 pm AEDT every Tuesday.
How to Play Oz Lotto
Oz Lotto follows a very familiar format.
Players must choose seven numbers from a main ball pool of numbers 1 through 45.
To win, a player must match all seven numbers.
Two supplementary balls are also drawn, and matching one or two of the supplementary numbers entitles players to some of the lower prize tiers.
Players can either select their own numbers or choose the Quick Play option, which is the same as the Quick Pick option of many other lotteries around the world.
They can also choose to buy tickets for multiple draws at a time.
Players can either choose a standard ticket, which includes up to 50 lines for one draw. Or they can purchase a system ticket, which allows players to choose more numbers per game, giving them more chances of winning.
A single line, also called a game, officially costs AU $1.10.
This cost may be a bit higher for players outside of Australia who buy lotto tickets online from an independent retailer.
Oz Lotto Prizes and Odds
Each prize tier for Oz Lotto is called a Division. The 1st Division is the jackpot tier, and each player has 1 in 45,379,620 odds of winning the top prize.
These odds are much better than some of the bigger international games like US Powerball and EuroMillions, which have 1 in 292,201,338 and 1 in 139,838,160 odds, respectively.
Furthermore, the best Oz Lotto syndicates available online can improve the jackpot odds to as little as 1 in 453,796.
There are seven Divisions in total, and players have 1 in 55 overall odds of winning any prize, which are quite a bit tougher than most lottery games.
Jackpot prizes start at AU $2 million.
If there is no jackpot winner in a draw, the prize rolls over to the next jackpot. There is no jackpot cap, so prizes can potentially get very high.
The odds of winning each Division and the estimated winnings are as follows:
Numbers Matched | Odds of Winning | Estimated Winnings |
7 | 1 in 45,379,620 | Jackpot |
6 + supplementary | 1 in 3,241,401 | AU$44,847.20 |
6 | 1 in 180,078 | AU$4,419.90 |
5 + 1 or both supplementary | 1 in 29,602 | AU$351.60 |
5 | 1 in 3,430 | AU$47.10 |
4 | 1 in 87 | AU$23.90 |
3 + 1 or both supplementary | 1 in 567 | AU$15.20 |
Claiming Oz Lotto Prizes
Players have different deadlines for claiming their prizes depending on the state in which they reside.
Winners have four weeks from the draw date to claim their prize. This isn't much, considering that many games offer six months to a full year.
Prizes are paid out as tax-free, lump-sum payments.
However, players from outside of the country who win by playing through an online lottery site may still have to pay taxes. This depends on the laws of their country of residence.
Notable Oz Lotto Winners
Oz Lotto currently holds the record for the largest lotto jackpot win in Australian history.
The jackpot, which totalled AU $111,972,151, was won on November 6, 2012, and was split between four lucky winners.
Oz Lotto-Should You Play?
Oz Lotto is an easy game to play, with big rollover jackpots, decent odds and a reasonable ticket price.
The added feature of system play makes this a very appealing game, as it easily offers players increased odds of winning-albeit at an increased cost.
If you’re looking for a new game to try, there’s no reason not to play this popular national game.
Joshua