South Africa Lotto

How does South Africa Lotto work? South Africa Lotto is a six-number draw in the South African National Lottery. A player picks six numbers from 1 to 52. Six main numbers and a bonus ball are drawn, and prizes depend on how many main numbers match and whether the bonus ball also matches. The National Lotteries Commission regulates the National Lottery, and the lottery is run by a licensed operator. Chancepedia is not the operator and does not sell tickets. What are the odds of winning the Lotto jackpot? The jackpot odds are 1 in 20,358,520, the number of different sets of six numbers that can be picked from 52. This is our own calculation: 52 × 51 × 50 × 49 × 48 × 47, divided by 720. That is about twice as hard as the Irish Lotto jackpot, because 52 numbers produce about 20 million sets and 47 numbers produce about 11 million. If each set were one second, the full list would run for about 236 days. When are the draws and where do the results appear? The draws take place twice a week, on Wednesday and Saturday at 21:00. This page shows the latest result, and each draw has its own page with the numbers and facts about the draw. How do you claim a prize, and is there a deadline? Prize claims are handled by the operator under rules set with the National Lotteries Commission. The claim steps and the deadline depend on the prize, so check the operator's official claim page before you rely on a date. Tax on lottery winnings needs its own checked guide, so it is not covered on this page. Where can you get help with gambling? The South African Responsible Gambling Foundation offers free counselling on 0800 006 008 (toll-free, 24 hours a day, every day). Our responsible play page explains how to reach it and lists a few ways to keep spending in check.