No one managed to match all five main numbers and both Lucky Stars in the Friday 20th September EuroMillions draw, resulting in a then-jackpot of €189 million rolling over and hitting the maximum jackpot of €190 million. In spite of over 48 million tickets being sold to the draw, the closest anyone got to clinching the jackpot were the 13 tickets that matched five numbers and one Lucky Star.
The jackpot continues to break records, after breaking the record for most consecutive rollovers last week. If won by a single ticket, it would become the biggest ever EuroMillions jackpot win in all but two of the nine participating countries.
Ticket sales to the 24 September EuroMillions draw close at 19:30 CET that evening; you can take part by buying a ticket from an authorised retailer in one of the nine participating countries, or alternatively you can join a syndicate online.
EuroMillions Jackpot Cap
EuroMillions introduced a jackpot cap rule in November 2009; before the change, a rollover cap was in place, preventing the EuroMillions jackpot from rolling over more than 11 times. If it still had not been won on the 12th draw, the jackpot money would be rolled down to the next-lowest prize tier, and divided evenly between its winners.
The rollover cap was replaced by a €185 million jackpot cap, with the provision that each time it was reached, it would be increased by €5 million. The €190 million cap was instated in July 2011, when Scottish EuroMillions winners Colin and Chris Weir won the entirety of a capped €185 million jackpot. The new jackpot cap was frozen in place in 2012, after another EuroMillions change removed the €5 million increase rule.
If the top EuroMillions prize continues to roll over at its maximum, any funds originally destined for the jackpot are instead added to the second prize tier, greatly increasing the amount of money that could be won for matching five main numbers and one of the Lucky Stars. If the jackpot rolls over five times without being won, the prize is rolled down and shared between the winners in the second prize tier.
Largest Jackpots in Europe
The jackpot on the 24 September represents the fourth time in history a EuroMillions prize has reached €190 million, joining the ranks as one of Europe’s largest ever jackpots. Here are three of the biggest lottery prizes to ever be won in Europe:
€209 million - SuperEnalotto, August 2019
The largest jackpot ever offered in Europe was won in August 2019, when a single ticket-holder in Lodi scooped a massive €209 million SuperEnalotto jackpot. The top prize had been rolling over for 14 months, breaking €100 million in February. The winner chose to remain anonymous.
€190 Million - EuroMillions, October 2017
A single ticket-holder, who purchased their ticket in Spain, won this jackpot in October 2017, after a Superdraw jackpot in September rolled over five times to hit the cap. The winner chose to remain anonymous, though the ticket was bought in Gran Canaria - a popular tourist destination, giving rise to speculation about the nationality of the winner.
€185 Million - EuroMillions, July 2011
Colin and Chris Weir scooped the entirety of a capped EuroMillions jackpot in July 2011, also triggering the jackpot cap to increase to €190 million. Their jackpot win is the largest the UK has ever seen - in spite of Adrian and Gillian Bayford winning €190 million the following year. This is due to differences in the exchange rate at the time, which resulted in the Weirs receiving £161 million to the Bayford’s £148 million.