Essentially, a system entry allows players to include more numbers on a single ticket. For example, on a standard EuroMillions entry you can pick five numbers from 1 to 50 and two Lucky Stars from 1 to 11. On a system entry, you can add more main numbers and more Lucky Stars to increase the odds of matching some - or all - of the numbers that come up in the draw.
This is different to buying multiple standard tickets, which offer the set amount of numbers on a single line. Each of these entries carries with it the standard odds of winning - for the EuroMillions jackpot, this is 1 in 116,531,800. You might match two numbers on one ticket and three numbers on the other, which would result in a decreased payout. By comparison, if you purchased a system entry, those numbers could appear on the same line, granting you a bumper windfall if they matched the ones drawn!
System entries enjoy a large amount of popularity among players of Australian lottery games like Oz Lotto and Saturday Lotto, but they are also used quite frequently in Europe. Belgian, French and Portuguese EuroMillions players are permitted to purchase system entries for EuroMillions; however, UK participants cannot do so.
The only disadvantage to system entries is that they can quickly become very expensive. For example, a French player hoping to put just seven main numbers and three Lucky Stars on his EuroMillions ticket will need to pay €157.50. If they wanted to buy a ticket with nine main numbers and three Lucky Stars, they would need to cough up €945!
To that end, system entries are a great idea for syndicates, especially if members have certain numbers they like to play. Everyone gets their lucky numbers in, the cost of the ticket is spread evenly among multiple people and the chances of winning big are increased. You’ll have to share whatever prize you might win with the other syndicate members, but something is always better than nothing! Syndicates are also a great idea for UK EuroMillions players - to learn more about setting up such a group, visit the dedicated syndicates page at Euro-Millions.com.
If you live in a country that offers system entries for popular lottery games, you may want to give it a try and split the cost of such a ticket with syndicate members. Who knows - you could vastly improve your chances of scooping the top prize!
