Eurojackpot Reaches €90 Million: How The Jackpot Cap Works
The top prize in Eurojackpot has hit its €90 million jackpot cap following another rollover in the latest draw on Friday 16th August. Find out what happens to the jackpot now and why the odds of winning a big prize are better when the cap comes into force.
Seven Rollovers In A Row
The jackpot has been rolling over since a German player won €18 million on 28th June. A man from Upper Franconia in Bavaria came forward to claim the prize almost a month later, revealing that he had not checked his winning ticket for three weeks.
A number of players have come close to landing the jackpot over the past seven weeks, but nobody has succeeded in matching all the numbers. In the most recent draw on 16th August, a player from Finland won €2.6 million in the ‘Match 5 + 1’ category, while there were four ticket holders who matched five main numbers to pocket €231,159 each.
The top prize had been worth €76 million for Friday’s draw but is now set to rise to €90 million for the next game. It won’t be able to climb any higher, even if there are strong ticket sales, so the rules for the jackpot cap will be applied.
Jackpot Locked At €90 Million Until It Is Won
The jackpot will now remain at €90 million until at least one ticket matches all five main numbers and both Euro numbers. Any extra funds that would normally go to the top prize have to go elsewhere, and they are added to the ‘Match 5 + 1’ tier.
This can create a ‘second jackpot’ worth tens of millions, giving you the opportunity to win a share of a huge prize without even having to match all the numbers. The last time the jackpot reached €90 million in May, there was almost €11 million in the second prize division which ended up being split 11 ways.
There is no limit to how long the jackpot can stay at €90 million. In 2018, the top prize remained at its cap from 25th May until it was finally won six weeks later on 6th July.
Eurojackpot has reached its maximum amount at least once a year since it first happened in 2015. That first win went to a man from Pardubice in the Czech Republic, who opted to remain anonymous. Go to the page on the Biggest Jackpot for more information about the largest wins..
There are 18 countries that participate in Eurojackpot and tickets are sure to be in demand ahead of Friday’s eagerly-awaited draw. You can give yourself a chance of winning by going to an authorised retailer or playing online.
Article Last Updated: Wednesday 4th September 2019 at 10:58 AM
