While millions of us here in Ireland quietly put the lottery on every week with little fanfare, there are occasional moments in which the act of buying a lottery ticket acquires extra pomp and excitement. These are moments when the jackpot up for grabs becomes so massive, so mind-boggling, that even a lifelong lottery abstainer can be tempted to buy a ticket.
We’re talking of course, about the EuroMillions Superdraw. This is a record-shattering lottery event that takes place once in a blue moon, usually to mark a special occasion, in which the prize fund is as big as it can possibly get. The next Superdraw is due to take place on September 24, where a minimum prize of €130 million is up for grabs. Read on to find out everything Irish players need to know about the next EuroMillions Superdraw.
EuroMillions Superdraw: The Basics
The EuroMillions Superdraw has been going on for more than 15 years and goes by different names in different parts of Europe. Although its standard name is the Superdraw, it is more commonly known in Ireland as the Mega Draw, while it is referred to as the Super Jackpot in the UK.
The prize pool consists of 10% of the current European Common Prize Fund, which is an amalgamation of Euro lottery rollovers. The previous Superdraw was won by a UK player earlier this year, who won €130 million (£111 million), claiming the ninth-largest lottery prize ever won in the UK.
The prize cap was previously limited to €190 million. However, a couple of years ago the cap was raised to a staggering €220 million, which remains the maximum that any one player can claim from the Superdraw. The largest prize ever afforded to a single Superdraw player was an eye-watering €210 million, which went to a Swiss ticket holder in February this year.
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What You Need to Know
Now onto the upcoming EuroMillions Superdraw. The draw will take place on 24 September 2021 and tickets are available to a resident of any participating European country, including Ireland. The minimum guaranteed jackpot prize is €130 million, although this still has time to rise to the maximum cap of €220 million.
It will replace the regular Euromillions draw that would have taken place on that day, meaning that anyone with a Euromillions ticket for 24 September will automatically be playing for the Superdraw. The rules remain exactly the same; choose five main numbers and two lucky star numbers, and keep your fingers crossed!
Could an Irish Player Scoop Up the Jackpot?
As excitement builds for one of the biggest lottery draws of the year, many people across the Emerald Isle will be wondering if an Irish person could win this year. After all, it would not be unprecedented. A look at the list of the biggest Irish winners of the Euromillions shows that the top five winners in the past 15 years have won a staggering €557 million between them, showing that the luck of the Irish is very much alive and well. Meanwhile, two players from Ireland have won the Superdraw jackpot; one Dublin-based winner in February 2019 scooped up €175 million, while another in 2013 won €93 million.
As the EuroMillions Superdraw moves ever closer, we’ll be waiting with bated breath to see if an Irish winner grabs the jackpot. Have you bought your ticket?
Feature Image: Source: Unsplash
