Why is the Jackpot so High?
The origins of this sizeable sum can be traced back to Friday 15th September, when EuroMillions players were treated to a 19th Superdraw, offering a guaranteed jackpot of €130 million (£114.5 million). There were no winners that night, meaning that the nine-figure reward rolled over. Three draws later and the prize is still on the up following Tuesday’s draw, with no players able to match the numbers 1, 29, 40, 41, 48 and Lucky Stars 6 and 12.
How Big Can the Jackpot Get?
The EuroMillions jackpot can reach a jaw-dropping €190 million, which is a colossal amount of money by anyone’s standards. This is because the game features a jackpot cap, a special limit that prevents the top prize from increasing any further. Once this massive total is achieved, any money that would usually be added to the jackpot is filtered down to the next prize tier with winners, thus creating much bigger awards.
There is no rollover limit, but once the jackpot cap is activated the top prize can roll for a further four draws before it must be won. Each time, the jackpot remains the same and the excess funds roll down. Should there be no top prize winner in the fourth draw, the entire €190 million jackpot will roll down and be shared amongst players in the highest winning prize tier.
Has the Jackpot Cap Ever Been Hit?
The €190 million jackpot cap was first introduced in July 2011 following UK players Chris and Colin Weir’s €185 million (£161.6 million) win. The Ayrshire couple became the first ticket holders to land the prize at the game’s original jackpot cap and subsequently forced the jackpot limit to increase, as was the rule at the time; however, this regulation was scrapped shortly after their win.
The first players to land the €190 million reward were Adrian and Gillian Bayford of Haverhill, Suffolk in the UK. The pair correctly matched all seven numbers in the draw on Friday 10th August 2012 to walk away with £148.6 million, a figure that was significantly lower than that won by the Weirs due to the vastly different Euro to Pound exchange rate at the time.
The cap was struck again in October 2014, as a Portuguese player from Castelo Branco claimed the game’s highest prize. The lucky ticket holder, who opted to remain anonymous, landed their reward following a run of five rollovers which began with a guaranteed €100 million Superdraw on Friday 3rd October. Three years on, and could history be set to repeat itself?
Could You Halt the Rollovers?
Could you be the player to bring an end to this recent run of rollovers and secure the biggest EuroMillions prize in almost three years. If so, you’ll need to choose your numbers online or pick up a ticket from any authorised retailer. Good luck!