Since December 2014, every time a simulation is played on this site, some data are sent to our server which allow us to ellaborate the following statistics. Take them for what they are: statistics of this site.
Return on Investment Calculation
Return on investment in a simulation is calculated by dividing total wins by total investment. Results may differ quite a lot on every simulation and depend on chances, simulated period, price per draw and particularities of each game.
Of course it also depends on the number of users that by playing the simulators contribute to shape this statistics. As participants and collected data grow, these graphs will be more precise and close to reality.
Since December 2014, there have been 5.376.379 simulations played between all lottery games available: Primitiva, Bonoloto, Euromillions, Eurojackpot, Cupón de la ONCE, Lotería Nacional, El Gordo de la Primitiva, Powerball and Mega Millions
Currently the best return on investment percentage in 25 years is Lotería Nacional Simulator, where participants would have recovered 44,58% of total investment.
The game where less money is recovered seems to be Mega Millions, with a return of 8,42% in 25 years. Both Powerball and Mega Millions are more difficult and less profitable than any of the lotteries analyzed. Their jackpots are the highest though.
As already intuited from the previous graph, where average loss represents 65-92% of investment, the percentage of users who lose their money is by far highest than those who reach or surpass the break-even point. Bet prices vary on each game (from €0.50 the cheapest up to €3) which determine the quantity that one has to win so that results are positive: betting twice a week during 25 years, total investment would be $2600 in Mega Millions, $5200 in Powerball, €5200 in Eurojackpot, €6500 in Euromillions, €1300 in Bonoloto, €2600 in Primitiva and €3900-€6500 in Cupón (counting a weekly expense of €3-€5).
Bonoloto's lower price (€0.50) seems decisive for it being the game where more users got a positive balance after simulating 25 years: 2,39 of every 100.
On the other side, Mega Millions is the game where more users lost their money: 99,81% of users ended up with a negative balance.
The picture looks even worse when we examine how many users became millionaires, winning more than €1 million. At best, they don't exceed 0,01681% of total simulations played.
Next graph is not based on simulators results. They are the known mathematical probabilities:
Which are the odds of winning an important prize?
In order to calculate the equivalence in years we divide the prize's probability by 104 annual draws (2 weekly draws):
Match 5+1: 1 in 292.201.338 (equivalent to 2.809.628 years)
Match 5+0: 1 in 11.688.053 (equivalent to 112.385 years)
Match 5+1: 1 in 302.575.350 (equivalent to 2.909.378 years)
Match 5+0: 1 in 12.607.306 (equivalent to 121.224 years)
Match 5+2: 1 in 139.838.160 (equivalent to 1.344.597 years)
Match 5+1: 1 in 6.991.908 (equivalent to 67.229 years)
Match 5+1: 1 in 31.625.100 (equivalent to 304.087 years)
Match 5+0: 1 in 3.513.900 (equivalent to 33.787 years)
Match 5+2: 1 in 95.344.200 (equivalent to 916.771 years)
Match 5+1: 1 in 5.959.013 (equivalent to 57.298 years)
Match 6+R: 1 in 139.838.160 (equivalent to 1.344.597 years)
Match 6: 1 in 13.983.816 (equivalent to 134.459 years)
Match 6: 1 in 13.983.816 (equivalent to 134.459 years)
Match 5 numbers + serial number: 1 in 90.000.000 - 150.000.000 (it depends on the day of the week and series printed) (equivalent to 865.348 o 1.442.307 years, respectively)
Match 5 numbers: 1 in 100.000 (equivalent to 961 years)
Match 5 numbers (1st prize): 1 in 100.000 (equivalent to 961 years)
Match 5 numbers (2nd prize): 1 in 100.000 (equivalent to 961 years)
Among all avaliable simulators, the most used is Euromillions Simulator with 1.786.140 sessions played.
Eurojackpot Simulator was added two years later than the others, so it's percentage in this graph has been adjusted.
The average duration of all simulations is 65 years (52 years in Primitiva, 32 years in Bonoloto, 69 years in Euromillions, 130 years in Eurojackpot, 25 years in Cupón, 292 years in Powerball and 214 years in Mega Millions). Few users outstrip 10.000 simulated years. If you decide to leave the application running during the night, don't miss to read the frequently asked questions.
Powerball and Mega Millions simulators were launched simultaneously on March 2017 so they deserve a personal popularity fight:
Users of Primitiva Simulator have simulated 7.147.236.720 draws among all, which is equivalent to 68.723.430 years (counting 2 weekly draws, 104 a year)
Users of Bonoloto Simulator have simulated 3.597.054.032 draws among all, which is equivalent to 34.587.058 years (counting 2 weekly draws, 104 a year)
Users of Euromillions Simulator have simulated 12.975.445.960 draws among all, which is equivalent to 124.763.903 years (counting 2 weekly draws, 104 a year)
Users of Eurojackpot Simulator have simulated 4.914.803.816 draws among all, which is equivalent to 47.257.729 years (counting 2 weekly draws, 104 a year)
Users of 'Cupón' Simulator have simulated 1.664.872.560 draws among all, which is equivalent to 16.008.390 years (counting 2 weekly draws, 104 a year)
Users of 'Lotería Nacional' Simulator have simulated 3.454.564.048 draws among all, which is equivalent to 33.216.962 years (counting 2 weekly draws, 104 a year)
Users of 'El Gordo' Simulator have simulated 300.668.264 draws among all, which is equivalent to 2.891.041 years (counting 2 weekly draws, 104 a year)
Users of Powerball Simulator have simulated 4.879.751.864 draws among all, which is equivalent to 46.920.691 years (counting 2 weekly draws, 104 a year)
Users of Mega Millions Simulator have simulated 1.652.129.544 draws among all, which is equivalent to 15.885.861 years (counting 2 weekly draws, 104 a year)
With such low probabilities, hitting the jackpot in any lottery game is extraordinarily difficult. Most of people will never become a lottery millionaire, which of course is inherent to lottery games: many lose so that a few might win.
Are there better combinations than others?
All possible combinations have EXACTLY the same probabilities to emerge. In the same way that when you roll a dice many times each side appears at least once, if you play a 6/49 game during, let's say, a million years, there is a certain probability that your combination might appear sometime. Naturally, a dice has 6 sides, but in lottery games there are millions of potential winning combinations...
But... what if I win?
Gambling generates the illusion that continuing to play will lead to a large win, so many are willing to spend a small amount each week (not so small when you play for years) in exchange for the posibility, as remote as it may be, of becoming rich overnight.
It's up to you to decide if you play in real life and how much to spend, just make sure you don't spend more than you can afford to lose!
For the time being, you can try your luck on this website without spending anything:
Powerball Simulator - Mega Millions Simulator - Euromillions Simulator - Eurojackpot Simulator - Simulador de Lotería Primitiva - Simulador de Bonoloto - Simulador de Cupón de la ONCE - Simulador de Lotería Nacional - Simulador de El Gordo
If you win an important prize you won't be paid any money but you can save your name and be listed among the best in our Hall of Fame, in adittion to consider yourself very lucky.
