Oz Lotto is one of Australia’s most popular National Lottery games, played once weekly on Tuesday nights since 1994. Oz Lotto is run by Tattersalls, one of Australia’s biggest betting organisations, the same company that run several lotteries, especially as part of the NSW lottery group. Lottery tickets for Oz Lotto cost $1.40 each.
Originally, Oz Lotto was played on a 6/45 matrix, however in 2005 a seventh number was added, lengthening the odds of winning. This was done to create more rollovers, bigger jackpots and create excitement in the Australian Lottery games.
This change was reflected in lottery branding and the name then changed in many states. This means you may see Oz Lotto called the Super 7 Oz Lotto, the Oz 7 Lotto and other names, depending on which Australian state you are playing in. More changes have followed over the years, and you are now required to select seven numbers from 1 to 47.
How to play Oz Lotto
To play Oz Lotto you need to choose seven numbers from a possible 47. To win the lottery, all seven numbers need to match the numbers drawn in the Oz Lotto draw on Tuesday evenings.
Although you do need to match all seven balls to win the jackpot, you can win a prize for matching just three main balls and one supplementary number.
Three supplementary numbers are selected from the remaining 40 balls in every draw. This prize structure and the supplementary or bonus balls means there are seven divisions of prizes and seven ways to win.
Oz Lotto odds and prizes
- 1st Division: Match 7 balls – 1 in 62,891,499
- 2nd Division: Match 6 + supplementary – 1 in 2,994,834
- 3rd Division: Match 6 balls – 1 in 242,825
- 4th Division: Match 5 + supplementary – 1 in 26,271
- 5th Division: Match 5 balls – 1 in 4,497
- 6th Division: Match 4 – 1 in 182
- 7th Division: Match 3 – 1 in 71
Overall odds of winning a prize in Oz Lotto are 1 in 51, putting it virtually on a par with many of the world and Asia Lottery games.