The EuroMillions is a popular lottery played across several European countries, including the UK, France, Spain, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Portugal, and Switzerland. It is known for its enormous jackpots, often reaching hundreds of millions of euros. But have you ever wondered how much it would cost to buy every possible combination and guarantee a win? Let’s dive into the details.
How EuroMillions Works
Before we calculate the cost of buying every combination, let’s understand how the EuroMillions lottery works.
In EuroMillions, you choose five main numbers from a pool of 1 to 50 and two lucky stars from a separate pool of 1 to 12. This means each ticket has a unique combination of numbers.
Total Number of Possible Combinations
To find out how many possible combinations exist in EuroMillions, we need to calculate how many different ways we can select 5 numbers from a pool of 50 and 2 lucky stars from a pool of 12.
The formula to calculate combinations is:
Combinations=r!(n−r)/!n!
Where:
n is the total number of items (in this case, 50 numbers for the main draw and 12 for the lucky stars),
r is the number of items we choose (5 for the main numbers and 2 for the lucky stars),
! denotes a factorial, which is the product of all positive integers up to that number.
Calculating the Main Numbers
For the main numbers, the number of combinations is calculated as:
Combinations for main numbers=50!/5!(50−5)!=2,118,760
So, there are 2,118,760 possible combinations for the main numbers.
Calculating the Lucky Stars
For the lucky stars, the number of combinations is:
Combinations for lucky stars=12!/2!(12−2)!=66
This means there are 66 possible combinations for the lucky stars.
Total Possible Combinations
To get the total number of combinations, we multiply the number of main number combinations by the number of lucky star combinations:
Total combinations=2,118,760×66=139,838,160
So, there are 139,838,160 possible combinations in EuroMillions.
How Much Would It Cost to Buy Every Combination?
The cost of a single EuroMillions ticket varies by country, but typically it costs around €2.50 per ticket. To guarantee a win, you would need to buy every one of the 139,838,160 possible combinations.
So, the total cost would be:
Total cost=139,838,160×2.50=349,595,400
In other words, you would need approximately €349.6 million to buy every possible EuroMillions combination and guarantee that you win the jackpot.
Is Buying Every Combination Worth It?
While buying every combination ensures a win, it’s important to consider several factors:
The Jackpot Size
The EuroMillions jackpot can vary widely. The minimum jackpot is €17 million, but it can grow much larger if no one wins. The jackpot has been known to reach over €200 million, so buying all the combinations for smaller jackpots might not be a wise investment. However, for larger jackpots, the cost of purchasing every combination might be closer to the jackpot prize itself, which could make it seem more appealing.
Secondary Prizes
In addition to the jackpot, there are several other prizes that can be won in EuroMillions, depending on how many numbers you match. These secondary prizes can range from a few euros to millions of euros. However, the number of people who win these prizes varies, and it’s difficult to predict how much you would win from the secondary prizes.
Other Considerations
Buying all the combinations also means you’ll be sharing the jackpot with anyone else who matches the same combination as you. This means your payout could be reduced if there are multiple winners.
Additionally, consider the logistics. Buying 139 million tickets is no small task, and many lottery operators don’t allow such purchases for security reasons. Even if it were possible, the administrative work of processing the tickets would be monumental.
Can You Buy All the Combinations?
In practice, it’s not feasible to purchase every EuroMillions combination. Aside from the immense cost, there are several logistical hurdles. For one, you’d need to buy tickets in bulk, which would likely be restricted by the lottery organizers. Furthermore, buying in bulk would also mean managing a large number of tickets, which could lead to errors or complications when claiming your winnings.
What If You Could?
If you somehow managed to buy every combination, the next question is: how would you claim the winnings? For a jackpot of over €200 million, you’d be looking at a sizable amount of tax deductions, depending on the country in which the lottery is held. These taxes could eat into your winnings significantly, so the net profit might not be as high as you’d expect.
Moreover, if multiple people win the jackpot, the prize would be split. This is an important consideration when calculating your potential winnings.
Are There Any Cheaper Alternatives?
While buying all the combinations seems like a surefire way to win, it’s also incredibly expensive and impractical. There are cheaper alternatives that might increase your chances of winning:
Lottery Pools: Joining a lottery pool with friends or colleagues allows you to buy more tickets without shouldering the entire cost. If your pool wins, the prize is shared among the participants.
Systematic Forms: Some lotteries allow you to play multiple combinations of numbers with a single ticket. While it’s still not as good as covering all combinations, it increases your chances of winning by playing more numbers.
Regular Play: If you play regularly, your odds of winning will increase over time. However, the odds of winning the EuroMillions jackpot with a single ticket are still quite low.
Conclusion
Buying every EuroMillions combination would cost around €349.6 million, which is a staggering amount of money. While it guarantees a win, the cost of purchasing all the tickets might outweigh the prize, especially if the jackpot is not particularly large. Moreover, there are several logistical challenges involved in buying and managing that many tickets.
Instead of attempting to buy every combination, consider more practical strategies, such as joining a lottery pool or playing regularly. Remember, the lottery is a game of chance, and while it’s tempting to dream of a guaranteed win, the odds remain long.
