Whether you have a set of numbers that you use every week or tend to opt for a lucky dip, it can sometimes feel like certain lottery numbers are drawn more often than others. With this in mind, researchers have analysed the results from previous National Lottery games to see which numbers come up the most and least frequently.
The analysis looked at the Lotto, EuroMillions, Thunderball and Set For Life lotteries. Researchers also looked at the overall odds of winning the jackpot for each of these four games.
Lotto
Lotto is the National Lottery’s longest-running game, which first started on November 19, 1994. The game runs twice a week, and players can select six numbers between one and 59 to play with. The winning numbers for each game are drawn on Wednesday (8pm) and Saturday evenings (7.45pm).
Players must match all six main numbers to win the jackpot, which was £6.4 million per game on average in 2022, or match five main numbers plus the bonus ball to win £1million. The odds of winning the Lotto jackpot prize stand at one in 45,057,474.
Based on 731 Lotto games, these are the most and least commonly drawn numbers:
Most commonly drawn Lotto numbers
Lotto ball number |
No. of times drawn |
52 |
99 |
36 |
87 |
58 |
86 |
8 |
85 |
37 |
85 |
39 |
85 |
Least commonly drawn Lotto numbers
Lotto ball number |
No. of times drawn |
48 |
64 |
5 |
65 |
9 |
65 |
22 |
66 |
44 |
66 |
53 |
67 |
Slotsia, a casino comparison site, used data from 731 Lotto games from October 10, 2015, to October 8, 2022, as draws before this date featured a lower number of Lotto balls than at present.
EuroMillions
The first ever EuroMillions lottery draw took place on February 13, 2004, when the UK, France and Spain were the only countries eligible to participate. Play was extended later that year to other European countries, including Austria, Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg, Portugal and Switzerland.
In the EuroMillions, UK players can pay £2.50 to pick five main numbers between one and 50 as well as two Lucky Stars numbers between one and 12. The EuroMillions can be played twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays, when the numbers are drawn at 8.45pm. For 2022, the average EuroMillions jackpot for each game is £70.6 million, and the approximate odds of winning it are one in 139,838,160.
Based on 630 EuroMillions games, these are the most and least commonly drawn numbers:
Most commonly drawn EuroMillions numbers
EuroMillions ball number |
No. of times drawn |
20 |
77 |
17 |
77 |
21 |
75 |
42 |
74 |
23 |
74 |
|
2 (Lucky Star) |
129 |
|
3 (Lucky Star) |
128 |
Least commonly drawn EuroMillions numbers
EuroMillions ball number |
No. of times drawn |
40 |
49 |
22 |
49 |
18 |
49 |
33 |
50 |
8 |
53 |
|
5 (Lucky Star) |
86 |
|
1 (Lucky Star) |
86 |
Slotsia used data from 630 EuroMillions games from September 27, 2016, to October 7, 2022, as draws before this date featured a lower number of Lucky Star balls than at present.
Thunderball
The first Thunderball draw was held on June 12, 1999, where the jackpot was only half what it currently is today. UK players can enter this lottery for £1, where they can pick five main numbers between one and 39 as well as one Thunderball between one and 14. Thunderball draws are held four times a week, Tuesday and Friday (8pm) and Wednesdays and Saturdays (8.15pm).
If a player matches all five main numbers as well as the Thunderball, they win the jackpot of £500,000, however, the approximate odds of winning this prize stand at 1 in 8,060,598.
Based on 2,189 Thunderball games, these are the most and least commonly drawn numbers:
Most commonly drawn Thunderball numbers
|
Thunderball ball number |
No. of times drawn |
30 |
308 |
34 |
300 |
29 |
300 |
4 |
298 |
31 |
298 |
|
13 (Thunderball) |
178 |
Least commonly drawn Thunderball numbers
|
Thunderball ball number |
No. of times drawn |
12 |
250 |
35 |
254 |
14 |
258 |
25 |
259 |
5 |
263 |
|
9 (Thunderball) |
133 |
Slotsia used data from 2,189 Thunderball games from May 9, 2010, to October 8, 2022, as draws before this date featured a lower total number in its ball pool.
Set For Life
Rather than offering a lump sum, Set For Life really does as its name suggests, granting the jackpot winner £10,000 every month for 30 years if they correctly match all six numbers. Set up in March 2019, players of this game can select five numbers between one and 47 as well as one Life Ball between one and 10. The approximate odds of winning the jackpot on Set for Life are one in 15,339,390.
Based on 373 Set For Life games, these are the most and least commonly drawn numbers:
Most commonly drawn Set For Life numbers
Set for Life ball number |
No. of times drawn |
21 |
50 |
26 |
50 |
42 |
50 |
8 |
49 |
32 |
49 |
|
6 (Life Ball) |
46 |
Least commonly drawn Set For Life numbers
Set for Life ball number |
No. of times drawn |
30 |
27 |
1 |
29 |
12 |
30 |
14 |
30 |
46 |
30 |
|
4 (Life Ball) |
29 |
Slotsia used data from 373 Set For Life games from March 18, 2019, to October 10, 2022.
