Irish Lotto players are set for an exciting change this September, with the National Lottery overseas introducing an update to its Lotto game which will impact our matching Irish Lotto.
The changes, which are being introduced from Saturday, 5 September 2026 (Sunday, 6 September 2026 AEST), are designed to improve players’ chances of winning and create more opportunities to become a millionaire. Tickets for the new format will be available from Thursday, 3 September AEST.
What is Changing in Irish Lotto?
The changes coming to the game include:
The number of Lotto balls will drop from 47 to 45
An additional draw will take place each Monday (Tuesday AEST)
Reducing the number of balls improves the odds of winning across every single prize tier with the added draw giving you an extra chance to win every single week!
Less Balls means Better Odds
One of the biggest changes will see numbers 46 and 47 retired, reducing the number of balls in the main Lotto draw from 47 to 45.
This makes it easier to match all six numbers. The odds of winning the Lotto jackpot will improve from approximately to 1 in 8.1 million making this the lottery with second best odds offered by The Lottery Office, the first being FutureBall with odds of 1 in 4,034,712.
The improved odds will give players better chances of winning across all 7 prize divisions.
An Additional Lotto Draw
Irish Lotto is also getting a third weekly draw.
From Monday, 7 September 2026, Lotto draws in Ireland will take place every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday (being Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday AEST for our Irish Lotto), giving players an additional opportunity to play and win each week.
Will the Price of Lotto Change?
No. Despite all these changes, the price to play will stay the same.
So, players will get improved odds and an additional weekly draw without paying more per line.
More Chances to Become an Irish Lotto Millionaire
The changes represent the biggest update to Irish Lotto in eight years and are aimed at creating more winners and more millionaires.
With fewer numbers to choose from and a third weekly draw, Irish Lotto is entering a new era from September.
Could you be the next Irish Lotto winner? Try your luck here.
