How to Play Israel Lotto – 5 Steps for Beginners

Israel Lotto is one of the oldest lottery games worldwide and is a popular game for local Israelis who like to take a chance on winning millions. The odds of winning the jackpot are comparatively high, making the Israel Lotto an attractive game for both lottery pros and beginners.

The format of the Israeli lotto game has changed slightly since its inception but that hasn’t stopped it from being a favorite among lottery pundits. It offers players eight chances of winning a prize – that’s right, even if you only guess three winning numbers, you walk away with some cash!

Of course, every winner wants to bag the minimum jackpot prize of ILS 5 million (just over US$1,000,000.) Knowing how to play could turn you into the next Israel Lotto millionaire so what are you waiting for? Keep reading as we share everything you should know about this exciting lottery PLUS 5 easy steps to get you started as a beginner to the game!

What You Should Know About the Israel Lotto

Israel lotto

How Did the Israel Lotto Start?

The National Lottery of Israel, known locally as Mifal HaPais is licensed to manage all lotteries in the country. The agency was initially set up in August 1951 to raise funding for the building of a hospital in Tel Aviv. To date, funds raised by the lottery organization have been used to support arts, education, and recreation initiatives as well as healthcare projects.

While Mifal Hapais offers its citizens several games to play, Israel Lotto continues to be the country’s number one favorite lottery. Supervised by the Ministry of Finance, the draws and funds are well-managed, ensuring both winnings and funding are properly allocated,

Age to Play Israel Lotto

Lottery players must be 18 years or older to play Israel Lotto. This applies to both players in the country as well as those playing online through some of the best lottery betting sites offering the game.

Where to Play Israel Lotto

Mifal Hapais regulates how and where the lotto game is played in the country and local players need to comply with the rules and regulations to avoid playing illegally. Israelis can play using a lottery app managed by the official National Lottery organization. Local players can also purchase paper tickets at an authorized retailer.

Players outside the country can register an account with a licensed online lottery platform but make sure it’s reputable. Read the terms and conditions of the site before signing up to play Israel Lotto online.

When Draws Take Place

Israel Lotto draws take place twice a week on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Occasionally, MiFal HaPais will announce a Thursday lotto draw. The Israel Lotto winning numbers and results are announced after the draws and published online by third-party lottery websites. Mifal HaPais publishes results on its official website and on local media.

Price of Tickets

Israel Lotto tickets cost ILS 10 per entry and players can select as many lines as they want to play. Ticket prices vary if you play through an online lottery site like WinTrillions. Whether you play this, US Powerball or EuroMillions, they may charge a small handling fee for your entry.

Odds of Winning

The odds of winning the Israel Lotto jackpot stand at 1 in 18,598,272 which is pretty good compared to other lottery games around the world. To win the jackpot you need to match the six lucky numbers plus the bonus ball (known as Chazak) drawn. What’s more, the game has eight prize tiers giving players more chances of winning a prize even if it’s not the gold pot!

Prize Tier Winning Combination Odds of Winning
1 (Jackpot) 6 main numbers + Chazak 1:18,598,272
2 6 main numbers 1: 2,656,896
3 5 main numbers + Chazak 1: 99,991
4 5 main numbers 1:14,284
5 4 main numbers + Chazak 1: 2,666
6 4 main numbers 1: 381
7 3 main numbers + Chazak 1: 207
8 3 main numbers 1: 30

Highest Jackpot Ever Won from the Israel Lotto

Israel Lotto has produced several millionaires since its inception in the 1950s and the highest jackpot ever won was ILS 76 million (USD 23 million.) The winner, a single ticket holder from southern Israel, claimed his lottery jackpot in May 2021 after a call from Mifal HaPais requesting the winner to step forward.

The anonymous winner said he had a dream in which he was told by deceased relatives that he would have no more financial worries as he would be winning the lottery. The man’s dream came true and he had every intention of sharing his good fortune with his children and wife.

5 Steps to Play the Israel Lotto

Choose How to Play (Online or In-Store)

If you’re playing Israel Lotto locally, choose to play with the downloadable lottery app or visit a licensed store to purchase a physical ticket. Players abroad can play this lotto game through an online lottery site that offers the game to its customers. You’ll need to register an account before playing on an online platform.

Online lottery sites such as theLotter let you open a free account – click on “Log In/Sign Up” (top right of the screen) and select “Create a Free Account.” You’ll need to enter your name and the country you’re playing from before proceeding with the registration process.

Play the Israel Lotto

Source: theLotter

Select which draw days you want to play

You have two draw days to select from – Tuesdays and Saturdays. You can manually pick which draw days you want to play on your paper ticket or select the appropriate boxes if you’re playing online. Some online lottery sites allow you to sign up for subscriptions which automatically enter your lucky numbers for every draw.

Pick Your Numbers and How Many Lines to Play

To play Israel Lotto you need to pick six numbers from 1 to 37 and one bonus ball or Chazak from 1 to 7. Lottery players can use the Quick Pick option to have numbers randomly selected for them. You can pick six numbers and a random number for Chazak or select multiple combinations between 7 and 12.

Online lottery sites guide you through the process of picking your numbers and give you options such as how many lines to play or opt for random numbers.

Pay for Your Ticket

When you’ve completed all the necessary steps for filling in your ticket, you can pay for it. Depending on which playing method you’re using, you can either pay cash or buy lottery tickets with a credit or debit card or another accepted online payment method. Some online lottery sites allow you to use funds in your eWallet to play games on their platform. They provide several other payment methods making it easy to pay for your ticket.

Wait for the Draw

The final step to playing Israel Lotto is to wait for the draw! The winning numbers and results are announced by Mifal HaPais on its official website. Third-party lottery agents upload the results on their sites and notify their winners if they’ve won a prize.

Tips on How to Win the Israel Lotto

Tip 1: Pick Odd and Even Numbers

Picking a combination of odd and even numbers could see you winning the next Israel Lotto jackpot! This strategy is a popular method used by pro players as it’s highly unusual for all odd or all even numbers to be drawn at the same time. When playing Israel Lotto select four odd and three even numbers or the other way around.

Tip 2: Play Hot and Cold Numbers

Playing hot and cold numbers can help you win the Israel Lotto but it does require doing some research. After 100 Israel Lotto draws the most popular hot numbers were 2, 7, 14, 25, and 31, The top cold numbers in the past 100 draws were 5, 19, 4, 8, and 20. Analyzing past draw results will help you identify these numbers.

Hot numbers are those drawn more frequently and most likely to be drawn at the next game. Cold numbers are played less frequently BUT can suddenly be drawn at the next draw.

Tip 3: Use Your Lucky Horoscope Numbers

Numerologists believe that every zodiac sign has its own set of lucky numbers which are known to bring good fortune and abundance. Using your horoscope lucky lottery winning numbers not only saves you the angst of picking your own BUT could make you an instant millionaire overnight!

Tip 4: Play Consistently

Playing the lotto consistently is a secret shared by the biggest lottery winners. Entering your ticket for every Israel Lotto draw on a regular basis increases the odds of winning the jackpot or any other prize tier. To avoid missing a game, sign up for Subscriptions when you register with an online lottery site – this way your ticket is automatically submitted for every draw.

Tip 5: Create Various Number Combinations

Lottery pros love to use various strategies to win the jackpot prize and one of them includes creating multiple number combinations. You can do this manually or use the best lottery wheeling system to give you scientifically determined number combinations most probable to win you a prize.

How Do You Claim if You’ve Won a Prize from the Israel Lottery?

All Israel lottery payouts are done as a cash lump sum with smaller winnings paid out by one of the country’s authorized retailers. Larger prizes and the jackpot need to be claimed in person by presenting yourself at the Mifal HaPais main head office in Tel Aviv. Winners have 180 days to claim their prize.

If you’ve won a prize while playing through an online lottery platform, payouts are handled according to the amount you’ve won. Smaller prizes are normally transferred directly to your online wallet while large winnings including the jackpot may require you to travel to Tel Aviv.

Israeli citizens are taxed up to 35% on lottery winnings exceeding ILS 62,400 with prizes of up to ILS 31,200 being tax-free. Partial tax exemption is applicable for winnings between ILS 31,200 and ILS 62,400. If you’ve played abroad, familiarizing yourself with the main lottery rules and regulations by country will inform you if your winnings are taxable.

Final Thoughts

Playing Israel Lotto as a novice is simple once you know how the game works. Our five steps for beginners ensure you get it right the first time around so you don’t miss out on the chance of winning the jackpot. What’s more, if you use any of our tips you’ll be playing like a pro and could be Israel Lotto’s next millionaire!

FAQs

Who can play the Israel Lotto?

Anyone can play Israel Lotto if they’re living in or visiting the country. The game is open to both Israelis and non-citizens. Lottery players can access the game through licensed and regulated online lottery sites if playing outside of the country. You must be 18 years or older to play Israel Lotto.

Is the ticket price for the Israel Lotto worth it?

At around ILS 10 (USD 2.74), the cost of the Israel Lotto is similar to most other lottery games. With pretty good odds of winning the jackpot, spending ILS 10 on a ticket is worthwhile. The second prize guarantees a payout of ILS 500,000 which isn’t half bad either so the ticket price is worth it!

How many numbers do you need on Israel Lotto to win?

You need seven numbers to win the Israel Lotto jackpot. This combination is made up of six main numbers from 1 to 37 and one Chazak from a pool of seven numerals. The other seven prize tiers include various winning combinations with three main numbers being the lowest for winning money on the game.

What do you get for three numbers on Israel Lotto?

Israel Lotto players have a 1 in 30 chance of winning the eighth prize tier with a combination of three numbers. There’s no fixed amount for smaller prizes and the prize depends on the percentage of ticket sales.

What is the biggest lottery in Israel?

Israel Lotto offers players a minimum jackpot starting at ILS 5 million. If the jackpot isn’t won it rolls over to the next draw with a cap of ILS 80 million. This makes the Israel Lotto the biggest lottery in the country and is managed by the National Lottery organization known as Mifal HaPais.