How to Play Swedish Lotto – 5 Steps for Beginners

The Swedish Lotto is an attractive game for beginners to lotteries. It offers great odds for winning the jackpot and other prize tiers PLUS it’s easy to register on the official online lottery website as a non-citizen. Similar to most lotto games, it’s easy to play once you get the hang of it and you don’t pay a lot to stand a chance of scoring the “Dream Win!”

The highest Dream Win (the locals’ favorite name for the Swedish Lotto jackpot) to date is 237 million kr (over US $21,8 million) which was won in April 2013. The jackpot rolls over whenever there isn’t a winner – another excellent reason for playing this lotto!

Let’s get you started! Read on as we share everything you need to know to play the Swedish Lotto as a beginner. Who’s to say it isn’t your turn to hit the BIG prize with this state-owned lottery?

What You Should Know About the Swedish Lotto

Sweden Lotto

How Did the Swedish Lotto Start?

The Swedish Lotto is one of the many lotteries offered by the state-owned company, Svenska Spel which also manages the country’s casinos and sports betting. The company’s profits are paid over to the State Treasury of Sweden.

Svenska Spel was founded on January 1st, 1997 when two state companies, namely Penninglotterieit and Tipstjanst merged. In January 2019, the Swedish government opened up the lottery market to privately run companies. However, Svenska Spel continues to be the biggest agent for Sweden’s top lottery games.

Pick Your Numbers Swedish Lotto

The Swedish Lotto is one of the most popular games played by avid local lottery players as well as foreigners playing from outside the country. According to the official agent’s website, you have double the chance of winning the Swedish Lotto jackpot than you do the UK Lotto main prize!

Age to Play the Swedish Lotto

Lottery players need to be 18 years and older to play the Swedish Lotto and this rule applies to all third-party online sites as well.

Where to Play the Swedish Lotto

The Swedish Lotto can be played in-store and online in Sweden. The country has over 6,700 authorized retailers selling tickets for all Swedish lotteries. If you prefer playing online, you can register an account either on the Svenska Spel platform or on one of the other private operators’ sites offering the game.

Alternatively, local lottery players can register an account with sites like TheLotter which received a license from the Swedish Gaming Authority (Spelinspektionen) in 2020 to offer its products to Swedes. Opening an account with this platform gives local Swedes the opportunity to play other lotteries held worldwide.

If you’re playing from outside the country, you can buy tickets when you register on the official Svenska Spel online site, while lottery agents like LottoGo also offer a chance to bet on the outcome of the game.

Play the Swedish Lotto

Credit: LottoGo

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When Draws Take Place

The Swedish Lotto draws take place twice a week on Wednesdays at 17h15, Swedish time, and on Saturdays at 18h15, local time.

Price of Tickets

Ticket prices for the Swedish Lotto are cheap at just under £1 for both Lotto 1 and Lotto 2. If you decide to opt for the Quick Pick playing method, the price is 50p per game. The Extra Game ticket price is £1, costing you £2  when adding it to Lotto 1 and Lotto 2.

Odds of Winning

The odds of winning the Swedish Lotto are pretty good, making it possible to become a millionaire overnight. While the jackpots are smaller than other lotto games played worldwide, you still get to win a million or more at a draw. The overall odds of winning the main prize stand at 1 in 55.

There are six prize tiers in the Swedish Lotto game – the odds of winning each division are demonstrated in the table below.

Prize Tier Winning Combination Odds of Winning
Jackpot 7 main numbers 1: 6,274,520
2 6 main numbers + Bonus 1: 240,161
3 6 main numbers 1: 40,027
4 5 main numbers 1: 847
5 4 main numbers 1: 59
6 3 main numbers 1: 55

Highest Jackpot Ever Won from the Swedish Lotto

The highest jackpot ever won from the Swedish Lotto was by a local player who bought a single ticket at Skarphagens Spel og Tobak in Norrkoping, Sweden. The draw took place on April 20th, 2013 and the lottery player matched all seven main numbers PLUS three numbers in the Joker game. The record Dream Win prize was 237 million kr.

There’s no minimum jackpot amount as the prize money depends on the total ticket sales. The jackpot has no cap which means the prize money rolls over and accumulates until there’s a winner. The Joker, also known as the Extra Game, unlocks the Dream Win, giving players the opportunity to win a minimum jackpot prize of 75 million kr.

The odds of winning the Dream Win stand at 1 in 337,915,578. 

5 Steps to Play the Swedish Lotto

Choose How to Play (Online or In-Store)

The first step to winning the Swedish Lotto jackpot is deciding how to play! You can purchase a ticket at one of the thousands of licensed in-store options in Sweden or play online. Some restaurants and pubs are authorized to sell tickets in Sweden.

It’s simple to register an account online but make sure you read the terms and conditions regarding payouts and other rules and regulations.

Select Which Draw Days you Want to Play

The Swedish Lotto takes place on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Tick the boxes on your physical ticket to indicate which draw days you want to play. Otherwise, select the draw days when playing online. You can pick up to 10 consecutive games or play as a subscriber online where your numbers are automatically played in each draw.

Pick Your Numbers and How Many Lines to Play

You need to pick seven numbers from 1 to 35. You can add Lotto 2 as well as play the Extra Game to increase your chances of winning the jackpot. For the Extra Game, you need to pick seven numbers from 0 to 9. 

You have to play Swedish Lotto in order to play the Extra Game or Lotto 2. You can play 10 rows or more per game. If you only want to play Swedish Lotto 1, set “Select Drawings” to ‘Only Lotto 1” and Extra Game to “No.”

Pay for Your Ticket

When you’ve completed your physical ticket, hand it in to the retailer to pay for it. Make sure you get the ticket back as proof of your winnings. The online site will guide you through the process of paying for your ticket. Your paid online entry is proof of winnings and all prizes are paid directly into your account.

Wait for the Draw

The last thing you have to do is wait for the draw to take place! All Swedish lotto results are published on the official lottery websites. Online players will be notified and winnings transferred straight into their bank account.

Tips on How to Win the Swedish Lotto

Tip 1: Play Lotto 2 and Extra Game

The Swedish Lotto gives players the option of playing Lotto 2 and the Extra Game in addition to Lotto 1 to increase their chances of winning the jackpot. You don’t need to win the Swedish Lotto to claim winnings on the Extra Game. But, if you do win both the Lotto 1 and the Extra Game you get to go home with the Dream Win!

Tip 2: Choose Your Own Numbers

The Quick Pick option is available on the Swedish Lotto for players who don’t want the hassle of choosing their own numbers. However, longtime lottery players highly recommend you manually choose your numbers. You can pick your lottery numbers using various strategies such as number systems.

Tip 3: Rely on the Stats: Hot and Cold Numbers

Hot and cold numbers can help you win the lottery and checking out the Swedish Lotto stats will help you decide which digits are frequently or less often played. Hot numbers are those drawn more frequently and most likely to be played in the next draw. Cold numbers are played less often BUT could be drawn in the next game.

Tip 4: Play Your Horoscope Lucky Numbers

Many players will use their horoscope lucky lottery winning numbers for every game. Numerologists believe that your birth sign numbers have higher vibrations, making them more attractive when it comes to drawing days. Find out what your zodiac star lucky numbers are and use them to play the Swedish Lotto.

Tip 5: Pick Easy-to-Win Lotteries

Playing the lottery with the best odds increases your chances of winning the jackpot and the Swedish Lotto is considered one of the easy-to-win lotteries. Most draws produce a millionaire winner and you can attract Lady Luck by playing Lotto 2 and the Extra Game as well!

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

Claiming your winnings depends on how you played. If you played online, you’ll be notified if you’ve won a prize. Once your online account has been verified, your winnings will be transferred to your account. This is the best way to claim your prize if you played from abroad.

Pick Your Numbers Swedish Lotto

Otherwise, you can contact the Svenska Spel head offices in Vispy, Sweden for more information. Payout methods also depend on how much you’ve won:

  • Up to 19,999 kr: Physical ticket claims can be made at an authorized retailer for a cash payment. Online winnings are paid directly into your account.
  • 20,000 kr to 4,999,999 kr: Paid directly into your bank account once your winnings have been verified.
  • 5 million kr and above: Contact the Svenska Spel head offices for payment which happens when verification of the win has been done.

Swedish Lotto winnings are paid out in lump sum amounts.

Final Thoughts

The Swedish Lotto is an excellent game for beginners who are happy to try their luck at winning a million or slightly more! It’s simple to play and using our five steps will get you started once you’ve registered an account online. Of course, if you’re in Sweden and prefer the thrill of playing in-store, there are plenty of licensed retailers to visit!

FAQs

Who can play the Swedish Lotto?

The Swedish Lotto is open to both Swedes and non-citizens. However, if you’re playing outside of the country, you’ll need to register an online account with the official lottery agent. Svenska Spel’s website includes all of Sweden’s top lotteries including the Swedish Lotto.

How do you win the Swedish Lotto Jackpot?

To win the Swedish Lotto jackpot, you need to pick the seven main winning numbers. The Dream Win can be won if you pick seven main numbers plus two Extra Game numerals. Playing Lotto 2 increases the odds of winning the Swedish Lotto jackpot.

Do you pay tax on lottery winnings in Sweden?

No taxes or special fees are levied on lottery winnings in Sweden. However, if you played the Swedish Lotto from another country it’s important to familiarize yourself with your government’s tax laws.